Nicola Sturgeon to update Scotland on Covid pandemic

Nicola Sturgeon is set to give an update on the coronavirus pandemic later on Tuesday.

The First Minister is scheduled to make a statement at Holyrood in the afternoon, days after Glasgow moved to level two of Scottish Government’s five-tier Covid alert system.

A final decision is also expected this week on whether the Euro 2020 fan zone at Glasgow Green can go ahead as planned.

The FM previously warned that the country is at a “critical juncture” as Covid cases have more than tripled in the past month.

On Friday, the 992 positive infections recorded overnight was the highest figure since February 17. The 860 reported on Saturday was the second-highest.

The rising case numbers are said to be driven by the delta variant of the virus.

The First Minister said: “We are at a very critical juncture right now in what we still very much hope, and believe, is a transition to a less restrictive way of dealing with Covid, but the position we are in now on that transition is a fragile one.”

As of Monday, 3,386,321 Scots had received their first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine. A total of 2,251,259 people had received their second dose.

Although there are “strong indications” that coronavirus vaccines are weakening the link between rising case numbers and hospitalisations, Sturgeon warned that the link has not yet been completely broken.

On Saturday, Glasgow moved into level two of the restrictions.

For the first time in months, Glaswegians are now able to drink alcohol indoors, meet in private residences, and hug loved ones.

Edinburgh, Midlothian, Dundee, East Dunbartonshire, Renfrewshire, East Renfrewshire, East Ayrshire, North Ayrshire, South Ayrshire, North and South Lanarkshire, Clackmannanshire and Stirling were kept in level two.

Highland, Argyll and Bute, Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire, Moray, Angus, Perth and Kinross, Falkirk, Fife, Inverclyde, East and West Lothian, West Dunbartonshire, Dumfries and Galloway and the Borders were moved to level one.

Shetland, Orkney and the Western Isles council areas moved to level zero. All Highland islands except Skye also moved to the lowest level there is under Scotland’s five-tier system, as did the Argyll and Bute islands of Coll, Colonsay, Erraid, Gometra, Iona, Islay, Jura, Mull, Oronsay, Tiree and Ulva.