• Scots have been urged to "cut down on unnecessary contacts" now if they plan to meet up with relatives at Christmas

• Nicola Sturgeon says this is the best way for festive gatherings to be as safe as possible.
• She says the "best Christmas gift we can give family and friends" is to "keep our distance and keep them safe"
• The first minister thanks a 90-year-old woman in South Lanarkshire who has become the first care home resident to receive the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine

• Former carer Annie Innes was immunised at Abercorn House in Hamilton this morning
• The Scottish Care chief executive has warned the vaccine rollout to Scotland's care homes will be a slow process
• The Scottish Conservative leader calls for a vaccine minister to be appointed

• All secondary school pupils can now download the Protect Scotland app

That's all from us here on the live page. Please take care and stay safe.

Image source, Getty Images

Mr Ross calls on all the evidence behind the Scottish government's decisions on restriction levels to be made available, following the row over Edinburgh remaining in level three.

The Scottish Conservative leader reiterates his call for people to be sensible over the Christmas period, but says the government must be honest with the public about the science behind its decisions.

He welcomes the start of vaccinations in care homes in Scotland, while warning this will be a long process.

Mr Ross calls for all health boards to ensure there is not a postcode lottery with the vaccination programme across the country - and the appointment of a Scottish government "vaccine minister".

Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross says all four nations of the UK understood the risks of having five days of relaxation of the Covid-19 rules over Christmas.

Mr Ross says those risks have to be balanced with the desire of families to get together in a safe way, knowing next year we can have a far more normal Christmas.

He warns if this is not done sensibly, we will face a third wave in the new year.

Mr Ross agrees that if you do not want to or need to visit relatives at Christmas, you absolutely should not.

Image source, Getty Images

Professor Sian Griffiths, Emeritus Professor of Public Health at the Chinese University of Hong Kong and a visiting professor at Imperial College London, tells BBC One Scotland's Coronavirus Update programme we should celebrate the vaccinations beginning in care homes, but it is vital to vaccinate the wider population.

Summer 2021 could see the end of the Covid-19 pandemic for that year, she says, but it will then be necessary to keep the vaccination programme going each year.

Prof Griffiths points out that this would have to continue until it disappears like the Sars coronavirus, or, like the flu, an annual vaccination is needed.

Vaccinations would become less complicated if the Oxford vaccine gets the green light as this does not require ultra-low storage temperatures and can be taken to care homes and GPs' surgeries more easily, she adds.

Image source, Getty Images

Jeane Freeman explains the difficulties of breaking down the pack of 975 doses of Pfizer vaccine.

The health secretary says the Scottish government managed to work with MHRA to get permission to reduce the pack size to take smaller quantities into care homes.

This must be done under specific conditions and waste must be minimised, she says.

Later this month, vaccinations of the over-80s in their own home and in GP services should begin depending on supplies, she adds.

BBC Scotland’s Graham Stewart asks if the first minister is even more concerned about Christmas, given the situation in Germany and London today.

Would she urge people in Tier 3 in England not to come to Scotland to see relatives, asks Mr Stewart.

He points out people over 80 are being vaccinated in their own homes south of the border and he asks when that will start here.

The first minister says: “I’ve been concerned about Christmas probably for most of this year, although that concern has increased the closer to Christmas we have got.”

The festive period poses increased risks, she explains, and encourages people to be cautious and not to interact with people they don't have to.

If you don't have to then don't host someone from the rest of the UK or travel elsewhere, she says.

"Think really carefully," the first minister urges, and if you can avoid meeting people indoors please do so.

"How do we ensure that everybody we love is still there next when we get to next Christmas?"

Interim Chief Medical Officer Dr Gregor Smith says they estimated R number (how many people will likely get infected if one person gets the virus) is now between 0.7 and 0.9, which is “encouraging”.

However, he says “it doesn’t take an awful lot for that to run away from us again”.

Dr Smith says the percentage positivity reduced in larger local authority areas while under the tougher restrictions. This can change quickly, he adds.

During the festive period, he advises people to be cautious in terms of meeting people.

“Don’t take unnecessary chances with those you love,” he says.

Image source, Scottish government

The first minister calls on the public to follow all the guidance and rules, including not visiting each other's homes and avoiding car sharing.

Here's a reminder of the guidelines:

1. Scottish government: Coronavirus (COVID-19): what you can and cannot do, external

• read guidance for the festive period, external

2. Postcode checker, external for COVID restrictions by protection level in areas of Scotland

Image source, Getty Images

Ms Sturgeon moves on to office parties which, especially if alcohol is involved, she says present a real risk of transmission.

The first minister says: "So I am asking everybody, please don't take these risks.

"By far the best way of marking Christmas with your colleagues this year is to do it virtually."

Either that or postpone them, warns the first minister.

"The best Christmas gift we can give family and friends, is, as far as possible, to keep our distance and to keep them safe."

Image source, Getty Images

The first minister turns to the Christmas holidays and reminds the public about the guidance for the festive period, external published by the government.

Ms Sturgeon reminds everyone this is a pragmatic step and meeting up with other households indoors is not risk-free.

"Just because we can visit people indoors over Christmas on a limited basis does not mean that we have to."

She goes on to say: "The virus will not take a break over the Christmas period."

If you are planning to meet up with any elderly relatives, now is the time to think about limiting contact with others until then, for example by avoiding meeting friends or car sharing.

Image source, PA Media

The first minister stresses the ongoing danger that Covid-19 poses for everyone: "We are not yet out of the woods."

Ms Sturgeon says Germany has gone into a very stringent lockdown and there is speculation the whole of London will go into England's highest tier of protection.

She insists: "It is more vital than ever that we all stick to the current guidelines and restrictions, to keep each other and the country as a whole as safe as we possibly can."

The first minister points out care homes are being prioritised and this is "a hugely important step" in protecting many of those who are at risk from the virus.

Ms Sturgeon says, from Wednesday, there will be weekly updates on the progress of the vaccination programme.

She adds progress depends on the supply of vaccines and she is hopeful other vaccines will be approved shortly, including those from Moderna and the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccines.

Image source, Reuters

Ms Sturgeon goes on to highlight that the next stage of the vaccination programme is under way.

In the past six days, more than 18,000 vaccinators and health and care workers have received the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine.

The first minister says 90-year-old Annie Innes in South Lanarkshire has become the first care home resident to receive the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine.

Ms Sturgeon thanks Ms Innes who was immunised at Abercorn House in Hamilton.

• Read more here
• Care home vaccinations to begin on Monday
• Covid vaccinations begin at sites across Scotland
• When will I be vaccinated against Covid?

Image source, PA Media

Ms Sturgeon says she will make a statement tomorrow in parliament on the outcome of the latest review of the levels of protection across Scotland.

The first minister moves on to say that, from today, the Protect Scotland app can now be downloaded by any secondary school pupil.

She points out it is very straightforward to download the app and more than 1.7m people have already done so in Scotland.

It has notified more than 20,000 people of the need to self-isolate.

Nicola Sturgeon confirms a further 734 people have tested positive for Covid-19. That is 7.6% of the total number of tests carried out.

This takes the total number of positive cases in Scotland to 106,904.

Health board breakdown:

Ms Sturgeon says the provisional data indicates the breakdown of new cases is as follows:

• NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde: 213
• NHS Lothian: 135
• NHS Lanarkshire: 95
• The remaining cases are spread across nine other health boards.

1,012 patients are in hospital with a confirmed case (down three), with 46 being treated in intensive care (down one).

No deaths have been recorded with Covid in the last 24 hours. However, the first minister reminds us that registration offices tend to be closed over the weekend, affecting this figure. Since last Friday's update, 41 deaths have been registered, taking the total to 4,111 deaths in Scotland by that measure.

Image source, PA Media

Nicola Sturgeon will now lead the Covid briefing on the day the vaccine rollout to care homes begins.

Image source, Reuters

A 90-year-old woman in South Lanarkshire has become the first care home resident to receive the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine.

Former carer Annie Innes was immunised at Abercorn House in Hamilton.

Care home residents across Scotland have been prioritised to receive the vaccine, along with frontline health care staff.

The group that represents care home providers says the vaccination programme is "tremendously important".

However, the vaccine rollout to Scotland's care homes will be a slow process, Donald Macaskill, Scottish Care chief executive, warned.

• Read more here
• Care home vaccinations to begin on Monday
• Covid vaccinations begin at sites across Scotland
• When will I be vaccinated against Covid?

• A 90-year-old woman in South Lanarkshire has become the first care home resident to receive the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine
• Former carer Annie Innes was immunised at Abercorn House in Hamilton
• The Scottish Care chief executive has warned the vaccine rollout to Scotland's care homes will be a slow process
• Rapid testing is also being rolled out across Scotland's care homes from today
• A number of residents at a Fife care home have died following an outbreak of Covid-19

1. Scottish government: Coronavirus (COVID-19): what you can and cannot do, external

• read guidance for the festive period, external

2. Postcode checker, external for COVID restrictions by protection level in areas of Scotland

3. NHS Inform, external

The latest from NHS Scotland and the Scottish government, including social distancing, face covering and stay at home advice

4. Test and Protect, external

If you have Covid-19 symptoms go immediately to NHS Inform online or phone 0800 028 2816 to book a test

5. The ready.scot, external website

It has been updated with the latest help and advice and how you can help others. The helpline number remains: 0800 111 4000

6. The Clear Your Head website, external

It's ok to not feel yourself right now, here are some tips to help get you through the pandemic.