Thread by @theSNP

First Minister @NicolaSturgeon: "I'll give a very short update on today's statistics and recent developments. The total number of positive cases reported yesterday was 1,089. That's 4.6% of all tests reported."

NS: "The total number of cases is therefore now 85,612. There are 1,212 people in hospital -29 fewer than yesterday - and 85 people in intensive care. That is 3 fewer than yesterday."

NS: "I also regret to report that, in the past 24 hours, a further 50 deaths were registered of patients who tested positive in the previous 28 days."

NS: "The total number of deaths under that daily measurement is now 3,427. Once again, I convey my deepest condolences to everyone who has lost a loved one."

NS: "We'll also shortly publish the latest estimate of the R number in Scotland. We expect that it will show the R number now to be very slightly below 1."

NS: "That indicates that the current tough measures that have been in place have had an effect, however the overall national situation, which the R number estimate reflects, does of course mask some regional variations."

NS: "In those parts of the country with the highest prevalence, we've not yet seen as significant or as rapid a fall in cases as we need to. That's why we've taken the decision to move 11 local authority areas into level 4 from 6pm tomorrow until Friday 11th December."

NS: "That decision, of course, was a difficult one to make but even more difficult for many businesses and individuals to hear."

NS: "But in the situation we face, in common with much of the rest of the world, the job of government must be to do what is necessary to save lives and protect health, even when we know these decisions will not be welcome."

NS: "And in our judgement, and that of the experts who advise us, these temporary measures are necessary to reduce loss of life and serious illness, to ensure hospitals and intensive care facilities are able to treat Covid and non-Covid patients over the winter..."

NS: "..and to allow people, albeit in a limited and careful way, the prospect of being able to share some time with loved ones over the Christmas period."

NS: "Difficult though it is, I ask people to abide by the rules, to keep themselves and their families safe, and also as part of our collective efforts, to get through the rest of this pandemic with as little harm to health and loss of life as possible."

NS: "Anyone who's in any doubt about the regulations that apply in their area should visit the Scottish Government's website and use the postcode checker."

NS: "Let me close with a summary of the advice and rules in place. With the exception of people in Orkney, Shetland, and the Western Isles, no-one should visit each other's homes at the moment except for essential purposes."

NS: "Outdoors, or in indoor public places, we should meet in groups of no more than 6 people from a maximum of 2 households."

NS: "Slightly more relaxed rules for outdoor meetings come into force today in level 1 areas but the basic rule remains 6 from 2."

NS: "Travel restrictions continue to be vital right now. Some of these restrictions will become law from tomorrow evening. More detailed information about them can of course be found on the Scottish Government website."

NS: "Finally, I ask everyone to remember the FACTS advice. Wear face coverings, avoid crowded places, clean your hands and hard surfaces regularly, keep a two-metre distance from people in other households, and self-isolate and get tested immediately if you have any symptoms."

NS: "My thanks again to everyone who are following all of these rules."

NS: "I took part yesterday in a four nations discussion with Michael Gove from the UK Government, the First Minister of Wales, and the First Minister of Northern Ireland. Amongst other things we discussed the Christmas period..." #FMQs

NS: "..and how we could come to a sensible - I stress, sensible - and safe plan that would allow people not 100% normality over Christmas, but a greater degree of normality and, in particular, the ability to spend some time with loved ones." #FMQs

NS: "We charged our officials, advised by our Chief Medical Officers, to put together a concrete proposal that we'll then consider and hopefully announce the detail of in the coming days, I would hope." #FMQs

NS: "Although we'll need to wait to see what that proposal is. I would hope we can share that with the public over the course of next week." #FMQs

NS: "We are all determined - if at all possible - that we come to a four nations agreement, given family patterns across the UK, and we're all determined to, I think, as best as we possibly can..." #FMQs

NS: "..strike the right balance between the understandable desire - which I share - to see family over the Christmas period, but also to do that in a way that does not lead to increased loss of life and increased harm to health over the January period." #FMQs

NS: "That is not going to be an easy balance to strike. Already I hear people expressing concerns we are even considering that kind of relaxation, but it's important we get that balance right and we are continuing to do that kind of work." #FMQs

NS: "More broadly, we are working with the Older People's Strategic Action Forum on plans to support older people over the winter. That will include, of course, the Christmas period." #FMQs

NS: "We've already announced additional funding to local and national organisations that support older people, that includes Generations Working Together, Scottish Pensioners' Forum, Hourglass, and Age Scotland." #FMQs

NS: "We know that Christmas will be particularly difficult for older people, and indeed for anybody who is on their own, and we are considering the proposal that was put forward during an earlier debate in the parliament about a specific Christmas loneliness campaign." #FMQs

NS: "In summary, the travel restrictions - which I think we all understand the reason for them - have an exemption where, if someone has a reasonable excuse to be travelling, that exempts them from the restrictions." #FMQs

NS: "The regulations give a number of examples, non-exhaustively, of what that excuse might be." #FMQs

NS: "I wrote to Linzi this morning clarifying the situation. She wrote to me last night, outlining her situation, which is indeed tragic, and my heart goes out to her - as I'm sure the heart of each and every one of us does." #FMQs

NS: "She asked me for clarity on whether she can go on one final holiday with her family. I've written back to her today advising her that, under the regulations, anyone in a situation like hers can go on a final holiday." #FMQs

NS: "As I've already said, the travel restrictions come with a general exemption, where people have what is termed in law as a reasonable excuse." #FMQs

NS: "The regulations give a list of examples of what a reasonable excuse might be but as I've said already it is not exhaustive." #FMQs

NS: "However, there should be no doubt that Mrs Page would meet that exemption because one of the explicit examples given on the face of the regulations is, and I quote, 'travel for compassionate reasons which relate to the end of a person's life'." #FMQs

NS: "Linzi's situation is tragic, but on both compassionate and legal grounds, she can go on her holiday, and I wish her and her family well." #FMQs

NS: "I have all along said I have not got everything right and will not get everything right. I'll continue to try to get everything right and be candid when we don't." #FMQs

NS: "But I will also take the actions that I consider - and people are entitled to disagree - are necessary to keep the country as safe as possible." #FMQs

NS: "In a situation like this it is absolutely incumbent on somebody like me to do my level best to do the right things and the necessary things - even if these are not popular or welcome things. I would be failing in my responsibility if I didn't do that." #FMQs

NS: "On travel restrictions, we have a situation in Scotland where a significant proportion of the population from tomorrow evening will go into the highest level of restrictions, and I've set out the reason for that." #FMQs

NS: "But unlike the situation - I'm making no criticisms here - unlike the situation in England and Wales, we are so far avoiding a national, one-size-fits-all level of restrictions..." #FMQs

NS: "..because we don't think, if we can avoid it, it's right for areas with low rates of the virus to have the same restrictions as areas with higher rates of the virus." #FMQs

NS: "But in order to maintain that proportionate targeted approach we must avoid taking the virus from higher prevalence areas to lower prevalence areas, or having people from lower prevalence areas going to higher prevalence areas and taking the virus back..." #FMQs

NS: "..so that prevalence there goes up. Let me perhaps sum it up in this way..." #FMQs

NS: "'Levels of the virus have risen. People living in those areas are not able to travel beyond their local boundary without a reasonable excuse. This is designed to prevent the spread of infection within the country and to other parts of the UK." #FMQs

NS: "'I am determined to keep the country safe.'

That was the Labour First Minister of Wales when he introduced statutory legal travel restrictions in Wales." #FMQs

NS: "He was right, because he is determined to keep his country safe, and I am as determined as he is to keep my country as safe as I possibly can." #FMQs