Coronavirus in Scotland
Stopping the spread starts with all of us.
You should:
- wear a face covering
- avoid crowded places
- clean hands and surfaces regularly
- stay 2m away from other people
- self-isolate and book a test if you have COVID-19 symptoms (new continuous cough, fever or loss of, or change in, sense of smell or taste)
- download the Protect Scotland contact tracing app
Mainland Scotland and some islands are in lockdown with guidance to stay at home, except for essential purposes. These restrictions will remain in place until at least mid-February.
Some islands will remain at Level 3.
Information and support
Coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in Scotland
Local measures and restrictions (protection levels)
From Tuesday 5 January, mainland Scotland will move from Level 4 to a temporary Lockdown, with new guidance to stay at home except for essential purposes. Some islands will remain at Level 3.
COVID-19 vaccine
Getting tested for COVID-19 and self-isolating
You should self-isolate and book a COVID-19 test if you have symptoms (new continuous cough, fever or loss of, or change in, sense of smell or taste).
- guide to getting tested for coronavirus
- download the Protect Scotland contact tracing app
- Test and Protect: information leaflet
- Test and Protect: guidance for self-isolating including advice for employers
- Test and Protect: collection of customer contact details
- Test and Protect advice on NHS Inform
Travel and quarantine
You must not travel into or out of Level 3 and 4 local authority areas except for essential reasons. See further guidance on travel and transport and view maps of local authority area boundaries.
- guidance on travel and transport
- self-isolation guidance for people arriving in or returning to Scotland
- travel safely within Scotland advice is on the Transport Scotland website
- guidance for British people travelling abroad is at gov.uk
- visa and passport advice is at gov.uk
Health and wellbeing
- health advice, including a symptom checker and guidance for households with possible coronavirus infection, can be found on NHS Inform
- support if you are shielding (in the highest risk group)
- guide to the help and support available including food and other essentials
- advice if you have a specific medical condition
- guidance on visiting hospitals
- information for older people can be found at Age Scotland
- dementia advice and support can be found at Alzheimer Scotland
- for autism advice go to Scottish Autism
- if you have been affected by sexual violence you can get support at Rape Crisis Scotland
- for domestic abuse support go to the Safer Scotland website
- for low mood, anxiety and depression get support from NHS Inform, Breathing Space, the Scottish Association for Mental Health and Samaritans Scotland
- Clear Your Head gives advice on how to stay active, keep connected and create healthy routines to help get through the crisis
- vitamin D: advice for all age groups
- shielding guidance for local authorities
- the AyeFeel website is a place for children and young people to find information about how to support and look after their emotional wellbeing and mental health
- information on longer-term effects of COVID-19 infection
Healthworkers, carers and social work
Mental health and wellbeing support
Health and social care workers mental health support helpline: 0800 111 4191
Care homes, carers and social work
- general advice for unpaid carers
- unpaid carers: guide to using PPE
- personal assistants: guide to using PPE
- social care providers and unpaid carers: how to access PPE
- guidance on the use of face masks in hospitals and care homes
- guidance on changes to social care assessments
- guidance for social workers on safe and ethical practice
- adult support and protection guidance
- job retention (furlough) of social care staff required to shield
- adults with incapacity guidance
- guidance on self-directed support
- guidance on the social care staff support fund
- visiting guidance for care homes
- guidance for those providing guidance support for people with sight loss or mobility or other impairments
- guidance on adult social care building-based day services
Hospitals
Healthcare students
Clinical guidance
Data
- data collected on the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak and lockdwn on vulnerable children and vulnerable adults and families (updated weekly)
- PPE distribution statistics (updated weekly)
Further information for health and social care professionals
- the National Wellbeing Hub helps health and social care workers get advice to support their emotional wellbeing
- guide for health professionals returning to NHS Scotland
- further information and guidance for health practitioners can be found at NHS Inform and Health Protection Scotland
Housing and accommodation
- social landlords guidance
- private landlords and letting agents guidance
- advice for private tenants
- moving home guidance
- second homes guidance
- information for homelessness services
- framework to support gypsy/traveller communities
- guidance on allocations for the housing sector
- student accommodation providers
- workers' accommodation
Schools, education, children and young people
Safe operating guidance
- schools guidance
- school age childcare services guidance
- early learning and childcare services guidance
- childminder services guidance
- child contact centre guidance
Safety and wellbeing
- guidance for residential childcare settings
- supplementary national child protection guidance
- infant feeding service guidance for NHS staff
Support for learning
- support for continuity in learning guidance
- guidance on the Curriculum for Excellence in the recovery phase
Parents
- general parenting advice is on the ParentClub website
Children and young people
- advice for young people is on YoungScot
Further and higher education
- universities, colleges and student accommodation providers
- guidance for laboratories and research facilities
- guidance for students on returning home at the end of term
- COVID-19 advice for students is on the SAAS website
Data
Retail, hospitality, tourism and leisure
- guidance for the performing arts and venues sector
- guidance for customers on how the retail experience in shops, tourism and hospitality businesses is changing
- retail sector guidance including close contact services such as hairdressers, barbers and beauty salons
- guidance for the tourism and hospitality sector
- guidance for alcohol and civic licensing
- guidance on safer public spaces - urban centres and green spaces
- guidance for public libraries
- guidance on sport and leisure facilities
Businesses, work places and self-employed people
Funding for local authorities to support businesses affected by COVID-19 will be announced shortly. This includes support for newly self-employed people who are not able to access other forms of financial support. These funds are not yet open for applications so please do not contact your local authority.
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businesses and workplaces that must close and can remain open at protection level 4
- coronavirus business support and advice is on the Find Business Support website
- business support funds information (SG)
- general guidance for safer workplaces
- working from home guidance
- ventilation guidance
- workplace risk assessment guidance
- collection of customer and visitor contact details guidance
- Test and Protect: guidance for self-isolating including advice for employers
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information on support fund for businesses affected by additional restrictions
-
guidance for employers on the investigation of outbreaks in manufacturing businesses
Sector specific guidance and support
- agriculture sector guidance is on the SASA website
- aquaculture support
- call centres and customer contact centre environments
- caravan sites and holiday parks
- cinemas and drive-in cinemas
- community learning and development sector guidance
- construction sector guidance
- culture and creative sector support
- creative studios and shared workspaces guidance
- driving and motorcycle lessons
- events sector guidance
- film and television production
- financial services sector
- household waste recycling centre guidance
- laboratories and research facilities guidance
- libraries (public) guidance
- manufacturing sector guidance
- museums, galleries and heritage attractions
- oil and gas industry - guidance developed by Oil and Gas UK
- public spaces - urban centres and green spaces
- recovery support services
- retail sector - including close contact services such as hairdressers, barbers and beauty salons
- sea fisheries support
- SME housebuilders support
- soft play sector - provisional guidance
- stadium sector guidance for professional rugby and football
- tourism and hospitality sector
- universities, colleges and student accommodation providers
- waste sector guidance
- zoo and aquarium animal welfare funding
Animal owners
Work and financial support
- guidance on returning to work
- guidance on homeworking
- general advice about benefits, money, debt and employment rights is on Citizens Advice Scotland
- advice about employment and redundancy support is on the My World of Work website
- for money and consumer advice go to coronavirusadvice.scot
- for employment rights advice see the Acas website
- for energy saving advice go to Home Energy Scotland
- ways to increase income and reduce costs via Money Map from Citizens Advice Scotland
Places of worship, wedding ceremonies, civil partnerships, and funerals
Offer help
- information on how to help your community is on the Ready Scotland website
- individuals, businesses, third sector and voluntary organisations can offer to help with the response to coronavirus
- if you’re a member of the public who wants to share an idea, email cpe@gov.scot
Scottish Government strategy and evidence
Our approach is guided by the Chief Medical Officer, and we continue to monitor the situation closely and to work with the WHO and international community.
We are working with the Welsh Government, Northern Ireland Executive, and the UK Government to respond to the ongoing outbreak.
- Coronavirus (COVID-19): Scotland's Strategic Framework sets out a five-level framework to help suppress the virus
- Coronavirus (COVID-19): protection level reviews and evidence
- Test, Trace, Isolate, Support sets out our plans to help disrupt community transmission of coronavirus
- Coronavirus (COVID-19): Scotland’s route map is a collection of documents setting out how Scotland will transition out of lockdown.
- First Minister's updates and statements
- Coronavirus advisory groups
- findings on modelling the COVID-19 epidemic