• Nicola Sturgeon warns the top level of Covid-19 restrictions may need to be strengthened further to contain the new strain of the virus
• The whole Scottish mainland is to move into level four from Boxing Day
• The first minister says this was "essential" to protect the NHS and contain the faster-spreading virus
• Ms Sturgeon tells MSPs the measures "are necessary to protect our NHS and save lives"
• She says consideration must also be given to whether the current level four rules are sufficient to do the job
• The government is to narrow the definition of "essential retail"

• Guidance urging people to stay at home as much as possible may be put down in law

• Schools are to remain closed until 11 January, and most pupils will learn from home until at least 18 January
• The first minister stresses supermarkets are well stocked and there is no shortage of medicines or an immediate shortage of food
• She calls for the UK government and France to agree a protocol to get freight moving again without delay
• A letter with new advice for those shielding has been sent out by the chief medical officer

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

The Scottish Liberal Democrat leader asks if the Scottish government will be reviewing the “indicators” that are used to decide which level a local authority should be placed in.

Willie Rennie also says he is concerned at reports of health boards cancelling non-urgent procedures and wants to know what ministers are doing about that.

The first minister replies that the Scottish government is currently reviewing the level indicators and the measures applied in each tier.

Ms Sturgeon says the review will continue over Christmas before being presented to parliament.

“This new development makes it all the more urgent that we review the content of level four restrictions and whether the current restrictions are sufficient,” she says.

Image source, Getty Images

On hospitals, Ms Sturgeon says she wants as much elective surgery to continue as possible, but that it depends on the country's ability to suppress the virus.

She tells MSPs that she cannot guarantee that no health boards will cancel operations, but adds that the Scottish government is supporting the NHS to reduce the backlog that built up earlier in the year - and to stop it rising further.

Patrick Harvie welcomes the delay to the new term and adds many teachers and school staff do not feel their safety has been prioritised.

The Scottish Green Party co-convenor asks if the first minister accepts their call for widespread routine testing.

He asks about the EIS union calling for level four areas to move to blended or remote learning and also about protection for vulnerable teachers.

The first minister accepts many teachers do not feel their safety has been prioritised, but says that is not true from the government's perspective.

Ms Sturgeon details the development of plans for more mass-testing in schools.

The first minister says the effectiveness of lateral flow testing is being looked at and the safety of everyone working in schools is a priority.

She says until more is known about the transmission among young people the Scottish government will take great care and be precautionary.

Nicola Sturgeon warns that the current top level of restrictions may need to be tightened further.

Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard says it is clear the Scottish government “abandoned” its strategic framework at the weekend when it announced the level four lockdown from Boxing Day.

He asks that as the new strain of the virus can potentially spread at a 70% faster rate, will the Scottish government be increasing its support of business and mental health services at a similar rate?

Mr Leonard also wants to know if there will be a similar response with an increase in testing and the roll-out of the vaccination programme.

Image source, Getty Images

The first minister emphasises again that the mainland lockdown is a preventative measure, with an overall aim to get back to the levels system as soon as possible. The levels strategy has not been "abandoned", she says.

She tells MSPs that it is in line with the response elsewhere in the UK and in other countries and that people would have every right to be “very angry” if she did not take the action.

Ms Sturgeon says that support for businesses will be stepped up and that there is plenty of testing capacity - but she says she cannot “magic” supplies of the vaccine out of nowhere.

“We will roll the vaccine out just as quickly as supplies allow us to do,” she adds.

Ruth Davidson says Saturday’s announcement was “doubly cruel” for people who had their Christmas plans snatched away - even if they understood the measures were necessary.

The Scottish Conservatives leader at Holyrood asks whether the localised levels have been abandoned completely - and also if the first minister can say with certainty that schools will return on 18 January.

Ms Sturgeon replies that the mainland level four lockdown is “preventative” action against the new variant of the virus, which seems to be spreading faster.

“We see a train rapidly coming down the track at us and we’re trying to get out of its way,” she tells MSPs.

The first minister says that scientists are still learning about the new strain and whether it spreads faster among children.

But she adds that it is a “priority” to get schools back for 18 January - even if it means the rest of the population has to live under more "severe restrictions”.

Image source, Scottish governent

The first minster draws to a close saying: "Saturday, I know, felt like a very dark day for all of us."

However, Ms Sturgeon wants to end on a hopeful note, saying "there is hope on the horizon and we mustn’t lose sight of it".

She says it is possible that by moving quickly the impact of the new strain can be minimised.

As ever, she calls on the public to follow the guidelines and FACTS.

She also says vaccines "really do promise a route back to greater normality for all of us".

The first minister insists brighter days will come and says the best gift we can give this Christmas to those we love is to keep them safe.

She ends wishing everyone a peaceful and healthy Christmas.

Image source, PA Media

The first minister says the immediate concern is the impact on food exporters, especially our seafood sector, which she calls "devastating".

Ms Sturgeon says the Scottish government is liaising with the sector on the need for immediate financial support.

The UK government and France must agree a protocol to get freight moving again without delay, she says.

The Scottish government is pressing the UK government to give this the utmost priority "and we stand ready to help in any way we can", adds the first minister

Image source, AFP

The first minister moves on to talk about the decision by other countries to close their borders to the UK in response to the new strain of the virus.

She says: "By far the most serious impact derives from the closure of the UK/French border to accompanied freight."

The first minister hopes there will be another Cobra meeting later this afternoon.

She calls on the UK government to reach agreement with France, without delay, to get freight moving again.

The first minister stresses there are no concerns about medicine supplies at this stage or immediate concerns about food supplies.

"Supermarkets are well stocked. And so there is absolutely no need for anyone to buy more than planned."

The first minister insists the measures she has detailed are vital and precautionary.

"In short, these measures are necessary to protect our NHS and save lives."

Image source, Getty Images

The first minister says: "For so many businesses, I know that these announcements represent a horrible end to a terrible year."

Ms Sturgeon says the finance secretary is urgently looking at what more can be done to help the worst-hit sectors.

She turns to those who are shielding and says the Chief Medical Officer has written to everyone on the shielding list who will enter level four on Saturday, setting out advice.

This advice has also been sent by SMS, and is available on the mygov website.

The letter from the CMO can act as a sick note and points out help that is available.

Image source, AFP

The first minister turns to schools and tells the chamber about the delay to the start of the new school term.

Schools will reopen from 5 January for children of key workers and for particularly vulnerable children only.

Updated guidance was published last night.

For all other pupils, the school term will start on 11 January.

The first minister says the first week of term, at least, will take place online.

At this stage, the intention is that schools will get back to normal from 18 January - but that will be kept under review.

Image source, PA Media

Ms Sturgeon tells the chamber about the tightening of other restrictions for the Christmas period., external

The first minister insists: "The strong advice is not to meet indoors if at all possible."

For more details, click here: Covid in Scotland: What are the latest rules on Christmas bubbles?

The first minister calls on people who feel they have to visit another household indoors to:

• keep the numbers as low and the duration as short as possible
• keep as safe a distance as possible
• wash your hands and surfaces regularly
• keep windows open

Image source, Getty Images

The first minister turns to the continuing ban on travel to and from Scotland and the rest of the UK.

This travel ban will remain in place throughout the festive period, including on Christmas Day, and the police will be enhancing their enforcement of it.

Image source, EPA

The first minister says the new level four restrictions will mean:

• essential retail will be more narrowly defined than recently
• for example, homeware stores and garden centres will be classed as non-essential
• In level three and level four, the law currently prohibits non-essential travel outside your own local authority area
• however, for those living in level four areas, the strong advice is to stay as local as possible and at home as much as possible
• the government is considering if that advice should be made law
• consideration will also be given to whether there is a need to strengthen level four restrictions any further.

The first minister says Orkney, Shetland, the Western Isles and the other relatively remote islands that have seen restrictions relaxed in recent weeks will move to level three from one minute past midnight on Boxing Day.

However, the rest of Scotland will move to level four for a period of three weeks.

There will be a review after two weeks.

Image source, PA Media

The analysis of the new strain is why the first minister announced significant additional measures on Saturday, she tells the chamber.

Ms Sturgeon says: "I know how tough these are, but we believe they are essential to avoid an extremely serious deterioration in the situation as we move into the new year."

Covid restrictions will only be relaxed on Christmas Day and mainland Scotland will then be placed under the tightest restrictions from Boxing Day.

Click here to find out more details about Saturday's announcement.

Image source, Reuters

The first minister says a proxy marker known as the S-Gene dropout is a marker for the new strain, although it is not definitive that every case with this marker will be the new variant.

Analysis published yesterday suggests that in the week beginning 9 December about 14% of positive cases in Scotland already had this S-Gene dropout.

This compares to just 5% at the end of November.

Ms Sturgeon warns the very rapid spread of the new strain in London and the south east of England serves as a warning of what we could face north of the border if the government does not take firm action to suppress the virus.

"We have a real concern that, without significant counter measures, we could be facing another period of exponential growth as we enter the new year."

Image source, Getty Images

The first minister turns to the announcement on Saturday of further restrictions and says the change in approach is due to the new variant of the virus.

Ms Sturgeon stresses there is no evidence the new strain causes a more severe illness, or that it will undermine the effectiveness of a vaccine or treatment.

The new variant does seem to be perhaps up to 70% more transmissible, however.

The first minister says the scale of increase to the R number caused by the new strain is 0.4.

The R number in Scotland is already hovering around one and the first minister says "this is obviously a very real concern".