Scotland to scrap social distancing amid plan to lift most Covid rules

Nicola Sturgeon confirms blanket self-isolation measures for school pupils will also end from 9 August

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The legal requirement for physical distancing in Scotland will be removed from next week, Nicola Sturgeon has said, as she confirmed the country would move beyond level 0 of the Scottish government's five-tier system of Covid controls from 9 August.

Blanket self-isolation for school pupils will also be scrapped: when Scottish schools return over the next two weeks, school pupils will no longer be required to isolate for 10 days when someone in their bubble tests positive for Covid, as long as they test negative themselves. But face coverings for secondary school children will remain mandatory in classrooms and around school buildings.