Council leader urges people in East Dunbartonshire to comply with new indoor covid restrictions for area

People in East Dunbartonshire can no longer meet each other in their homes in a bid to stem a rise in coronavirus cases in the area.

Joint Council leader Andrew Polson is urging local people to comply with the new restrictions on meeting indoors which came into effect overnight.

He told BBC Breakfast this morning (Tuesday, September 8): “From what I have seen, households have been having people around more than the three families, more than the three households, in some cases in neighbourhoods eight or nine households together and it just isn’t appropriate under current circumstances.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“We want to keep our schools open in East Dunbartonshire, we want to let people go out to hospitality venues but in that case we also want them to go to one establishment as well, just everybody doing their bit.”

Similar measures were introduced in Glasgow City, East Renfrewshire and West Dunbartonshire last week. These have been extended to East Dunbartonshire and Renfrewshire, and now cover more than a million people.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said acting quickly now could stem the tide of transmission in the area.

The revised restrictions are: People in the Glasgow, East Renfrewshire, West Dunbartonshire, Renfrewshire and East Dunbartonshire local authority areas should not meet with people from other households in indoor household settings.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

People from these areas should also not meet people in indoor household settings in other local authority areas.

Members of different households can continue to meet outdoors, including in gardens, and in hospitality settings, provided all existing guidance is followed.

Indoor visits to hospitals and care homes will be limited to essential visits only to protect the most vulnerable.

Outdoor visits to care homes are permitted by three people from a maximum of two households, in line with current guidance.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

If anyone living in these areas is identified as a close contact of someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, they and all those in their household group should self-isolate for 14 days.

The Scottish Government and local authorities will monitor hospitality over the coming days to see whether restrictions should be extended.

Those households who have formed an extended household and people providing care and support – for example caring for an elderly family member or delivering shopping - can continue to meet indoors with enhanced hygiene measures in place.

People living in all affected local authority areas who were previously shielding are asked to be particularly vigilant.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “Over recent weeks, we have seen a continued increase in new COVID-19 cases in the Greater Glasgow & Clyde health board area.

“Having looked at where cases are being identified, the advice from the public health experts managing this outbreak is that restrictions on indoor gatherings should be extended to Renfrewshire and East Dunbartonshire and continue for at least a further seven days in Glasgow, East Renfrewshire and West Dunbartonshire.

“I understand this will not be welcome news for people living in these areas but it is necessary to help us limit the spread of COVID-19. Acting now gives us the time and the space to protect people and get more control over the virus.

“I would ask everyone to be extra vigilant, to follow all guidance and to isolate and book a test if they have any symptoms.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“Above all, I want to emphasise that getting a test – and even getting a negative result – is not a substitute for self-isolating. If you have symptoms, or if you are contacted by our Test and Protect team and told to do so, you will need to self-isolate.”

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Director of Public Health, Dr Linda de Caestecker, said: “We know it’s not much fun right now not being able to socialise as we would like to and Covid has gone on much longer than any of us would want.

“However the only way we are going to beat this is by working together and sticking by the rules. Please limit your contacts and by doing this you’re not only protecting yourself but also your friends and family.”

The current restrictions will be reviewed every seven days.

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.