NICOLA Sturgeon has indicated she is mindful of warnings from public health experts over Covid deaths in January as told Holyrood her officials are preparing to publish plans next week which may allow Scots "a degree of normality" over the Christmas holidays.

The First Minister told Holyrood she took part in four-nation discussions yesterday with UK Cabinet minister Michael Gove, as well as with her own counterparts of Wales and Northern Ireland about the possible lifting some curbs so people can see family and friends over the festive period.

She said it was hoped the administrations "could come to a safe plan while allowing a greater degree of normality and spend some time with loved ones".

Her comments came after some public health experts have warned easing restrictions around visiting each others homes and around travel will lead to a spike in infections and deaths in January.

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Professor Gabriel Scally, a professor of public health at the University of the West of England and a member of the independent Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) team of advisors, gave a stark warning this morning.

"We have not made nine months of sacrifices to throw it all away at Christmas," he tweeted.

"There is no point having a merry Christmas then burying friends and family in January."

The First Minister was conscious of the warnings being made.

She added: "It's not going to be an easy balance to strike and already I hear people expressing concerns that we are even considering that type of relaxation but it is important that we try and get that balance right."

She told Holyrood that Scottish Government officials and chief medical officer team were drawing up a concrete proposal which will be published in the coming days.

"I hope we can share that with the public next week. We are all determined if possible to come to a four nations agreement given family patterns across the UK ... and to strike the right balance between understandable desire family...and to do that in such a way that does not lead to an increase lose of life and increased harm to health over the January period."

Her comments were made after Tory group leader Ruth Davidson highlighted a need for a Christmas loneliness plan  to "give people at home more information" about how four nations talks have progressed.

A similar message was also put by a UK Government scientific advisor who said mixing at Christmas poses "substantial risks", particularly for older people, and there is "far too much emphasis" on having a normal festive period.

Andrew Hayward, professor of infectious disease epidemiology at University College London (UCL) and a member of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage), is among the other experts who have issued warning, telling the BBC this morning that it would be "tragic" to throw away the gains made in suppressing coronavirus.

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Ahead of First Minister's Questions, Sturgeon said a fall in the R Number in Scotland indicated the "current tough measures" to tackle coronavirus are working.

However, she stressed regional variations across the country justify the need for the more restrictive measures that will be implemented from tomorrow.

The First Minister also gave an update on the pandemic, saying there had been a further 50 deaths of people with the virus and 1089 positive tests have been recorded in the past 24 hours.

It brings the total number of fatalities under that measures - of people who first tested positive for the virus within the previous 28 days - to 3427.

A total of 85,612 people have now tested positive in Scotland since the start of the pandemic.

Telling MSPs the R number - the reproduction rate of the virus - is now "very slightly below one", she said: "That indicates that the current tough measures that have been in place have had an effect."

But she said there are still regional variations, adding: "In those parts of the country with the highest prevalence we've not yet seen as significant or as rapid a fall in cases as we need to.

"That is why we have taken the decision to move 11 local authority areas into Level 4 from 6pm tomorrow until Friday December 11."

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Under level 4 measures, non-essential shops will be forced to close, along with bars and restaurants.

Sturgeon stressed this is a "difficult decision" but added: "In the situation we face, in common with much of the rest of the world, the job of government must be to do what is necessary to save lives and protect health, even when we know these decisions will not be welcome."

The First Minister said moving the council areas to level 4 - the toughest tier of restrictions in Scotland - is "necessary to reduce the loss of life and serious illness".

She added the move will help protect the NHS over the winter and "allow people, albeit in a limited and careful way, the prospect of being able to spend some time with loved ones over the Christmas period".

Sturgeon urged people to abide by the rules "as part of our collective efforts to get through the rest of this pandemic with as little harm to health and loss of life as possible".