Thread by @theSNP

First Minister @NicolaSturgeon: "Good afternoon, everyone. Thank you for joining us. I'm joined today by Dr Dave Caesar, our Deputy Chief Medical Officer, who'll assist me later on in taking questions from journalists."

NS: "Let me start, as usual, with today's statistics. The total number of positive cases reported yesterday was 1,264, which is 6.7% of the total number of tests, and the total number of confirmed cases now is 84,523."

NS: "420 of the new cases were in Greater Glasgow and Clyde, 312 in Lanarkshire, and 141 in Lothian. The remaining cases were across the other 8 mainland health boards."

NS: "I can also confirm that 1,241 people are currently in hospital - a decrease of 9 from yesterday - and 88 people are in intensive care, which is 7 fewer than yesterday."

NS: "Finally, I regret to report that 54 deaths have been registered in the past 24 hours of patients who first tested positive over the past 28 days. That takes the total number of deaths under this measurement to 3,377."

NS: "National Records of Scotland has also just published its weekly update, which, as you know, in addition to cases where Covid was confirmed through a test, records cases where it is a suspected or contributory cause of death."

NS: "Today's update shows that, by last Sunday, the total number of registered deaths linked to Covid under that wider definition had, unfortunately, passed 5,000."

NS: "By Sunday it was 5,135. 278 of those deaths were registered last week - that's 71 more than in the week before. 198 of last week's deaths occurred in hospital, 72 in care homes, and 8 at home or in another non-institutional setting."

NS: "NS: "Obviously each and every one of those deaths represents a unique individual whose loss will be causing grief and heartbreak - and once again I want to convey my deepest condolences to all of those who've lost a loved one during the pandemic."

NS: "The figures I've just reported are obviously really grim and distressing. Some time in the future when we are through this pandemic, we will want to consider how, as a country, we commemorate the lives that the virus has taken."

NS: "That is, though, for another day. But given that, with all the positive news about vaccines - and we're hearing more positive news today about the Pfizer vaccine - given all that means we may be starting to see the end point on the horizon."

NS: "One of the things we should be focused on now, in my view, and all try to play our part in, is how we get to the end of this with as few additional lost lives as possible."

NS: "That encapsulates one of the motivations for yesterday's confirmation that 11 local authority areas in the central part of Scotland will move into level 4 from 6pm on Friday."

NS: "The measures that come with that are tough - I'm not going to sugar-coat that. They include the closing of all non-essential indoor retail, of hospitality except for takeaway, and premises like hairdressers, indoor gyms, and entertainment venues."

NS: "So these are really difficult measures. They are, of course, temporary. They will be in place until Friday 11th December. But more importantly, they are, in our judgement, necessary."

NS: "We must get the current high levels - albeit stable, but nevertheless high levels of Covid - that we are currently seeing in Central and West of Scotland, we must get them coming down for three basic but interlinked reasons."

NS: "Firstly, and most importantly, to reduce deaths and serious illness. Second, it's to ensure hospitals and intensive care units can cope and that they can be there over the winter period to treat people with Covid and people who present with other illnesses as well."

NS: "Thirdly, it is to allow the prospect of people being able to meet up over the Christmas period without that then leading to much more illness and loss of life as we go into next year."

NS: "On that last point, we are all desperate for some normality at Christmas, and I include myself in that."

NS: "The Scottish Government right now is working very closely and well with the other UK nations to try to agree a way for that to happen."

NS: "We want to have the same position across the UK, given family patterns that exist. But we know that people coming together, when a virus is circulating, will increase the risks of it spreading."

NS: "That means we need to be careful but, and this is the key point, it also means one of the most important things we need to do between now and then..."

NS: "..in order to minimise that risk is reduce the number of people in the population who have Covid and who will have Covid when we get to Christmas."

NS: "Because when we do that, we reduce the number of people who might then be at risk of passing it on to their loved ones if they're getting together for Christmas."

NS: "So that is what these restrictions are - in part - trying to do. Even so, they were not taken lightly and I know they are really hard for people."

NS: "But I hope they will help us to achieve all of those aims, and take us closer to the end of all of this, which we are now seeing over the horizon, as safely as possible."

NS: "Now, there are three issues relating to yesterday's announcements that I want to highlight in particular today as briefly as I can. The first relates to schools."

NS: "As you know, for the sake of the education and broader wellbeing of young people, we intend that schools stay open in level 4 areas, but we know and recognise that some people - parents, teachers, young people themselves - have concerns about this."

NS: "Some information being published today will be of interest. Public Health Scotland has just published some statistics about levels of Covid amongst schoolchildren."

NS: "They suggest that, in the first 9 weeks of term after schools returned in August, out of 700,000 pupils in our schools, there were 1,600 positive cases."

NS: "To put that in context, that represents just over 0.2% of pupils over that period. It's consistent with other evidence that Covid is responsible for a small proportion of absences from school."

NS: "In addition, fewer than one-quarter of all schools in Scotland had any cases of Covid among pupils, and half of those had just one single case in the whole period."

NS: "There were, as you might expect, more cases in secondary schools than there were in primary schools, but even so, fewer than half of secondary schools had any cases of Covid, and 78% of schools overall had no cases at all."

NS: "Where there were cases, that does not necessarily mean that Covid is transmitting in schools. The small percentage of pupils that tested positive supports other research suggesting that Covid cases in schools tend to come from the community, not from schools themselves."

NS: "There is, of course - and we're not seeking to deny this - some risk of transmission in schools. Of course there is. That's why we must continue to take all necessary steps to mitigate that."

NS: "But today's figures illustrate again, I think, how well councils, teachers, other school staff, and students, have worked to mitigate that risk."

NS: "And while we will continue to listen carefully to all concerns, these findings do reinforce our view that, at this time, the benefits young people gain from being in school outweigh the overall impact of schools on transmission rates."

NS: "The second issue I want to cover briefly relates to people who were advised to shield and who are living in an area that moves to level 4 on Friday."

NS: "If you belong in that group you will shortly get a letter from the Chief Medical Officer with detailed advice and guidance, and you can find information also on the Scottish Government website."

NS: "One point I want to stress is that we do not expect you to stay at home for 24 hours a day, as was the case at the start of the pandemic."

NS: "Although, of course, everyone in level 4 areas is being encouraged to stay at home and reduce contacts as much as possible."

NS: "But if you are going out for, say, essential shopping, we recommend you take extra care - for example by shopping at a quieter time of the day."

NS: "I know some of you will also be worrying about work. Like the rest of the population, you should work from home if you can. Employers should help you to do that."

NS: "But if your job means you can't work from home, some of you will still be expected to go to work, even if you live in a level 4 area, but you will want to be assured that your workplace is safe, and employers should listen to your concerns."

NS: "They should already have taken significant steps to make the workplace safe, but if you think further changes are needed then discuss these with your employers."

NS: "And the letter from the Chief Medical Officer contains some additional guidance on this which I hope you'll find helpful."

NS: "And if your workplace cannot be made sufficiently safe, the Chief Medical Officer's letter can be used a fit note, as evidence you are not able to go into work for as long as your area remains in level 4."

NS: "So look out for that letter in the next few days and check the Scottish Government website if you can. We hope that providing you with the information you need we can help you take the decisions which best protect your health and your welfare."

NS: "Now, the final point I want to cover today relates to travel restrictions. And again, let me be very candid. I know that it doesn't sit easily with anybody - including me - to be told you can't travel freely within the country. I absolutely understand that."

NS: "But many countries have restrictions like this in place just now and for the good reason of trying to stop the virus spreading from area to area."

NS: "That's particularly important in Scotland, where we are deliberately trying to take a more localised approach. We are trying to avoid the whole country having to go into level 4 restrictions."

NS: " To be blunt, we can only keep relatively low levels of restrictions in areas with low prevalence of the virus if we ensure that people don't travel to these areas from other parts of Scotland with high levels of the virus."

NS: "Of course, more generally, the less travelling we do, the fewer interactions we are likely to have, and for areas with high prevalence, reducing interactions is one of the key purposes of these restrictions."

NS: "So if you live in a level 3 or, from Friday, a level 4 area, you shouldn't leave your own local authority area except for essential purposes."

NS: "The list of essential purposes will be published and you will be able to find that on the website, but it includes, for example, work that you can't do at home, or caring responsibilities."

NS: "If you live in a level 1 or 2 area, do not travel into a level 3 or 4 area except for essential purposes, and there should be no non-essential travel between Scotland and other parts of the UK."

NS: "From Friday onwards this guidance will become law. That really does reflect the importance we attach to this."

NS: "So please, make sure you stick to the rules on travel. By doing that you limit your risk of getting or passing on the virus, but it's by doing that..."

NS: "..you also make it possible for us to continue with a targeted approach and avoid having to put the whole country into the highest level of restrictions."

NS: "Can I also make a particular request to students here, I am very well aware that university and college students have had a term like no other so far, and it's been not easy at all."

NS: "If you live in an area that's moving into level 4 I can understand that some of you might be tempted to return home immediately. I'm asking you not to do that."

NS: "For the moment, please stay in your current accommodation. You will get the chance to return home for Christmas but, by waiting a little bit longer, we can ensure you get the offer of testing for Covid before you do that."

NS: "That's obviously one way of making your return as safe as possible."

NS: "Those are the key issues I wanted to cover for you today but the final point I want to stress, as always, is that the best way for all of us to reduce levels of the virus more quickly is to stick to the rules and guidance in our own area."

NS: "If you're in any doubt at all about what the rules are in your area, you can use the postcode checker on our website, but in summary..."

NS: "..nobody outside of Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles should be visiting each others' homes at the moment, except for very specific purposes like childcare or caring."

NS: "If you do meet people from other households outdoors or in cafes, the limit is a maximum of 6 people from 2 households."

NS: "From tomorrow the level 1 areas have a slightly higher limit outdoors, but for the majority of the country even outdoors, remember 6 people from 2 households is the limit."

NS: "Don't car share if possible, work from home if you can, download the Protect Scotland app, and finally, remember FACTS. These are the basic things all of us can do to try to limit transmission."

NS: "I know the vast majority of people are trying hard to do these things all of the time. If you're not, please do. All of us slip up sometimes but just remind yourself every day of how important these things are."

NS: "They do make a big difference. So remember:

Face coverings.
Avoid crowded places.
Clean hands and hard surfaces.
Two-metres distance between people from other households.
Self-isolate and get tested if you have any symptoms of Covid."

NS: "These rules will help all of us to keep ourselves safe, to keep people we love safe, to keep the NHS safe and able to keep us safe, and ultimately, these simple basic things will help us collectively to save lives."

NS: "This is a time to focus on that, just as we have done throughout this pandemic. Thank you all very much indeed."