Face coverings to become mandatory in Scottish shops, says Nicola Sturgeon
Wearing face coverings will become mandatory in shops in Scotland from July 10, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said.
Speaking during the Scottish Government's daily coronavirus briefing, Ms Sturgeon said as people start to interact more it is "vital we take steps to reduce risks".
On social distancing measures, she said sticking to the two-metre rule has "serious economic implications".
From the end of next week, exceptions would be allowed for specific sectors to operate within a one-metre distance with mitigation measures.
These sectors include hospitality, retail and public transport.
But the general rule in law will be that businesses must take reasonable measures to ensure two-metre distancing is maintained, she said.
Nicola Sturgeon said the face mask change was also needed in shops "because we usually don't know the people we have been in contact with".
In such circumstances a face covering "provides an additional layer of protection", she added.
The First Minister stressed: "This is a really important way for all of us to protect each other and to display that sense of solidarity that has served the country so well over these last few months".
Her comments came as she confirmed that outdoor hospitality - such as pavement cafes and beer gardens - can open from Monday July 6.
Meanwhile self contained holiday accommodation, such as cottages and lodges, can reopen from tomorrow, July 3.
The Scottish Government is also lifting the guidance advising people not to travel more than five miles for leisure from Friday - although this will not apply to parts of Dumfries and Galloway where there is a cluster of Covid-19 cases.
Ms Sturgeon said these changes were possible because the R number - the average number of people infected by each person with coronavirus - was between 0.6 and 0.8
She also said the number of people who were believed to be infectious with Covid-19 in Scotland had reduced to 1,500 by last Friday
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