Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire and East Lothian will move to level three - that means 21 local authority areas will be in the second toughest tier from Friday
Nine cases of the new Covid variant, which had been identified in London, have been found in Scotland. All of these were in positive cases in Greater Glasgow and Clyde
In the past 24 hours there have been 845 new cases. Registered deaths in the same period rose by 24
There are currently 996 people (down 16) in hospital, having tested positive, and of those 45 (down one) are in intensive care
Nicola Sturgeon will take part in a four nations call with UK government minister Michael Gove about the easing of restrictions between 23 and 27 December
Two medical journals have called the UK's festive Covid rules plan a "rash decision" which will "cost lives"
Ms Sturgeon tells the chamber that consideration will be given to whether the specific restrictions in each level remain adequate or require amendment in any way.
The first minister says the time is right to review this and confirms she will report the outcome of that review to Parliament after the Christmas recess.
Image source, Getty ImagesArgyll & Bute as well as Angus, Falkirk and Inverclyde will all remain in level two.
Ms Sturgeon warns of a recent increase in case numbers in Angus and Falkirk.
She also points out Argyll & Bute is likely to move to level one next week.
The Scottish government will apply the same household rules that currently apply in some other islands, to the outer Argyll islands - Islay, Jura, Colonsay and Ornosay; Coll and Tiree; and Mull, Iona, and the neighbouring islands of Ulva, Erraid and Gometra.
That means that from Friday, people on these islands will be able to meet in houses in groups of up to six, from a maximum of 2 households.
However, she reminds people in the rest of the country that they must stay out of other people's homes.
The Highlands, Moray, Orkney, Shetland, the Western Isles, Dumfries & Galloway and the Borders will all remain in level 1
Image source, PA MediaThe first minister has confirmed East Lothian, Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire will all move to level three from Friday.
This is again due to a rise in case numbers, she explains.
Ms Sturgeon accepts the move up to level three involves real and continued difficulties for many businesses, "particularly in the hospitality sector".
"However, these measures are - in our view - essential to get and keep the virus under control."
The first minister urges businesses in all level three areas to make use of the business support announced last week.
Image source, PA MediaThe first minister tells the chamber: "I can confirm that all 18 of the local authorities which are currently at level three will remain at level three.
Ms Sturgeon confirms that the City of Edinburgh and Midlothian would both remain in level three, following a continued rise in cases in these areas.
The first minister says in the last week:
Test positivity has also increased in both areas.
Ms Sturgeon insists it would be "deeply irresponsible" to ease restrictions in either the City of Edinburgh or Midlothian, at a time when cases are rising sharply.
Image source, PABusiness organisation Aberdeen Inspired has expressed disappointment at the level three decision.
Chief executive Adrian Watson said: “We are very disappointed, but respect the decision that has been made.
"This will be difficult news for businesses across the city centre, as we are in the busy festive period when many had hoped to recoup some of the losses from restrictions throughout the year."
There are now 21 councils in level three - covering 4.35 million people or 79.7% of the population.
East Lothian with a population of 107,000, Aberdeen (229,000) and Aberdeenshire (261,000) have been added to the 18 councils already in level three.
There are now only four councils in level two - Angus, Argyll and Bute, Falkirk and Inverclyde - covering 441,000 people (8% of the population).
Level one includes seven councils - Orkney, Shetland, the Western Isles, Highland, Moray, Dumfries and Galloway and the Scottish Borders.
It covers 12% of the population - 668,000 people.
Today's decisions on Scotland's Covid-19 restriction levels have been informed by the National Incident Management Team and senior clinical advisers, says the first minister.
Ms Surgeon reminds us of the four harms that Covid causes against which the levels are assessed:
The first minister says the government must apply judgement to the data it sees.
The government then reaches "cautious and balanced judgements", the first minister explains.
Image source, PA MediaMs Sturgeon explains further analysis on the new strain is necessary and says Public Health England is carrying that out.
The Scottish government is considering whether any additional precautions are necessary.
This includes whether there should be any change over the Christmas period because of this or the wider context, says the first minister.
Ms Sturgeon will discuss this with the other UK governments in a four-nations call later this afternoon.
Image source, PA MediaNicola Sturgeon turns to the new variant of coronavirus identified in parts of England, saying nine cases of this new variant have been identified in Scotland.
All of these were in the Greater Glasgow & Clyde area.
The first minister stresses there is no evidence at this stage to suggest that this new variant is likely to cause more serious illness in people.
The first minister says over the most recent week, we have seen a slight rise in case numbers – from 99 per 100,000 to 110.
Test positivity has also increased from 4.8% to 5.3%.
Ms Sturgeon says the most recent data is a reminder that our position remains "extremely precarious".
East Lothian will move back to level 3 from Friday, the first minister says.
Ms Sturgeon also confirms that Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire will also move from level 2 to level 3 from Friday.
Nicola Sturgeon confirms a further 845 people have tested positive for Covid-19. That is 7.4% of the total number of tests carried out.
This takes the total number of positive cases in Scotland to 107,749.
996 patients are in hospital with a confirmed case (down 16), with five being treated in intensive care (down one).
A further 24 people who tested positive have died, taking the total to 4,135 deaths in Scotland by that measure.
Nicola Sturgeon gets to her feet and confirms the cabinet met this morning to decide on what changes were necessary.
The first minister says in summary that no local authority will move to level four this week, however three local authorities will move from level two to level three.
All other local authority areas will remain at the same level.
Ms Sturgeon says, due to the rising and volatile case numbers, cabinet will review the levels again next week.
Image source, Getty ImagesUsually busy shopping streets were left empty after a Dutch lockdown began on Tuesday
A number of European countries have tightened coronavirus restrictions ahead of Christmas following a surge of infections in recent weeks.
The Netherlands has entered a five-week lockdown, with non-essential shops, theatres and gyms all closing.
Germany, meanwhile, will enter a hard lockdown from Wednesday after the number of infections hit record levels.
France has lifted its lockdown, but widespread measures remain in place as the infection rate is still high.
Italy, Spain, France and the UK are among the countries that have recorded the highest number of cases during the pandemic.
Image source, PA MediaNicola Sturgeon will now announce the level of restrictions each council area will face over the coming weeks.
The cabinet met this morning to decide on what changes were necessary.
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The UK government and the devolved administrations are facing renewed calls to scrap their plans to relax coronavirus restrictions for 5 days around Christmas.
In a rare move the Health Service Journal (HSJ) and British Medical Journal (BMJ) wrote a joint editorial, external, warning ministers that they are on course "to blunder into another major error that will cost many lives".
An emeritus professor of bacteriology at Aberdeen University, Hugh Pennington, says he too is worried that easing of restrictions could increase infection rate: "If we get together in an old-fashioned sort of way, the virus will love that. Bringing people together, particularly if they are travelling about the country, the virus is going to spread more easily."
Quote Message"We'll pay a price for it in January, I don't think it was a good idea to have this relaxation, but it's too late now we seem to be going down that route."
Professor Hugh Pennington, Emeritus professor of bacteriology at Aberdeen University