Scottish coronavirus levels starting to fall, says Nicola Sturgeon

The First Minister said some council areas could even be moved down to level one as the virus is brought under control following recent restrictions.

But she appealed for Scots to remain vigilant and even advised against taking advantage of Christmas relaxations to mix with family if people felt they could go without.

The latest data shows that across the whole country and most council areas the restrictions in place are “having an impact”, Ms Sturgeon said in her weekly update to MSPs on Tuesday.

Case numbers fell to 771, while hospital admissions were also down by 11 to 1,197. The R number is also between 0.8 and one, indicating that prevalence of the virus is shrinking.

"The number of new cases across the country has stabilised in recent weeks and I have reported that over the past few weeks,” Ms Sturgeon said.

"But we now have grounds for cautious optimism that numbers may be declining.

"There is also evidence that admissions to hospital and ICU are declining now too, although it is important to note that these figures fluctuate on a day-to-day basis.

"Independent estimates also place the R number between 0.8 and one. That again is indicative of infections now declining."

But there regional variations across the country, which is why 11 councils areas in central Scotland, including Glasgow, have been placed into level four until December 11.

Ms Sturgeon said the prevalence of the virus in Dumfries and Galloway and Argyll and Bute has continued to stabilise at a low rate.

"If this progress is maintained, we will take the view in the coming weeks as to whether they should move to level one,” she said. “We're hopeful that that will be possible."

East Lothian moved from level three to level two of the Scottish Government's five-tier system on Tuesday morning, but the First Minister told MSPs in the Scottish Parliament this would be the only change.

The First Minister said it was hoped ministers from across the UK could agree a "common framework" for Christmas restrictions.

She said some details could differ - such as on the definition of a household - to "reflect the different circumstances in each nation".

But she suggested Scots who could forego a family get-together should do so to help keep transmission of the virus under control before a vaccine arrives.

"Just because we are saying something might be permissible is not the same as an encouragement to use that flexibility to the maximum and that is going to be a difficult thing to recognise,” she said.

"If we are all very careful in this, then we can minimise any impact of that."

The Scottish Government is currently devising specific advice for Scots who choose to mix at Christmas, covering what they should do before and afterwards to minimise the likelihood of transmission.

"I know everyone has a desire to see loved ones over the festive period," Ms Sturgeon said.

"However, there is also a very real and a very legitimate anxiety that doing so could put those we love at risk, set back our progress as a country and result in unnecessary deaths and suffering."

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