Nicola Sturgeon covid update RECAP: Hogmanay cancelled | Football crowd cap | Rishi Sunak hospitality funding
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The First Minister will address MSPs in the Scottish Parliament on any potential new restrictions that could be implemented due to fears over the new Omicron variant.
She is due to make her statement at about 2.20pm.
You can follow live updates in our blog, right now.
Nicola Sturgeon Omicron update RECAP: First Minister to update Scotland on Covid rules as cases remain high
Rev David Burt is giving his ‘Time for Reflection’... then Topical Questions, then after that, the First Minister’s statement.
Rishi Sunak has offered a £1 billion support package to businesses hit by Covid restrictions amid concerns over the “eye-wateringly high” transmission of the Omicron variant.
Covid: Chancellor Rishi Sunak unveils £1bn support package for businesses hit by restrictions
Rishi Sunak has offered a £1 billion support package to businesses hit by Covid restrictions amid concerns over the “eye-wateringly high” transmission of the Omicron variant.
Rishi Sunak has offered a £1 billion support package to businesses hit by Covid restrictions amid concerns over the “eye-wateringly high” transmission of the Omicron variant.
The devolved administrations will receive around £150 million of funding through the Barnett formula as part of the support announced, the department added.
This includes around £80 million for the Scottish Government, £50 million for the Welsh Government and £25 million for the Northern Ireland Executive.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) is not in favour of large-scale Covid-19 lockdowns because of the economic impact and how it affects people’s mental health, one of its leaders has said.
Dr Margaret Harris, a public health doctor from the WHO, told Sky News the most important thing people could do is get vaccinated in the fight against the new Omicron variant.
If you are just joining us, welcome. It is still unclear exactly what Nicola Sturgeon will say during her briefing, but there has been a vast amount of speculation.
The Daily Record said it understands Ms Sturgeon is considering new restrictions on football matches in a bid to halt the spread of Omicron.
It comes following a similar move in Wales in a bid to combat and control the spread of the Omicron variant of Covid-19 which saw all indoor, outdoor, professional and community sports events played without fans.
In case you missed it this morning, a senior figures in the NHS said Scotland should enter a circuit breaker lockdown before Christmas, including the cancellation of Hogmanay events.
Will this play into Nicola Sturgeon’s address?
Rishi Sunak has offered a £1 billion support package to businesses hit by Covid restrictions amid concerns over the “eye-wateringly high” transmission of the Omicron variant.
He defended new grants aimed at supporting businesses through a difficult winter as “significant” and “comparable” to those given out under full lockdown.
Asked if the new cash was enough to help hospitality businesses through what is usually a busy period of the year, the Chancellor said: “If you look at the grants that we’re providing today, up to £6,000 for hospitality businesses, they are comparable in generosity to the grants that were provided when these businesses were fully closed, completely closed, earlier this year.
“It’s worth £1 billion, it’s a very significant amount of support.”
The First Minister has previously suggested there will be no changes to Covid measures in Scotland before Christmas.
In a statement on Sunday, Ms Sturgeon said she will set out in Parliament if there are any “additional or wider steps necessary”, adding: “But I want to be clear to individuals that the advice I gave out last week is the advice that will take us through Christmas.”
She added: “My clear message to individuals is to reiterate the message I gave last week and that is, in the run-up to Christmas, please reduce your contacts, stay at home as much as is feasible right now.
“For Christmas Day and Boxing Day, we’re not asking people to cancel plans but think about keeping them as small as your family circumstances allow and make sure everyone is testing before going, and following rules around hygiene and ventilation.
“Then, after Christmas, for a period, limit your contacts again, so we can suppress infection as much as we possibly can, as we speed up the vaccination programme.”
The First Minister will address MSPs in the Scottish Parliament on any potential new restrictions that could be implemented due to fears over the new Omicron variant.
She is due to make her statement at about 2.20pm.
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