Thread by @theSNP

First Minister @NicolaSturgeon: "Good afternoon, everyone. Thanks for joining us again today. Let me give you the daily statistics first of all."

NS: "I can report that the total number of positive cases that were reported yesterday was 697 which is 12.8% of people newly tested. The total number of positive cases is 32,906."

NS: "242 of these cases are in Greater Glasgow & Clyde, 145 in Lothian, and 130 in Lanarkshire. The remaining 180 cases are spread across nine other health board areas."

NS: "I can also confirm that 218 people are in hospital. That's an increase of 8 since yesterday. 22 people are in intensive care now which is the same number as yesterday."

NS: "Finally, in the past 24 hours no deaths have been registered of patients who first tested positive over the previous 28 days, but since this is a Monday I will give the usual caveat."

NS: "Registration offices tend to be closed on Sundays so it's not entirely unexpected that no deaths were registered yesterday."

NS: "Since the last briefing we had on Friday, though, 4 additional deaths have been registered. They've been reported in our daily figures since then and that means the total number of deaths under the measurement we use on a daily basis is now 2,530."

NS: "That total reminds us, again, that this virus can have a deadly impact, and of course, I want to pass my condolences again to everyone that has lost someone."

NS: "Over the weekend, and again today, we've reported quite significant numbers of new cases. That's obviously a cause for concern and I'm going to say a little bit more about that shortly."

NS: "I'll then hand over to the Health Secretary who's going to say a little bit more about the seasonal flu vaccination programme."

NS: "Before that, though, there are a couple of brief updates I want to provide you with. The first actually relates to an issue you will have heard emerge last week in some of these daily updates. It regards parent and baby groups."

NS: "As you know, concerns were raised about the fact the new restrictions limited attendance at these groups to just five adults."

NS: "It was felt that had a disproportionate impact on the ability of these groups to run, and therefore a disproportionate impact on the wellbeing and mental health of new mums in particular and babies."

NS: "I said last week we'd look again at this issue, and inform our consideration as we always do by clinical advice. I can confirm we've now done so and the guidance has been updated."

NS: "We've now increased the number of adults that can attend parent & baby groups, so long as other health and safety criteria are met."

NS: "In summary, if you're interested in this and if there are groups you can attend, you can find the full guidance on our website."

NS: "In summary it means where babies are under 12 months old, up to 10 adults can now be present at any one time in these groups."

NS: "Where children are over 12 months, we're still asking that the maximum number of adults is 5."

NS: "We know that parent & baby groups are vital in supporting health & wellbeing, particularly at the moment, but we also know that any setting where groups of adults come together poses a risk of transmission."

NS: "So what we hope is that this change, while I'm sure not satisfying everybody, will strike a better balance between supporting the wellbeing of new parents and in particular supporting perinatal health..."

NS: "..while also making sure we are taking appropriate steps to try to stop the virus spreading."

NS: "My second update today is to draw attention to improvements in our presentation of Covid data. From a glance at social media last night I see that some of you have already seen this new information and have already been making use of it."

NS: "Public Health Scotland has updated the dashboard that is published on its website, and it now provides additional Covid information, and it tries to provide all the information in a more accessible format."

NS: "For example, it now allows you to see additional data about the state of the pandemic, not just at a national, Scotland-wide level, but at a much more local level as well."

NS: "Up until now the dashboard used local data to colour-code local authority areas based on the proportion of neighbourhoods that had a certain number of cases per 100,000 over a 7-day period."

NS: "But we know from information request that there is a desire, very understandable desire, for people to have more localised information. So the updated dashboard provides that option."

NS: "By selecting your local authority you can now click on the local area map to see case numbers within your neighbourhood. A neighbourhood is typically an area with around 4,000 residents."

NS: "It gives you access to more information about the number of cases and the level of infection, not just across your local authority but in the neighbourhood you live in. I hope that will be useful to assess risk as we move forward."

NS: "Another new feature is the chart that shows the changing age profile of those testing positive, and at the moment, that chart illustrates the trend we've been talking about in recent weeks..."

NS: "..where we've been seeing more young people testing positive than we did at the start of the pandemic back in the spring."

NS: "However, and this is a really important point, and one of the key points in our consideration of next steps in the days to come."

NS: "This chart also shows something that is concerning us, which is a rise now in transmission amongst older age groups."

NS: "It underlines the fact that this resurgence of Covid, as it is in many countries, is affecting people across the different age groups. I would encourage anybody who's interested to take a look at this new dashboard."

NS: "I think it will help people to understand the course of the pandemic, not just across the country but particularly in your local area and how it is affecting different demographics of the population."

NS: "Before I hand over to the Health Secretary and then she, I, and the Chief Medical Officer take questions, I want to return briefly to the large number of cases we've seen reported over the weekend and over the last couple of weeks."

NS: "This is further evidence that, in Scotland, as it is in many countries - right across the UK, the Republic of Ireland and across Europe - Covid is on the rise again, as countries have come out of lockdown, and as we enter the winter period."

NS: "And, of course, we're seeing the consequences of that, not just in the daily case numbers but, perhaps more importantly, in the rise in hospital admissions, in the numbers in intensive care, and sadly, in the number of people who are dying from the virus."

NS: "All of that means it is vital that we do everything we can to get this situation under control, of course, in a proportionate way that allows us to take account of all of the different harms not just that Covid can do but that our ways of dealing with Covid can also do."

NS: "The restrictions we announced a couple of weeks ago, particularly that request to everybody not to visit other people's houses right now, is an attempt to get the virus under control, and we are very hopeful it will help us stem increase of the virus over the next period."

NS: "But given the numbers we're seeing, we aren't - I've been very open about this over the past few days - it is possible we will have to do more."

NS: "There may well be a need for some further restrictions in the near future. I can say that the government will be considering the latest clinical evidence and advice later on today, and the cabinet will be considering the up-to-date situation when it meets tomorrow morning."

NS: "If we do decide more restrictions are necessary - and no decision has been taken yet - I want to give an assurance that we will endeavour to give you, the public, and of course the Scottish Parliament, as much notice as possible."

NS: "As well as a clear explanation of our reasons and rationale. I want to promise you that we do not impose restrictions lightly."

NS: "If we decide that extra restrictions are necessary, it will be because we deem it necessary and vital to get the virus back under control and avoid unnecessary loss of life."

NS: "But, for now, pending any decisions that may be taken and communicated over the next few days, the best thing all of us can do to try to stop this resurgence and bring transmission under control is comply with the current guidelines and rules that are in place."

NS: "So, as usual today, I want to end by reminding everybody what they are. As I mentioned a moment ago - and this is the toughest restriction at the moment, I know - but none of us should be visiting each other's homes right now."

NS: "Except for very specific purposes, if you need to care for a vulnerable relative or if you have childcare responsibilities."

NS: "When people are meeting outdoors, or in indoor public spaces, we're asking you to limit the size of the group you're in to a maximum of 6 people, and to ensure those 6 people don't come from any more than 2 households."

NS: "That's a key way of making sure that we limit transmission from one household to another."

NS: "In addition, please work from home if it's possible for you to do so and download the Protect Scotland app if you haven't already done so."

NS: "It's an important way of making sure anybody who is exposed to the virus gets quick notification of the need to self-isolate if that is appropriate - and it allows us to capture more people in that Test & Protect scheme than we'd otherwise be able to do."

NS: "Finally, remember FACTS - the basic but really important rules that underpin our approach to tackling this virus right now."

NS: "Wear face coverings when out and about. The law says you have to do it in certain places like shops, public transport, but my advice would be to wear face coverings when out and about as much as you can."

NS: "Avoid crowded places, whether they are indoor or outdoor crowded places. Don't forget to clean your hands and hard surfaces you or other people might be touching."

NS: "Two-metre distance is what you should be seeking to keep from people in households other than your own."

NS: "And of course, self-isolate and book a test straight away if you experience any of the symptoms fo Covid which, to remind everybody, those symptoms are a fever, a new cough or a loss of or change in your sense of taste or smell."

NS: "Keeping to these rules I know is tough. It requires all of us to be much more conscious of our daily behaviour than we would normally be, and it's a massive inconvenience. I absolutely understand that."

NS: "But it is more essential than it has been possibly at any time since before we went into lockdown back in March that all of us are really vigilant and take all of these basic and, in some respects, quite difficult steps, to stop this virus running away from us again."

NS: "So please, try to do all of this and, as I said earlier on, we will keep you informed if there are more steps we feel we need to take over the period to try to pull things back under control before we go deeper into winter."