The First Minister today updated parliament on the latest steps towards easing covid-19 restrictions.

She began by confirming that the objective is to ensure that everyone over 18 will have received their first and second dose of vaccination by 12 September. As announced last week, all areas in Scotland will remain at the current level until the next review date of 19 July.

From then, dependent on the vaccination programme and case numbers, it is hoped that all parts of Scotland can move to level 0.

However, changes to the rules on funerals and weddings will come into effect this coming Monday 28 June.

The main changes are:
• Suppliers of wedding services, and other people employed by the couple getting married, will no longer count towards the cap on numbers at a wedding
• Those accompanying the wedding couple down the aisle will no longer need to wear face coverings
• Live entertainment at receptions will be possible – although people will still need to be seated at tables
• And there will be a change to the guidance for funerals, so that people from more than one household can help carry a coffin and take a cord when lowering it.

From Monday 19 July and assuming we all move to level 0 there will also be changes to physical distancing and the number of people allowed to gather both inside and out.

In summary, the new rules:
• Allow up to 200 people to attend weddings and funerals
• Increase the limit on household gatherings indoors
• Reduce the indoor physical distancing from 2 metres to 1 metre.
• Remove outdoor physical distancing
• Current level 0 rules will remain for organised events but limits for informal outdoor social gatherings will be removed.

If everything goes to plan, the next key date will be 9 August, when it is hoped that any remaining legal restrictions will be lifted, including indoors physical distancing.

The Aberdeenshire vaccination figures are just in, up to 22 June: