Scots warned to expect more coronavirus restrictions by Wednesday
Last updated 21st Sep 2020
Additional lockdown restrictions will "almost certainly'' be put in place in Scotland in the next couple of days, Nicola Sturgeon has said.
The First Minister said coronavirus is spreading again in Scotland and "further and urgent action'' is needed to stop the increase, warning if left unchecked it will lead to more cases, people in hospital and deaths.
She said the Scottish Government is prepared to introduce "a package of additional measures'' but will aim to avoid a full-scale lockdown such as the one imposed in March.
Speaking at the Scottish Government's coronavirus briefing on Monday, she said cases in Scotland have risen 255 in the past 24 hours, representing 6.3% of those newly tested, up from 5.4% on Sunday.
The First Minister said the Scottish Government endorses the warning of UK chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance that new cases could rise daily by 50,000 by October.
"In my view, further and urgent action will now be needed to stop the increase in the number of cases,'' she said.
"I and my advisers have spent the weekend immersed in discussion and analysis, looking at a variety of options and considering carefully the impact that we judged these would have.''
While the measures are still being considered, the First Minister said they are "very close to a point of decision''.
She said: "At the heart of this decision is a simple truth, the longer we wait to introduce new measures, the longer these measures are likely to be in place.
"If we move sharply now to get the virus back under control, we can minimise the time we all spend under any new restrictions.
"If we wait it will take longer, potentially a lot longer, to come out of the other side.''
Ms Sturgeon added: "I need to be absolutely straight with people across Scotland that additional restrictions will almost certainly be put in place in Scotland over the next couple of days.
"Hopefully this will be with four-nations alignment but if necessary it will have to happen without that.''
A full statement will be made to Holyrood about changes that will be put in place in Scotland either on Tuesday or Wednesday, she said.
A Cobra meeting will take place, the First Minister has said, after calls from her and others across the devolved nations to co-ordinate new coronavirus measures, adding it is "frustrating'' no date has been set for this.
She also said she will speak to Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday afternoon.
"In that call, I will impress upon the Prime Minister my view that we need decisive, urgent and, as far as possible given our individual responsibilities, co-ordinated action across the UK,'' she said.
"I will be clear that I am willing to allow a bit more time for four-nations discussions to take place before making final decisions for Scotland but I will be equally clear that the urgency of this situation will mean that we cannot, must not and will not wait too long.''
Giving an update on the daily figures, she said no new deaths of confirmed patients have been recorded and the death toll under this measure remains at 2,505, but stressed registration offices are closed at the weekend.
Of the new cases - which take the total to 24,672 - 103 are in Greater Glasgow and Clyde, 47 in Lanarkshire and 30 in Lothian.
There are 73 people in hospital confirmed to have the virus, up 10 in 24 hours.
Of these patients, eight are in intensive care, a fall of one.
Earlier, Scotland's Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said six months is a "more realistic'' time frame for any new Covid-19 restrictions to be in place.
While stating a final decision on new measures has not been made, Jeane Freeman said any new measures are likely to last longer than previously.
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