'Scots should prepare for a longer period of level 4 restrictions'

Scotland should be prepared for Covid restrictions to be extended as infection rates continue to rise, a public health expert has said.

The latest government figures show a further 2,137 cases of Covid-19 were confirmed in Scotland on Friday.

Prof Linda Bauld described it as a "fragile situation", despite the rate dropping below Thursday's 2,539 cases.

"Mentally we just need to be prepared for the fact that we may be living with the level four restrictions for longer than the Scottish government currently plans," she said.

She said the new, more transmissible coronavirus variant would make it harder to get the R number below one in Scotland and schools may not be able to fully reopen on 18 January.