Timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic in Scotland (2021) facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

This is a timeline of important events about the COVID-19 pandemic in Scotland during 2021. Scotland had its own rules and ways of reporting information, which were different from other parts of the UK like England, Northern Ireland, and Wales.

COVID-19 in Scotland: A Year in Review (2021)
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COVID-19 in Scotland: A Year in Review (2021)

January: New Lockdowns and Vaccinations Begin

1 January – Scotland's First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, warned that a new type of COVID-19 was spreading fast. She said the next few weeks could be very dangerous.
4 January – Mainland Scotland went into a strict lockdown. This meant schools closed, and people had to stay home for most reasons.
6 January – Figures showed that over 92,000 people in Scotland had received a COVID vaccine since December.
8 January – Plans for university students to return to campus were put on hold until the end of February.
11 January – The Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine started to be given out widely across Scotland in many places.
12 January – Sadly, the number of COVID-19 deaths in Scotland passed 5,000.
13 January – New rules were announced for "click-and-collect" shopping and takeaway food. People could only pick up essential items, and takeaways couldn't let customers inside.
19 January – The lockdown in Scotland was extended until mid-February, keeping schools closed for longer.
25 January – NHS Scotland started sending out vaccine appointments for people aged 70–79.
29 January – The total number of COVID deaths in Scotland went over 6,000. The entire Western Isles area moved to the highest level of restrictions due to a rise in cases.

February: Schools Plan to Reopen and Quarantine Rules

1 February – First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced that almost all elderly care home residents had been offered their first vaccine.
2 February – The Scottish Government shared plans for schools to start reopening in stages from 22 February. Younger primary school children and some older secondary students would return first.
9 February – All travelers arriving in Scotland by plane had to quarantine for ten days in a special hotel from 15 February.
10 February – Over one million people in Scotland had received their first COVID vaccine dose.
16 February – First Minister Nicola Sturgeon confirmed that young primary school children and some secondary students would return to school on 22 February. She also advised against booking Easter holidays.
22 February – Scotland's schools began their gradual reopening, with the youngest students going back to classrooms.
23 February – Nicola Sturgeon revealed Scotland's plan to reopen the economy. This included allowing all primary students and some older secondary students back to school on 15 March. Stay-at-home rules could be lifted on 5 April, and shops, restaurants, gyms, and hairdressers might reopen from 26 April.

March: Easing Restrictions and Vaccine Milestones

1 March – Rules for visiting care homes became more relaxed. Residents could have two specific visitors once a week.
2 March – Nicola Sturgeon confirmed that all secondary school pupils would return to school part-time from 15 March.
9 March – Some rules were eased slightly. Four people from two different homes could meet outdoors, and outdoor non-contact sports were allowed.
15 March – Scotland's Chief Medical Officer, Gregor Smith, said he was very confident in the Oxford–AstraZeneca vaccine. This was after some European countries paused its use due to concerns.
16 March – Nicola Sturgeon announced more easing of restrictions. The "stay at home" rule would change to "stay local" on 2 April. Hairdressers and garden centers could reopen on 5 April.
17 March – Two million people in Scotland had received their first COVID vaccine dose.
18 March – It was confirmed that the temporary COVID hospital in Glasgow, NHS Louisa Jordan, would close at the end of March.
24 March – NHS staff in Scotland were given a pay rise of at least 4%.
30 March – The "stay at home" order was officially lifted from 2 April. Hairdressers, barbers, garden centers, and homeware stores could reopen from 5 April.

April: More Freedom and Digital Certificates

1 April – Scotland's Chief Medical Officer, Dr Gregor Smith, said that doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine could arrive soon.
2 April – The "stay at home" rule was replaced with a "stay local" order. This meant people had to stay within their local council area for three weeks.
5 April – Hairdressers, barbers, garden centers, and homeware stores reopened. The Scottish Government also looked into creating a "digital certificate" to prove vaccination.
7 April – The first doses of the Moderna COVID vaccine were given in Glasgow. The Scottish Government also allowed 12,000 spectators to attend Euro 2020 football matches at Hampden Park.
13 April – The "stay local" rule was lifted from 16 April, allowing people to travel around Scotland. Up to six people from six different homes could also meet outdoors.
20 April – Nicola Sturgeon confirmed that outdoor hospitality (like pub gardens), gyms, and non-essential shops would reopen from 26 April. Travel between Scotland and other parts of the UK was also allowed again.
26 April – Non-essential shops, gyms, swimming pools, pubs, restaurants, and cafes reopened. Travel within the UK was also permitted. Over one million people in Scotland had received their second vaccine dose. Rapid flow tests became available for everyone in Scotland.

May: Concerns in Glasgow and Moray

4 May – Health officials warned that Moray might stay in higher restrictions if COVID cases didn't fall.
6 May – Scotland had its first seven-day period without any COVID deaths for eight months. However, officials warned that Moray was seeing "uncontrolled" spread of the virus.
11 May – Nicola Sturgeon confirmed that people would be allowed to meet indoors from 17 May, and hugging would also be permitted. A new "traffic light system" for international travel would also start.
14 May – Nicola Sturgeon announced that Glasgow and Moray would remain in stricter Level 3 restrictions for another week due to high COVID rates. The decision to have fans at the 2021 Scottish Cup Final was also reversed.
17 May – Most of mainland Scotland moved to Level 2 restrictions, allowing indoor dining and other venues to reopen. Hugging was permitted. However, Glasgow and Moray remained in Level 3.
19 May – Humza Yousaf was appointed as the new Health Secretary. The Scottish Government confirmed people could get a vaccine certificate for overseas travel.
21 May – Moray moved from Level 3 to Level 2 restrictions, leaving Glasgow as the only area in Level 3.
28 May – Nicola Sturgeon confirmed that Glasgow would stay in Level 3 restrictions for at least another week.
30 May – Over two million people in Scotland had received both doses of the vaccine.

June: Third Wave and Travel Bans

1 June – Nicola Sturgeon announced that Glasgow would move to Level 2 restrictions from 5 June. Some areas would move to Level 1, and island communities would move to Level 0 (almost no restrictions). Professor Jason Leitch suggested Scotland was at the start of a third wave of COVID.
3 June – NHS Lanarkshire planned to give second COVID injections earlier (from twelve to eight weeks) to fight the Indian variant COVID.
8 June – Nicola Sturgeon said Scotland would vaccinate 12–15-year-olds if experts recommended it.
9 June – Figures showed that COVID cases among children were at their highest since the pandemic began.
15 June – Nicola Sturgeon said Scotland's move to the lowest level of COVID restrictions would likely be delayed by three weeks.
18 June – Nicola Sturgeon announced a travel ban between Scotland and parts of Greater Manchester and Salford due to rising COVID cases. This caused anger from the Mayor of Greater Manchester.
22 June – Nicola Sturgeon set a date of 9 August for lifting most COVID restrictions in Scotland. The next step (moving from Level 1 to Level 0) was delayed from 28 June to 19 July.
23 June – Scotland reported its highest number of daily COVID cases since mass testing began, with 2,969 new cases.
28 June – Daily COVID cases rose above 3,000. Rules for weddings and funerals were relaxed.
29 June – The ban on non-essential travel between Scotland and the north-west of England was lifted.
30 June – Almost 2,000 COVID cases in Scotland were linked to Euro 2020 football matches, with many from Scotland's game against England.

July: Cases Rise and Restrictions Ease (Mostly)

1 July – The number of daily COVID cases in Scotland passed 4,000 for the first time.
3 July – Contact tracers started focusing on high-risk cases to ease pressure on the system.
5 July – The World Health Organization said Scotland was one of Europe's top COVID hotspots.
6 July – The Scottish Government still planned to move to Level 0 restrictions on 19 July and lift most remaining restrictions on 9 August, despite rising cases.
13 July – Nicola Sturgeon announced Scotland would move to Level 0 restrictions from 19 July. However, wearing face coverings would remain required for some time.
14 July – Scotland recorded 11 COVID deaths, the highest number since March.
19 July – Scotland moved to Level 0 restrictions. This allowed more people to meet indoors and attend weddings and funerals.
22 July – Scotland recorded 22 new COVID deaths, the highest daily number in four months. The Scottish Government planned to make critical workers exempt from self-isolation.
29 July – Figures showed that over 141,000 workers in Scotland were still on the Job Retention Scheme (furlough) at the end of June.

August: Most Restrictions Lifted and School Concerns

1 August – The Scottish Government planned to vaccinate thousands of teenagers with health conditions before the new school term.
3 August – Nicola Sturgeon confirmed most COVID restrictions in Scotland would be lifted from 9 August. The number of people allowed at football matches would increase. Also, whole classes of schoolchildren would no longer routinely have to self-isolate after a positive COVID test.
6 August – Scotland's R number (how many people one infected person passes the virus to) fell below 1 for the first time since May. The Edinburgh Fringe Festival returned.
7 August – Drop-in vaccination clinics began for 16 and 17-year-olds.
9 August – Most pandemic restrictions were removed in Scotland. Rules that remained included mandatory mask-wearing in some places and some school rules. Nightclubs were allowed to reopen.
11 August – A BBC Scotland report showed the pressure on hospitals trying to catch up on long waiting lists due to COVID.
12 August – Doctors and dentists in Scotland were given a 3% pay rise for their work during the pandemic.
16 August – As schools returned, Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said face coverings in classrooms would be removed "as soon as possible."
17 August – The Scottish Government started a discussion about making some of its emergency COVID powers permanent.
24 August – Scotland reported a record 4,323 daily cases. Nicola Sturgeon said she couldn't rule out bringing back some COVID measures. The Scottish Government also planned a public inquiry into how COVID was handled in Scotland.
25 August – Deputy First Minister John Swinney said the rise in cases was partly due to schools returning.
27 August – Scotland recorded 6,835 new COVID cases, the highest daily increase yet. Nicola Sturgeon said a "circuit-breaker lockdown" was not being considered.
29 August – Another record number of daily COVID cases was reported, with 7,113 new cases. Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said the NHS in Scotland was facing a "perfect storm." Nicola Sturgeon self-isolated after being a close contact of someone with COVID.

September: Vaccine Passports and NHS Pressure

1 September – Nicola Sturgeon confirmed that vaccine passports would be needed for nightclubs and large events.
2 September – School attendance figures showed over 32,000 pupils were absent, mostly due to testing positive or self-isolating.
9 September – The Scottish Parliament approved vaccine passports. This meant adults needed to be fully vaccinated to enter nightclubs and major events from 1 October.
10 September – The chief executive of the Scottish Ambulance Service apologized for long waiting times, saying the service was under "unprecedented pressure."
12 September – Over 1,000 people were in hospital with COVID-related conditions, a figure that had risen for nine days in a row.
15 September – Health Secretary Humza Yousaf was warned he could put lives at risk by telling people to "think twice" before calling an ambulance.
16 September – The Scottish Government asked the military for help with Scotland's ambulance service.
17 September – Figures showed Scotland still had the highest COVID rate in the UK.
21 September – Nicola Sturgeon explained where and when vaccine passports should be used. The military confirmed 114 personnel would help the Scottish Ambulance Service.
24 September – Scotland recorded 50 COVID-related deaths, the highest daily total since February. Fully vaccinated travelers returning to Scotland no longer needed a pre-flight COVID test. Military personnel arrived to help drive ambulances.
28 September – Nicola Sturgeon announced a "grace period" for vaccine passports until 18 October before they would be strictly enforced.
30 September – A legal challenge against Scotland's vaccine passport scheme was rejected. The NHS Scotland Covid Status app was launched but had technical problems.

October: Vaccine App Issues and Hospital Strain

1 October – The vaccine passport app had technical difficulties. Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said he "regrets any inconvenience caused."
4 October – Deputy First Minister John Swinney said the vaccine passport app was working well.
5 October – The Scottish Government announced a £300 million plan to help the health service through the winter. Nicola Sturgeon apologized for the problems with the vaccine passport app launch.
9 October – Over 550 COVID cases were linked to the TRNSMT music festival in Glasgow in September.
12 October – Accident and Emergency waiting times reached a new record, with many people waiting over four hours.
15 October – Military personnel were brought in to help at hospitals in Lanarkshire and the Borders region.
18 October – Scotland's vaccine passport scheme became legally enforceable. NHS Grampian also requested military help.
19 October – The Scottish Government decided against lifting the rule for face coverings in secondary schools.
22 October – NHS Lanarkshire moved to the "highest risk level" as its three hospitals reached full capacity. Over 50% of 12–15-year-olds in Scotland had received their first vaccine.
24 October – Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said there was a risk of COVID cases rising after the COP26 summit in Glasgow.
25 October – Hospitality groups said the first weekend of COVID passports was a "disaster."
26 October – A major study into Long COVID in Scotland began. Dental treatments fell by 75% in 2020 compared to the previous year.
30 October – Nicola Sturgeon urged protesters at the COP26 conference to follow COVID rules.

November: Passports and Omicron Variant

2 November – Humza Yousaf confirmed 120 military personnel would help with COVID vaccine and flu jab efforts.
9 November – John Swinney suggested the COVID pass scheme might be extended to more places like hospitality and leisure to avoid another lockdown.
16 November – Nicola Sturgeon said Scotland's vaccine passport scheme might be extended to cinemas, theatres, and some hospitality venues from 6 December. She also said Scotland could expect a "normal Christmas."
23 November – Nicola Sturgeon announced that the vaccine passport scheme would NOT be extended. From 6 December, people could use a negative lateral flow test instead of proof of vaccination to enter venues already covered by the scheme.
25 November – Data showed Scotland's vaccine program prevented over 27,000 COVID-related deaths.
26 November – Nicola Sturgeon said it was not time to "panic" about the new Omicron COVID variant, but more investigation was needed.
29 November – Nicola Sturgeon urged people to "test much more" as six cases of the Omicron variant COVID were found in Scotland.
30 November – Nicola Sturgeon confirmed all nine Omicron cases in Scotland were linked to one event.

December: Omicron Surge and New Restrictions

1 December – The Scottish Government apologized after some people over 40 were turned away for booster vaccines.
3 December – A total of 25 Omicron variant COVID cases were reported in Scotland, with some linked to a concert.
6 December – New rules required people to show a negative COVID test before entering clubs, concerts, or large events. Deputy First Minister advised taking a lateral flow test every time leaving home.
7 December – Nicola Sturgeon announced daily reviews of COVID rules due to rising Omicron cases.
9 December – Public Health Scotland urged people to cancel Christmas parties due to Omicron cases.
10 December – Nicola Sturgeon said Scotland faced an "Omicron tsunami" and announced changes to self-isolation rules. The hospitality industry reported "non-stop cancellations."
13 December – Scotland's booster vaccine program was extended to over-30s. Nicola Sturgeon confirmed schools would not close early for Christmas.
14 December – Nicola Sturgeon urged people to limit gatherings to three households for Christmas.
15 December – The Scottish hospitality sector estimated a "£1 billion hit" from cancelled events.
16 December – Nicola Sturgeon warned that further restrictions on "high risk" sectors were unavoidable. New guidelines for hospitality and retail advised social distancing and one-way systems. Mass vaccination centers would open at Hampden Park and the Edinburgh International Conference Centre.
17 December – The Omicron variant became the dominant COVID variant in Scotland.
21 December – New measures were announced for Scotland from Boxing Day (26 December). These included limiting spectators at outdoor sports to 500 and indoor events to 200 (seated) or 100 (standing). Pubs and restaurants had to offer table service only. Edinburgh's Hogmanay Street Party was cancelled.
22 December – The Scottish Premiership football league brought forward its winter break.
24 December – Daily COVID cases in Scotland hit their highest point since August, with 7,076 new cases.
26 December – New restrictions were brought in to slow the spread of the Omicron variant, including cancelling all large events.
27 December – One-meter social distancing was reintroduced for hospitality and leisure. Nightclubs had to close for at least three weeks.
28 December – Scotland reported 9,360 new cases, and Nicola Sturgeon warned the situation could worsen.
29 December – A record 15,849 COVID cases were reported for Scotland. People were warned not to travel to England to avoid Scotland's stricter rules.
31 December – Over three-quarters of adults in Scotland had received their booster vaccine.