Nicola Sturgeon update today LIVE: Covid briefing latest as Scotland reacts to tier decisions
The First Minister will be joined by National Clinical Director Jason Leitch to update the country on the day's coronavirus news – with the latest on testing, vaccine rollout and infection rates expected to feature
Robert FairnieDigital Journalist
Nicola Sturgeon and Professor Jason Leitch are expected to provide updates on testing, vaccines and Scotland's infection rates during today's Covid-19 daily briefing.
Tuesday was a significant day in the battle against the virus, with the first people in Scotland given the Pfizer vaccination jab.
The First Minister previously spoke about "the light at the end of the tunnel" now being visible, and the vaccination news is real progress as we strive for a return to normality.
In other, surprising, news Edinburgh was told it would be remaining in Covid protection level three for the time being. That's despite a drop in cases in recent weeks, and infection levels being comparable to some level two areas. It's probably wise to expect more discussion on this during today's briefing.
The First Minister will begin her address at around 12.15pm on Wednesday (9 December) and we'll have rolling updates on our live blog below.
"I love Edinburgh" 13:27
Cases have increased in Edinburgh 12:57
'I understand how frustrated people in Edinburgh will be' 12:52
Pollock Halls in Edinburgh a Covid hotspot 12:30
39 deaths reported in last 24-hours 12:19
And that's all for Sturgeon's briefing
That's the briefing now wrapped up.
Nicola Sturgeon will speak at the Scottish Parliament tomorrow (Thursday) afternoon.
We'll have all the updates here on Edinburgh Live
"I wouldn't be booking a holiday for next summer"
The First Minister says she wouldn't be booking a holiday for next year right now.
She added: "I very much hope the prospect of being able to travel next summer is there, but it would be foolish of me to stand here and advise people what they might be able to do next summer when we're still trying to navigate our way through this pandemic."
Jason Leitch added: "My advice would be 'do not book a non-refundable holiday next summer'. I won't be.
"But I think the world will look like a different place by next summer."
He said "this is not a Scotland problem, it's a global problem, so where would you travel?"
He added: "I would hold back for now, but if you want to book something I'd make sure it's refundable."
Possible changes to levels setup
The First Minister says she'll be reviewing the content of each level over the Christmas period, and whether any changes need to be made to them.
She also says the need for weekly reviews will be looked at, and whether they'd be better reviewing every two or three weeks.
"I love Edinburgh"
Sturgeon adds: "The fact that I did not do that [move Edinburgh to level two] is not me picking on Edinburgh. I love Edinburgh.
"I think it is essential to take that cautious and safe approach."
Edinburgh is not being held to a different standard, says Sturgeon
Sturgeon says she's not holding Edinburgh to a different standard.
Yes, the capital city. People in a normal festive season would come to the festive market and such like. But that's true of Glasgow, or Inverness for people in the Highlands.
Why would I just decide that I want to pick on Edinburgh? It doesn't make any sense. I want our capital city to be open and free, and for people to come and visit it as much as anybody does.
The five indicators are important, but we have to think about the real world affects.
West Lothian has been in level four. We see a rise in cases in Midlothian just now, and also East Lothian, which did go down a level, a bit of a rise there.
Cases in Lothian are rising, and in recent days we've also seen a rise in Edinburgh
Looking at all of that, we have to ask, if we think cases across Lothian, including in Edinburgh, might be rising a bit. Does it make sense to open things up?
Scotland almost defeated Covid-19 in the summer
Sturgeon says Scotland was almost at the point of defeating the virus in the summer.
She said: "We came very close to eliminating the virus from Scotland in the summer, and then it was reseeded through travel."
Christmas and New Year levels to be announced next week
The First Minister says she hopes the levels announced next week will be in place until the start of January.
"For hospitality the restrictions will be the restrictions for whatever level your local authority is in.
"I cannot look ahead to next week's review. It would be premature and speculative of me to do that, but we will have another review next Tuesday.
"We are hoping that what we decide next Tuesday will last through the Christmas period, and then the next review will be in the first week in January.
"I'll set that out next Tuesday."
Why retail can open from 6am Friday
Jason Leitch has explained why shops in areas moving down from level four to three can open at 6am on Friday.
He said: "The reason we're allowing retail to open from 6am on Friday is so people can stagger their visits. Not so they can do more shopping.
"The images of Regent Street last weekend looked like normal Christmas shopping. And it filled me with dread for London's numbers. London's numbers today are up.
"It is as simple as that."
Cases have increased in Edinburgh
Case numbers are still a concern in the Lothian area, with the First Minister saying there's been a slight increase in the city of Edinburgh.
She said: "After Greater Glasgow and Clyde right now, the part of the country with the highest number of cases on a daily basis at the moment is Lothian. Within that Edinburgh in recent days has seen a bit of an increase in cases.
"Over the past while Edinburgh has not been increasing wildly, but not decreasing hugely either, so I think we just have to take a cautious view of that.
"Particularly in a city we have to be careful and cautious. If we take an area down a level that does not mean everything stays the same. It means places open up which gives the virus more opportunity to spread.
"If we take that decision before being really sure an area is stable enough to cope with that increased transmission, you have to be cautious."
'I understand how frustrated people in Edinburgh will be'
Sturgeon says the decision to keep Edinburgh in level three wasn't one taken lightly.
I understand how frustrated people in Edinburgh will be.
This is difficult and frustrating for everybody, but these measures are essential to try to keep this really infectious virus under control.
This is not about punishing any area. The idea that we somehow take these decisions on 'we like this area but we don't like that area' is just not a factor.
I want every part of Scotland to be living as freely as possibly as quickly as possible, but I have a duty to keep the country as safe as possible.
300 different strains of Covid in Scotland at the start of the outbreak
Professor Jason Leitch says there were 300 different strains of Covid at the start of the pandemic, and most of these were eliminated by the first lockdown.
Referring to a newly-published genomics report, the National Clinical Director said: "Wales and Scotland, until recently, have had a very similar Covid history.
"At the start of the pandemic, about 300 different strains of Covid were introduced across Scotland and then, as we know, the virus spread extensively throughout the population.
"Following the first lockdown, the majority of the Covid virus strains circulating in the population were eliminated.
"As we moved into the second wave, Covid infections were caused by whole new strains of the virus, that had been introduced into Scotland from elsewhere.
"It is has been possible to trace many of these genomic strains to countries outside of Scotland. Some to other parts of the UK, some to much further afield.
"This report allows us to say that the lockdown in the first part of the year, that you all played such a huge part in, did get Scotland incredibly close to eliminating the virus.
"But as we opened up, inevitably, people began to travel across the UK, internationally on summer holidays, and other travel abroad and new strains were imported to Scotland."
Pollock Halls in Edinburgh a Covid hotspot
The First Minister says that a significant proportion of Covid cases recorded among students were at Edinburgh's Pollock Halls.
Sturgeon said:
Between the first of August and the end of November, there were almost 3000 Covid cases associated with what are called student postcodes. In other words postcodes for halls of residence and other accommodation intended specifically for students.
Almost two thirds occurred in a three week period in late September and early October, and overall more than three quarters were in Edinburgh and Glasgow.
In fact, a high proportion, around a quarter, were specifically in Pollock Halls in Edinburgh and the Murano Halls in Glasgow.
This also sets out lessons for the next semester and many of these were set out to parliament yesterday by the deputy first minister, such as increased testing, staggered arrival times for students, and students reducing social contact both before and after traveling.
Number of people who received vaccine
The First Minister says she'll provide an update tomorrow on the number of people who have received the vaccine either today or yesterday.
She described watching the rollout as "inspiring".
39 deaths reported in last 24-hours
There have been 897 new positive cases reported in the last day. This accounts for 4.6 per cent of total tests carried out. 150 of these cases are in the Lothian area.
972 people are currently in hospital. This is a decrease of 11 from Tues.day. 50 of these patients are in ICU, and this is seven fewer than yesterday.
39 additional deaths have been registered in the last 24-hours.
Briefing set to get underway
Nicola Sturgeon will speak in the coming minutes. Expect news on the latest Covid-19 figures across Scotland to start with.
Welcome to our live blog where we'll have all the latest updates from Nicola Sturgeon's daily briefing.
She'll be joined by Professor Jason Leitch, with updates expected on the vaccination plans, and testing.
It's probably also worth expecting some questions on Tuesday's Covid protection levels announcement.
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