Parents attack Nicola Sturgeon's 'confusing' and 'hyper-controlling' changes to two-metre rule

Complicated changes to the two-metre social distancing rule unveiled by Nicola Sturgeon will see it retained on pavements, halved in bars and abolished for some children but not others.

The First Minister announced that from Friday youngsters under 12 can play normally with each other outside and interact with adults, allowing them to hug non-shielding grandparents for the first time since lockdown started.

However, despite widespread reports for weeks of teenagers socialising in parks and other public spaces, she said the two-metre rule would still apply to children aged between 12 and 17.

In theory, both age groups will still be restricted to meeting outside in groups of up to eight people from no more than three households.

Although Ms Sturgeon decided to retain two-metre social distancing as the "general rule", she said there will be exceptions for hospitality, shops and public transport.

Ms Sturgeon said the limit would be reduced to a metre in the three sectors but "mitigations" would be required including improved ventilation, perspex screens and seating plans that reduce transmission risk.

Us For Them Scotland, the parents' campaign group that campaigned successfully for children to return to school full-time in August, last night described the new regime as "very confusing" and "hyper-controlling."

Spokeswoman Jo Bisset questioned why an 11-year-old could meet a friend but not a 13-year-old. She added: "All of the kids are hanging out together already and they have been for quite some time, and in increasing numbers."

Business leaders warmly welcomed the one-metre exemptions after warning Ms Sturgeon she would face a tidal wave of job losses if the limit was not relaxed. Around a third of hotels and two-thirds of pubs said they would not reopen.

In a flurry of other announcements, the First Minister said:

• Face coverings will become mandatory in shops from Friday next week.

• The five-mile travel limit is abolished from this Friday.

• This restriction will not be eased for six areas in South West Scotland with an outbreak.

The First Minister ordered further scientific study of the two-metre rule after Boris Johnson announced a "one metre plus" system for England.

Unveiling the advice, she said it showed there was increased risk of moving to a metre but this can be mitigated through other measures and the fact infection numbers have fallen sharply.

She the "general advice will remain unchanged" and that "as far as possible" people should remain two metres away from other households.

However, she said that "some rules will become more targeted as we move out of lockdown, and therefore unfortunately a bit more complicated."

Ms Sturgeon said that the clinical risks of Covid-19 for children, and particularly younger children, "appear to be relatively low."

Announcing that social distancing was being abolished for the under-11s, she said: "This will enable you to play more normally with friends, which I hope you will enjoy. I’m sure this move will also be appreciated by your parents and carers."

She added: "Our guidance is different for young people aged 12 to 17. We are not yet relaxing the physical distancing rule for you."

However, she said she was lifting a separate limit on the number of socially distanced meetings they can have in one day.

Ms Sturgeon also acknowledged the "serious economic implications" of keeping the two-metre rule, which severely limits customer capacity.

She announced the limit would be cut to a metre for shops and public transport when Scotland enters the third phase of her lockdown exit plan, which is scheduled for Friday next week.

It will also apply to hospitality businesses, such as pubs, restaurants and hotels, although they are not expected to open their doors until July 15.

She said her government would work with the sectors on detailed guidance on the mitigations required. She said they would all require "clear signage" but noted they would be different for restaurants than hairdressers.

Ms Sturgeon also warned that bars, restaurants and hotels when they reopen will have to take the names and addresses of customers to aid contact tracing if one test positive for Covid-19.

Standing in pubs and background music will be banned "to reduce need for customers to shout", according to a Scottish Government document listing examples of the measures required.

But Ms Bisset urged the Scottish Government to publish the scientific data that justified retaining social distancing for some children and disposing of it for others.

She said: "It's a really impractical demand to make of families and there needs to be a much better explanation of why these demands are being made."

Tracy Black, CBI Scotland director, said: "Easing social distancing rules will make a substantial difference to the viability of thousands of firms in Scotland."

Colin Wilkinson, managing director of the Scottish Licensed Trade Association, said cutting the rule to a metre "will further help the rebuilding of the industry and gives Scotland’s pubs and bars the lifeline they need for their survival."

Dr Liz Cameron, chief executive of the Scottish Chambers of Commerce, also welcomed the change but warned there would be "further job losses" if the mitigations were not affordable.