NICOLA Sturgeon has warned that large parts of Scotland may move to Level 4 restrictions next week if the current curbs do not bring down the number of virus infections.

In a statement to Holyrood this afternoon, the First Minister warned in areas such as Glasgow, North and South Lanarkshire, West Lothian and West Dunbartonshire the number of coronavirus infections had “stabilised at a stubbornly high level”.

In these places she said that “the difficult question we must consider in the next days is whether more time in Level 3 will start to reduce cases in these areas, or whether that will require more action”.

Sturgeon also said there were some areas under Level 3 restrictions which were seeing a “sharp rise in cases” - adding ministers were “particularly concerned” about the situation in Inverclyde and Stirling and, to a lesser extent, South Ayrshire, Renfrewshire and East Renfrewshire.

While she said the expert advice was that “an immediate move to Level 4 would not be merited” she said these places would be monitored closely “on a daily basis”.

The First Minister told MSPs at Holyrood that while there were some areas where Level 3 restrictions had worked “very effectively to halt sharp increases in cases” that was not the case in all areas.

“Given the severity of the Level 4 restrictions, we will not take a decision to move any part of the country to that level lightly,” she added.

“But nor will we shy away from it if we think it necessary to limit the damage the virus can do.”

She went on: “These are difficult decisions and the week ahead is a particularly crucial juncture.”

On Monday the First Minister warned that Glasgow and and Lanarkshire may be moved to the toughest tier of restrictions this week.

Restrictions in Level 4 include the closure of non-essential shops, hairdressers and barbers and beauticians, as well as bars, restaurants and libraries.
Schools remain open in all tiers.

But while the Glasgow and the rest of the Central Belt, along with Edinburgh, Lothian and Ayrshire, stay in Level 3 this week, Fife, Perth and Kinross and Angus, currently in Level 2, will join them  in Level 3 from Friday.

Sturgeon made the announcements as she gave the first update on on the five-tier system in place in Scotland - with Level 0 having the lowest restrictions and Level 4 the toughest.

The First Minister described the upward change for the three council areas as a “difficult, but in our view necessary and precautionary decision”.

She also confirmed that five council areas - Highland, Moray, Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles - will remain at Level 1.

And from Friday, residents in the three island authorities will be able to meet with one other household inside their homes “up to a strict maximum of six people”, the First Minister said.

“We are able to make this change because case numbers in these island authorities are very low and sporadic,” she added.

But to prevent coronavirus being imported to the islands, Sturgeon said there would be “clear guidance” that anyone visiting the mainland and then returning home would be advised to “avoid in-house mixing for a period after their return”.

Speaking about the decision to move three more areas to Level 3 restrictions, she said: “The most recent data shows that, in the space of a week, the seven-day number of cases per 100,000 of the population has increased in Perth and Kinross by 32%, in Fife by 40%, and in Angus by 47%.

“The advice of the chief medical officer and national clinical director is that Level 2 restrictions may not be sufficient to slow down and reverse increases of this magnitude and, as a result, an early move to Level 3 was strongly recommended.”

She added: “I know this will be disappointing to residents and businesses in these areas.

“However, by acting now, we can hopefully prevent an even more serious deterioration in the situation in the future.”

There is no change for the 18 other areas already under Level 3 restrictions, she said.

The First Minister said that travel restrictions continued to be “essential” in the multi-tiered approach being taken by Scotland.

And while ministers have been considering putting these into law, she said they would remain as guidance over the next week.

But Sturgeon warned people the work to give the guidance legal backing continued, saying the Government “continue to prepare the regulations, and resolve the practical issues, that would be required to put them into law”.

The First Minister also gave an update on the daily virus figures. She said a further 39 people who had tested positive for Covid-19 had died. The total number of positive cases reported on Monday was 832. Some 293 of the new cases were in Greater Glasgow & Clyde, 171 in Lanarkshire, 114 in Lothian and 90 in Ayrshire & Arran.

A total of 1,239 people are currently in hospital after testing positive for the virus, including 102 in intensive care.