Angus to be moved down to level 2 on Friday

The First Minister's confirmed Angus will be moved down to level 2 in the coronavirus tiered system from Friday.

Inverclyde and Falkirk are the two other authorities in Scotland to take the same step.

Level 3 restrictions will remain in place for the rest of Tayside and Fife.

The First Minister told Parliament: “The fall in infection rates in these areas - the most highly populated in the country - have contributed to an improvement in the situation across Scotland as a whole.

"All of this puts us in a much better position to cope with the inevitable difficulties of winter. However, it does not remove the need for a cautious approach. The risks and challenges of the next few months are clear.

“That is why, in reaching decisions today, we have had to consider the potential overall impact of moving to a lower level of restrictions at the same time as the Christmas period begins in earnest.”

Dumfries and Galloway and Borders Councils will drop to Level 1, following significant improvements in suppressing the virus in these two areas.

The 11 authorities currently in level 4 will all drop to level 3 on Friday.

All other areas remain unchanged in their levels.

The easing of restrictions will happen from 6pm on Friday, 11 December.

However, retail outlets in areas dropping down to Level 3 can re-open from 6am on Friday in a move intended to help stores and shopping centres better manage the flow of customers after the period of closure.

Level 1:

Highland

Moray

Western Isles

Orkney

Shetland

Scottish Borders

Dumfries & Galloway

Level 2:

Aberdeenshire

Aberdeen

Argyll & Bute

Angus

Inverclyde

Falkirk

Level 3:

Fife

Perth & Kinross

East Dunbartonshire

West Dunbartonshire

Renfrewshire

East Renfrewshire

City of Glasgow

South Ayrshire

East Ayrshire

North Ayrshire

Stirling

Clackmannanshire

City of Edinburgh

Midlothian

West Lothian

East Lothian

Dundee

North Lanarkshire

South Lanarkshire

Hear all the latest news from across Tayside, Perthshire and Angus on Tay FM. Listen on FM, via our Rayo app, DAB, or smart speaker.