Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has re-introduced a range of Covid measures, as Omicron continues to spread.
These include a return to 1 metre social distancing in bars, restaurants and leisure services, a return to table service for venues serving alcohol, and an effective ban on spectators at sporting events.
Ms Sturgeon told the Scottish Parliament in Holyrood:
'First, from 26 December - inclusive - for a period of three weeks, we intend to place limits on the size of public events that can take place.
Rangers and Hamilton Academical players observe a minute's silence before their Scottish Premiership match without fans. Nicola Sturgeon has confirmed sport will 'effectively' become 'spectator free.'
Jane Barlow
'This does not apply to private life events such as weddings. For indoor standing events the limit will be 100; for indoor seated events it will be 200; and for outdoor events it will be 500 seated or standing.
'Sports matches, including football, effectively spectator-free'
'Physical distancing of 1 metre will be required at events that go ahead within these limits. This will of course make sports matches, including football, effectively spectator-free over this three week period. And it will also mean that large-scale Hogmanay celebrations - including that planned here in our capital city - will not proceed.
'I know how disappointing this will be for those looking forward to these events, and for the organisers of them.'
She went on: 'We intend to issue guidance to the effect that non-professional indoor contact sports for adults should not take place during the three week period from 26 December. This is because these activities, where physical distancing is not possible, also create a heightened risk of transmission.
Table service returns
'From 27 December, again for a three week period - we intend to introduce some further protections in hospitality settings and other indoor public places to reduce transmission risk in what are, through no fault of those who run such venues, higher risk environments.
'I can confirm that a requirement for table service only will be reintroduced for venues serving alcohol for consumption on the premises.
'And we will also ask indoor hospitality and leisure venues to ensure 1 metre distance, not within, but between groups of people who are attending together.
A server carries a tray of drinks from a pub in the Grassmarket in Edinburgh, as Scotland returns to table service in venues serving alcohol.
Andrew Milligan
'We will continue to advise people that if they are attending indoor hospitality or leisure venues - and remember our core advice remains to minimise this - there should be no more than 3 households represented in any group.
Christmas advice remains
The First Minister did not change her advice for Christmas:
'We are not changing the advice for Christmas that I set out last week. It is important that with just a few days to go, there is certainty about family gatherings on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
'I am not asking anyone to change these. However - and I cannot stress this enough - please follow advice to keep family celebrations as safe as possible.
'Keep gatherings as small as family circumstances allow.
'Everyone across the country to reduce contacts and stay at home as much as possible in the run up to Christmas Day, and then again after this Christmas weekend, and also reiterate the steps we can all take to make family celebrations this weekend as safe as possible.
'From 27 December - as we come out of the Christmas weekend - and at least until the end of the first week in January when we will review this advice again, please go back to limiting your contacts as much as possible.
'Please stay at home as much as possible. When you do go out, please maintain physical distancing from people not in your group. And difficult though it is, please follow this advice over New Year - minimise Hogmanay socialising as much as you can.
'This is the bedrock of our plan for the immediate period ahead.
'However, while our core advice is to reduce socialising and stay at home as much as feasible, Cabinet’s judgment is that we must also take some further steps to make the places where people might still gather as safe as possible.
Omicron the dominant strain in Scotland
The First Minister also reported the latest Covid statistics in Scotland:
'5,242 positive cases were reported yesterday – 14.9% of all tests carried out.
'515 people are in hospital with Covid – 1 fewer than yesterday.
'37 people are in intensive care, which is 1 fewer than yesterday.
'Sadly, a further 9 deaths have been reported, taking the total number of deaths under the daily definition to 9,790.
'I want again to send my condolences to everyone who has lost a loved one.
'In last week’s statement, I reported that cases had increased by 25% in the preceding seven days, and that we would in all likelihood see a further increase in infections as Omicron became the dominant strain in Scotland.
'Omicron has now firmly established itself as the dominant strain.'
