Nicola Sturgeon has asked for Holyrood to be recalled tomorrow to discuss further lockdown measures to stop the spread of Covid-19.
The move follows a week with record daily numbers of confirmed cases — the latest figures show a further 2,137 were confirmed in Scotland on Friday and previous warnings that more restrictions may be required to contain the pandemic in light of a new more infectious strain of the virus.
Ahead of the statement the Cabinet will meet tomorrow and there will also be a meeting of the Education Recovery Group which is likely to discuss extending school closures and remote learning for pupils.
In a series of tweets this morning, the First Minister said: "The rapid increase in Covid cases, driven by the new variant, is of very serious concern.
"The steep increases and severe NHS pressure being experienced in other parts of the UK is a sign of what may lie ahead. So we must take all steps to slow spread while vaccination progresses.
"We, like other countries, are in a race between this faster spreading strain of Covid and the vaccination programme.
"As we work to vaccinate as quickly as possible, we must also do more to slow down the virus - to save lives and help the NHS care for all those who need it.
"Following a meeting of the Scottish Government resilience committee yesterday to assess latest situation, the Cabinet will meet tomorrow am to consider further action to limit spread and I've asked for Scottish Parliament to be recalled tomorrow afternoon so that I can set out our decisions in a statement.
"All decisions just now are tough, with tough impacts. Vaccines give us way out, but this new strain makes the period between now and then the most dangerous since start of pandemic.
"So the responsibility of government must be to act quickly and decisively in the national interest."
A Scottish Government spokesman added: "The recent, rapid increase in COVID cases in Scotland, driven by the new variant of the virus, is a very serious concern. The even steeper rises and severe pressure on the NHS that is being experienced in some other parts of the UK is a sign of what may lie ahead in Scotland if we do not take all possible steps now to slow the spread of the virus, while the vaccination programme progresses.
"The First Minister has therefore asked that Parliament be recalled from recess on Monday afternoon to allow her to make an urgent statement on further measures to supress transmission. This will come after a meeting of the Cabinet on Monday morning. The Education Recovery Group will also meet on Monday.
“The strong message remains people should stay at home as much as possible and avoid non-essential interaction with others.”
The Scottish Government’s emergency resilience committee, chaired by the First Minister yesterday, heard that quick and decisive action is needed as the new variant of the virus is accelerating spread and fast becoming the dominant one in Scotland.
Meanwhile, Professor Linda Bauld, chair of public health at Edinburgh University’s Usher Institute, warned school closures may have to be extended.
Bauld raised doubt that face-to-face teaching in schools can resume as planned on January 18 and warned that “stronger” stay at home guidance may be necessary.
Some workplaces currently open will need to close, she added in an interview published today, and travel restrictions will remain essential. The new variant does not appear to be more severe but data suggesting greater transmissibility “looks convincing”, said Bauld.
“I would expect it to become the dominant form of the virus all across the UK in the next few weeks.”
Government officials have said that a plan to fully open schools on January 18 is subject to daily assessments of the pandemic and the new variant. One measure being considered is rapid testing in schools but the new strain is spreading so fast that ministers may need to extend the lockdown and close schools until February.
South of the border, pressure is growing on the UK government to keep all schools in England closed for two weeks after the Christmas break. Teaching unions have told primary school staff it is unsafe to return to work and called for remote learning.
Sturgeon has warned that the coming weeks “may be the most serious we’ve faced” since the start of the pandemic. All mainland Scotland and Skye are under level 4 restrictions, while the other islands are in level 3. Shetland is on the brink of moving to level 4 amid an outbreak that has infected more than 70 people.
There have been 12,945 new cases in the past week, with 2,137 positive cases reported on Friday. On Thursday a further 68 deaths were recorded — the highest daily death toll since June.
Overall, 2,059 lives have been lost in Scotland during the final three months of 2020, taking the number of second wave deaths close to the first wave in spring.
Ahead of the Christmas recess, the First Minister warned that further restrictions may be necessary to curb the virus, including putting into law advice to stay at home.
Making it mandatory to remain at home could mean Scots may only be allowed to leave home in certain limited circumstances such asa for essential items of shopping, for exercise or to travel to work if unable to work from home.
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