THE council leader has issued a desperate plea to keep Glasgow out of stricter lockdown rules. 

Susan Aitken said there was risk Glasgow could slip into tighter restrictions and that the city's closest neighbours were being considered for level four - the toughest rules under the Scottish government's new system. 

She added: "Although I want, as we all do, to see Glasgow reach a point where restrictions can safely be eased – I also want everyone in the city to be in no doubt that the first challenge in front of us all is to ensure that restrictions in Glasgow go no further than level three.

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"Slipping towards level four would bring no relief to those already struggling with the impact of existing restrictions on hospitality, or those not able to share time with family and friends.

"However, it would guarantee a whole raft of additional measures, with profound consequences for our economy and our recovery. This is no idle concern. We know level four is being considered for some parts of the region, including some of our closest neighbours.

"Although Glasgow still faces great challenges, we now have a clear chance to avoid that scenario and we must take it.

"In doing so, and in taking every opportunity as a community to limit the transmission of the virus – we can also start to build towards a loosening of restrictions in the weeks and months ahead.”

The new tiered system will be in place on Monday and we told how Glasgow was likely to be in level three - the second-highest level - when the measures were brought in. 

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Level four is more similar to the lockdown experienced at the height of the pandemic in the spring. 

Nicola Sturgeon said that currently, level three is broadly what is in place in Glasgow and the rest of the central belt.

And she added: “There may be no immediate changes. We are not going to take unnecessary risks.”

The council advised Glasgwegians to follow the Scottish government's rules on wearing face coverings, avoiding crowded places, cleaning hands and surfaces regularly, maintaining a two-metre distance from others and self-isolating and booking a test if one is displaying Covid symptoms.