• Fife, Angus and Perth & Kinross are to have tougher coronavirus rules imposed amid concern over an increase in cases - with a move from level 2 to 3
• It means pubs and restaurants in those areas will no longer be allowed to serve alcohol
• However, up to six people from two households in Shetland, Orkney and the Western Isles will be able to meet inside their homes from Friday
• The existing restrictions in all of the country's other local authority areas will remain unchanged for now
• There are currently no areas of Scotland under the most severe level four restrictions
• Officials are concerned about a sharp rise in cases in Stirling and Inverclyde, and to a lesser extent South Ayrshire, Renfrewshire and East Renfrewshire
• Has your area changed its Covid alert level?

Image source, PA Media

• The first minister highlights a "glimmer of hope" with the vaccine and urges us all to "stick with it and abide by all of the current restrictions"
• The health secretary will set out over the next few weeks more details on how the vaccine programme will be rolled out
• The FM hints that testing of all students may be announced tomorrow
• Higher and Further Education Minister Richard Lochhead will give details tomorrow of how students at Scottish universities will be able to go home for Christmas
• A further 39 people have died with Covid and there are 832 new cases in the last 24 hours

That's all from the live page team today. Please take care and stay safe.

The leader of Comhairle nan Eilean Siar (Western Isles Council) welcomed the Scottish government announcement that people in the islands, along with Orkney and Shetland, will be able to meet one other household inside their homes, up to a maximum of six people, from Friday.

Roddie Mackay said: "Of course the reason we have been able to do this is because people have been so compliant with the rules and guidelines and I would encourage everyone to continue doing so.”

The restrictions on indoor household mixing remain in place in other level 1 areas - Highland and Moray.

Image source, PA Media

The first review of Scotland's new five-level Covid alert system has taken place.

• Find out here which of Scotland's 32 local authorities have been moved

• Look up the UK's different Covid levels

David Wallace Lockhart
BBC Scotland political reporter

The main concrete changes that came out of Ms Sturgeon's review affect Fife, Perth & Kinross and Angus.

They are currently in level 2 but, as of Friday, they will move up to level 3.

That will have a big impact on business in the area. Hospitality will have to close at 6pm and will no longer be able to serve any alcohol.

The first minister took us through her thinking, saying she was concerned about the trajectory of these areas.

It also sounded like their fate is somewhat intertwined with Dundee, which was already in level 3.

Perth and Kinross Council chief executive Karen Reid said she was "disappointed" at the region's move into level 3.

She said: "This is something we had all hoped to avoid, as we know it will have a major impact on the lives of so many people, both during the restrictions and in the aftermath as we work to build back stronger."

Image source, Getty Images

Shetland Islands Council leader Steven Coutts has welcomed the announcement by the first minister that the ban on household visits in Shetland, Orkney and the Western Isles is to be lifted from Friday:

“The government’s indicators demonstrate that Shetland is firmly in the lower tiers and have been for many months.

“It is good to see that reflected today in the removal of the in-home visit ban.

"It is a demonstration that others have listened, reflected on the same evidence we have been pointing to, and that our repeated calls were fully justified.

“I trust in the Shetland community to continue to follow the FACTS guidance and continue to demonstrate the responsible approach we have done up until now.”

The co-leaders of Fife Council have given their reaction the region's move from level 2 to level 3.

Councillors David Alexander and David Ross said it was "not what we were hoping for", but that the decision had been taken "based on facts".

They added: "The number of cases in Fife is increasing, and we have to make sure that we all work together to prevent this situation becoming any worse for Fifers.

"The time to act is now."

Andrew McRae, from business organisation FSB Scotland, said the announcement of areas moving up to level 3 would mean more Scottish independent businesses facing new restrictions.

“However, the decisions made by the first minister today mean that many firms in Scotland are facing fewer restrictions when compared with the hard lockdown earlier this year," he said.

"While it might not feel like it, that likely means fewer job losses and business failures when faced with the alternative."

Image source, Getty Images

Mr McRae said he was relieved that no areas were moved to level 4.

“A move to the tightest level of restrictions across Scotland’s central belt would have driven a wedge through the high street," he said.

"So-called non-essential independent shops would have been forced to shut their doors while many of their competitors – like the online giants - would have been allowed to keep trading. Ahead of Christmas, we’d urge the first minister to avoid this scenario.”

Image source, Getty Images

Labour's Monica Lennon asks the first minister about preparations for taking delivery of the vaccine.

It was reported on Monday that the new Covid vaccine being developed by Pfizer needs to be kept at temperatures of minus 80C.

Ms Sturgeon said the Scottish government had purchased about 20 large freezers to store the new coronavirus vaccine.

She said they would be placed at "strategic locations" around Scotland for onward transportation of the vaccine to locations where it would be used.

The co-leaders of Fife Council, Labour's David Ross and David Alexander of the SNP, say the move to place the area in level 3 is "not what we were hoping for" but that the decision "has been taken based on the facts".

Christopher Sleight
BBC Scotland News

Angus, Fife and Perth & Kinross will all be moving up to level 3 restrictions at the end of the week.

The first minister has highlighted concern about the infection rates in these three areas, as well as the percentage of tests that are positive.

While none of the local authorities are currently recording rates above the level 3 threshold of 150 cases per 100,000, Nicola Sturgeon said they were on a "sharply rising trajectory".

The Scottish government also considers the "positivity rate" when deciding which level a local authority should go into.

This is simply the percentage of tests that are coming back positive.

Sustained rises in this rate are also clear to see across these three local authorities.

The Scottish government has published its reasoning behind the measures in its Covid-19 strategic framework document, external.

Jamie McIvor
BBC Scotland education correspondent

The higher education minister Richard Lochhead will give details tomorrow of how students at Scottish universities will be able to go home for Christmas.

The broad details of the mass testing scheme are likely to be similar to those in England.

Students will be able to get straightforward Covid tests – and those who test negative will be allowed to return home.

Those who test positive may have to self-isolate.

Image source, Getty Images

It’s anticipated, however, that the dates the scheme will operate may be more flexible – south of the border, testing of students looks set to begin on 30 November.

This is to take account of the range of different dates individual Scottish universities are scheduled to finish up on.

Once students arrive back home, they would need to abide by the same restrictions on household gatherings and hospitality as everyone else. There would be no special rules for students at home.

Scottish Lib Dem leader Willie Rennie begins his question to Ms Sturgeon by saying Fife "will want to know what we got wrong and what we need to do to get back to level 2".

Mr Rennie asks what data is available from testing and tracing about the spread of coronavirus in Fife, Angus and Perth & Kinross.

The North East Fife MSP reiterates his frustration about the slow rate of progress on testing.

He asks what is stopping the testing of all students in Scotland.

The first minister replies the only thing stopping her now is the need to advise parliament first.

Ms Sturgeon says that tomorrow's statement on students at Holyrood will reveal news that will hearten and encourage Willie Rennie in terms of testing.

There is a supply of lateral flow testing devices and students will be a priority for these, she says.

Scottish Greens co-leader Alison Johnstone says there are reports that the UK government is expected to cut the Covid self-isolation period from two weeks to 10 days.

She says Boris Johnson's advisor Dominic Cummings had been pushing for a more drastic change.

The first minister says: "I have no advice at the moment to reduce the period of self-isolation."

Ms Sturgeon says she will always listen to and consider scientific and clinical advice - "but it certainly won't be advice from Dominic Cummings".

Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard asks Ms Sturgeon what it will take for council areas to be able to move down a level.

The first minister says the government has published a page of the most up-to-date data for each area.

She says no responsible government could ignore the rate of rise in cases in Fife, Perth & Kinross and Angus and that’s why the judgement had been made to move them up to level 3.

“I would like to be in a position where we are moving local authorities down a level,” Ms Sturgeon says. But she points out that Scotland, unlike other parts of the UK, iss not in a full national lockdown.

She says progress is being made, but the challenges were still tough.