If you've joined us late or just want to catch up, here are the headlines from today's FMQs:

• Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross asks the first minister if she will make changes to the self-isolation rules due to the scale of staff absences across the country.
• The first minister says she will make changes as soon as the public health benefits outweigh the risks but cautions that the state of the pandemic remains "very fragile".
• Mr Ross says the current rules are "not sustainable" as whole households have to isolate, even if some members test negative
• But Ms Sturgeon insists easing the restrictions now risks increasing the spread of Omicron, which she warns is highly transmissible.
• New sector-based isolation guidance will be published later that will ease pressure on the certain sectors of the economy.
• The first minister describes the new studies about the severity of Omicron as "really encouraging".
• Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar brings up rough sleeping and says no-one should have to sleep on the streets this winter.
• Ms Sturgeon says the Scottish government will do everything in its power to make that the case.
• Scottish Lib Dem leader Alex Cole-Hamilton highlights the growing shortage of home carers and warns: "Alarm bells are ringing across the country".
• Other issues raised included the anniversary of the Lockerbie disaster, mental health and accommodation for vulnerable refugees.

That's all from our live coverage of FMQs today. Thanks for joining us and please stay safe.

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Mark Ruskill from the Scottish Greens asks for an update on the use of "rundown" hotels to house vulnerable refugees.

He says this accommodation has been described as being "like prison".

The FM says there is "acres of correspondence" going back a long time between the Scottish government and the Home Office on matters relating to immigration and asylum and the use of hotel accommodation.

She says the correspondence returned is "rarely satisfactory" and accuses the UK government of treating UK asylum seekers "inhumanely".

Ms Sturgeon says she hopes as we go into a new year, the UK government will start to treat asylum seekers with the "dignity, respect and humanity" they deserve.

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Conservative MSP Jamie Greene brings up the plight of those dying of non-physical illness and other issues.

He asks what is being done to make sure anti-Covid measures are not failing a generation of young people who are suffering, and will suffer, as a result of them.

Ms Sturgeon acknowledges the mental health impact which the steps she has had to take to control the virus has had on so many people.

She references UK government medical officer Prof Chris Whitty, who she believes has articulated the point best.

She says it can be tempting to think that if we did not take steps, we might somehow escape the other impacts. But she says if we did that the impacts would be even worse.

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Mr Cole-Hamilton highlights the impact of the growing shortage of home carers.

He says care is being rationed and adds: "Alarm bells are ringing across the country."

The Scottish Lib Dem leaders highlights the case of one woman had to spend 19 hours in bed while another man was left "soiled for hours" as there was not a second carer to change him.

The first minister says the Scottish government has funded the recruitment of 1,000 more members of staff to alleviate short-term pressures.

Turning to long-term workforce planning, she adds it is important to learn lessons from the pandemic.

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton asks the first minister when the cabinet will next meet.

Ms Sturgeon says it is scheduled to meet on Tuesday 11 January but, given the current state of the pandemic, she will be "utterly astonished" if it does not meet during the parliamentary recess.

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SNP MSP Emma Harper tells the chamber Tuesday marked the 33rd anniversary of the Lockerbie disaster.

Ms Harper recalls working in Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary at the time.

She asks if Ms Sturgeon will join her in remembering the 270 victims and paying tribute to those involved in the massive emergency response.

Ms Sturgeon says: "Like all of us of a certain age, I vividly remember that night switching on the television and just being utterly horrified by the events that were unfolding."

The first minister adds the memories have not dimmed for those who were not involved, while for those directly affected, this time of year will always be "particularly sad."

Mr Sarwar says the problem has been getting worse since before the pandemic. He asks the first minister, will she commit to outreach support during the night and will she open up buildings at night for people who need a warm place to stay and provide support services?

Ms Sturgeon says she will ask the housing minister to look at whether there is more to be done ahead of the festive period.

And she is happy to explore opening pubic buildings. The FM says she is taking the issue seriously and agrees that as long as one person is sleeping on the street there will still be more to be done.

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Anas Sarwar says the numbers are disputed and one person rough sleeping is "one too many".

He says temporary accommodation should not be a long-term solution and that a home is a basic human right.

He says an average couple with a child can stay in temporary accommodation for as much as 865 days.

The Scottish Labour leader asks if the government will support his party's housing strategy.

Ms Sturgeon says she is happy to look at any proposals and lists the efforts being made by her government to beat homelessness.

She agrees temporary accommodation should be temporary but says it can take time for authorities to find suitable accommodation.

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar brings up rough sleeping, saying it shouldn't have taken a virus for us to act.

He asks if the FM can guarantee that as Christmas approaches, no-one will have to sleep on the streets this winter.

Nicola Sturgeon says the Scottish government will do everything in its power to make that the case.

She says numbers rough sleeping in Glasgow have reduced markedly.

And she says significant investment is being made in support services to make sure nobody is on the streets over this period.

James Gallagher
Health and science correspondent, BBC News

Image source, Reuters

The wave of Omicron appears to be milder according to preliminary studies published in Scotland and South Africa.

Early evidence suggests fewer people are needing hospital treatment than with other variants - with estimates ranging from a 30% to a 70% reduction.

But the concern remains that even if Omicron is milder, the sheer number of cases could overwhelm hospitals.

Read more here.

Mr Ross asks if reports on the severity of Omicron published last night makes it possible to change the rules now.

The first minister says she is listening closely to her clinical advisers but describes the new studies as "really encouraging".

But she adds that she cannot let the much higher transmissibility of Omicron outweigh the benefits of its lower severity.

She says: "We need to take care at this critical moment."

Ms Sturgeon confirms updated, sector-based guidance will be published today that will ease pressure on the economy.

She adds the public health advice will be reviewed over the Christmas period.

The first minister says it is not the self-isolation rules which are hampering the economy, but rather the virus.

And she adds that they have been made necessary by the much higher attack rate of Omicron in groups of people who are living close together.

Ms Sturgeon recognises the government should not wait too long before changing the rules but she also cautions against moving too quickly.

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Mr Ross says he understands the need for caution, but adds the current rules are "not sustainable".

He also highlights the impact of staff absences on the NHS and public transport.

The first minister says she will make changes to the self-isolation rules as soon as the public health benefits outweigh the risks.

Ms Sturgeon adds that, when she does make changes, she wants to do so in a coherent way as opposed to piecemeal fashion.

But she says the advice at the moment "given the very fragile stage that we are at" is that care is needed so that easing self-isolation does not increase the spread of the virus.

Household contacts of all Covid cases now have to isolate for 10 days, regardless of vaccination status and even if they initially get a negative PCR test.

Close contacts who are not in the same household must take a PCR test as soon as possible. As long as they have no symptoms and two weeks have passed since they received their second dose of the vaccine, they can end self-isolation if the test comes back negative.

Read more here

Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross begins by asking the first minister about self-isolation rules.

He asks if Ms Sturgeon will make changes to the current 10-day limit which he says are "necessary" due to the scale of staff absences across the country.

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Nicola Sturgeon is in her seat in the Holyrood chamber and ready for the start of First Minister's questions.

Stick with us for all the reaction and analysis from the last FMQs before Christmas.

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The major announcement of the day so far, which Nicola Sturgeon can expect to be asked about, has been that nightclubs in Scotland are to close for three weeks from 27 December.

It comes after fresh restrictions were put on large events and hospitality venues earlier this week due to concern over the Omicron variant.

Deputy First Minister John Swinney said a new law would require nightclubs to close for three weeks rather than have them try to enforce 1m distancing between customers.

He said funding would be made available to support affected businesses.

Read more here.

Image source, Getty Images

• Nightclubs in Scotland will close from 27 December, it has been announced
• They join large events, including Hogmanay street parties, and the SPFL in effectively shutting down for a period of three weeks in a bid to halt the Omicron variant
• The SPFL decided to take its winter break early rather than limit crowd numbers
• Fresh restrictions for hospitality including table service, 1m distancing and limit of three households in a group kick in on 26 December
• New data from researchers at Scottish universities suggests the Omicron coronavirus variant is less severe than the previously-dominant Delta
• Public Health Scotland recorded an unexpectedly-low number of new confirmed cases of Covid on Wednesday - 2,434 - and launched an investigation into why this may have happened
• The UK reported 106,122 new Covid cases on Wednesday - exceeding 100,000 for the first time