Nicola Sturgeon coronavirus update LIVE as Christmas lockdown rules won't be changed

Nicola Sturgeon announced the harsher measures in an emergency statement at the Scottish Parliament, urging the public to "stay at home".Sturgeon also announced just two people from different households can meet outdoors and confirmed schools will close to most pupils until the end of January.She said: "The Cabinet met this morning to assess the up-to-date Covid situation - which is extremely serious - and discuss what further action is necessary to minimise further spread of the virus.

Scroll down for all the latest updates Nicola Sturgeon has urged Scots to “stick with” new restrictions as a coronavirus vaccine is rolled out.Addressing MSPs in Holyrood, Sturgeon announced an enforced period of lockdown – due to last until at least the end of the month – including the closure of schools to most pupils.She said: “I know that the next few weeks will be incredibly tough.“I’m sorry to ask for further sacrifices, after nine long months of them.

In a series of tweets today, Ms Sturgeon said: "The rapid increase in Covid cases, driven by the new variant, is of very serious concern. The steep increases & severe NHS pressure being experienced in other parts of the UK is a sign of what may lie ahead.

First Minister tweeted just after the Brexit transition period formally ended at 11pm on December 31. Scotland's trading and travel relationships with EU countries will now be governed by the agreement announced by the UK Government on Christmas Eve.

immediately attacked the settlement, saying “there is no deal that will ever make up for what Brexit takes away from us.”On a historic Christmas Eve that will set Scotland and the UK on a different political course from the rest of Europe, Johnson boasted that his “jumbo-sized Canada-style deal” was what the country needs.Johnson said the agreement resolves the European question which has “bedevilled” British politics for generations.But as Sturgeon made plain the end of the Britain’s four

direct to your inboxNicola Sturgeon has apologised after she breached coronavirus lockdown rules.Scotland's First Minister took off her face mask at a funeral wake to chat to three women in a bar, a photograph published in the Scottish Sun showed.While Ms Sturgeon kept her distance, under Scottish Government Covid rules, customers in hospitality venues must wear a face covering except when seated and must wear one when moving around.Ms Sturgeon was attending a funeral wake for a Scottish

First Minister said the strain is spreading much faster and the Scottish Government will need to look at whether level 4 restrictions are sufficient.

First Minister said the strain is spreading much faster and the Scottish Government will need to look at whether level 4 restrictions are sufficient.Governments across the UK scaled back plans to loosen the restrictions during Christmas due to the new covid variant.In Scotland, Sturgeon announced level 4, which is effectively lockdown, would be imposed from Boxing Day onwards for three weeks.This includes the near total shutdown of hospitality.Speaking at Holyrood, she referred to data which

England for Christmas as she returned to Scotland yesterday amid a strict cross-border travel ban.Lisa Cross, 34, should have been married earlier this month and starting a new life in Blackpool with her hubby, but her plans were postponed due to coronavirus.She now faces Christmas without her fiance after returning to Glasgow after the announcement, to be with her two children.

amid fears the new Covid-19 variant will spread.Ireland has banned all flights from the UK for 48 hours, as has Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Austria, Turkey, Belgium and Switzerland.The measures are temporary with plans for an EU council meeting at 10am to decide on co-ordinating EU actions.The announcement comes as Scotland prepares for a level four lockdown starting on Boxing Day.Opposition party leaders in Scotland have called on the SNP government to further explain the reasons for

First Minister also announced a strict travel ban between Scotland and the rest of the UK and the world.

coronavirus discovered in England may be up to 70 percent more transmissible than the original variant.

coronavirus deaths recorded in Scotland in the last 24 hours, according to official figures Nicola Sturgeon also revealed at First Minister's Question s this lunchtime that there were 858 new cases of Covid-19 record overnight, taking the total figure to 109,296.

limit their Christmas bubbles to just two households despite guidance being published that they could visit up to three.

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Michael Gove is joining day-two of crisis talks on the future of plans for up to three households to mix between December 23 and 27. The talks involve all devolved governments in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.They broke up yesterday after the first summit ended without an agreement.

coronavirus pandemic  has forced thousands of Scots out of work leading to record redundancy figures, new data has revealed. Around 30,000 people in the country  lost their jobs  in the three months to October - up from 5,000 between May and July, numbers from the Office for National Statistics have shown.

Greater Glasgow & Clyde health board region - which covers a large geographic area in the west of the country - this week.

including Edinburgh. And public health officials are recommending a return to  level 3 rules  for Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire.