PROFESSOR LEITCH HINTS AT TOUGHER COVID MEASURES

Senior officials have suggested Scotland could face tougher Covid-19 restrictions around the new year.

Prof Jason Leitch said it was better to “act harder” and “early” while Scotland Office minister Iain Stewart said “big decisions” may need to be made.

However, the first minister said she had no plans to recall Holyrood to discuss further measures.

She said the situation was “unpredictable” and that parliament “will sit as necessary”. following a report in The Herald on Sunday.

She tweeted: “No idea what basis of this headline is, and it’s not helpful to add to anxiety people already feel. It’s a week before @ScotParl is even in recess.”

Exactly one year ago the first minister tightened restrictions around Christmas after it was hoped the rules would ease between 23 and 27 December.

Omicron is now the dominant variant in Scotland, with more than 10,000 UK cases reported on Saturday alone.

Currently, Scots are being advised to reduce their socialising as much as possible and to limit gatherings to three households – though large-scale events including the Scottish League Cup final and Edinburgh Hogmanay are still going ahead.

However, Prof Jason Leitch, Scotland’s national clinical director, said the Scottish government’s tone had “shifted” in the last few days.

Speaking to BBC Scotland’s Sunday Show, he said: “The position is worrying, I make no bones about that. This new variant didn’t exist 21 days ago – it’s quite astonishing and it’s happened just before Christmas again.

“Better to act early than later, better to act harder than softer – we’ve learned that over two years I’m afraid.”