Scotland’s health secretary Jeane Freeman says she is aiming to pause shielding “towards the end of this month”.

This would mean people on the shielding list could return to work, she said, as long as workplaces have steps to make them covid-secure, and children who’ve been isolating could return to school at the same time as their classmates.

The Scottish Government has also said deliveries of weekly grocery boxes to people shielding will ‘continue until the end of July’.

Another round of relaxations to shielding advice for people deemed most at-risk to covid-19 was announced today and will take effect on Friday.

A full list of the changes can be read on Inclusion Scotland’s website.

Ms Freeman said the changes would allow a “more normal and relaxed life with those closest to you”.

healthandcare.scot reported that the Scottish Government was working to tailor shielding advice condition and risk levels at the end of May, so that the 180,000 people on the list in Scotland would not be asked to follow blanket rules.

Letters sent out to those most at-risk earlier this month said bespoke advice to be published over summer would let individuals make “informed choices” about risks they want to take.

From Friday shielders will no longer be advised to physically distance from family members in their own household, a requirement Ms Freeman admitted had been “painful” for many.

Those living alone or with children can form an extended household with one other without the need to social distance.

Paying tribute to families who had shouldered the “extraordinary burden” of isolating themselves for months, the Health Secretary said the changes would mean people could start to resume “much more of your lives”.

As the infection rate continues to fall, the clinical advice is that the risk of catching the virus is low if precautions are followed.

Other changes for shielders include being able to book holiday accommodation, as long as there are no shared facilities.

Ms Freeman said it should be possible to make the biggest changes in about three weeks’ time:

“If you work, our objective of moving slowly and carefully towards the end of this month – where we hope that we will be able to pause shielding – if you work you could return to covid secure workplace with physical distancing, and children who are on the shielding list could return to school at the same time as their classmates.”

Further details about what will happen over July are being promised tomorrow.

Ms Freeman promised “guidance and support to help you transition back to as close to your pre-covid lives as possible” would be provided “no matter” when the policy ends.

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