WATCH: 'Stay at home much more than you normally would' in run-up to Christmas First Minister asks public amid growing concern over 'very, very infectious' new strain of Covid

PEOPLE are being asked to stay home "much more than you normally would" in the run-up to Christmas and take all possible measures to avoid contracting the "very, very infectious" new omicron strain of Covid-19.

That is the appeal being made to the Scottish public today by First Minister Nicola

She said: "My fundamental ask of everyone right now is this. In the run-up to Christmas, stay at home much more than you normally would and stay at home as much as you can.

"If what matters most to you is spending time with loved ones on Christmas Day, and I think that's what matters most right now to most, to many of us, don't risk that by going out before then and possibly catching Covid because the reality is that if you are mixing with others just now, getting this virus is a real and increasing risk.

"Covid – in this new omicron form – is circulating really widely just now. And it is very, very infectious – much more than previous strains. So if someone in your group, or even in the same venue as you, has it – your chances of catching it are much higher than with the Delta variant. So please try to stay at home as much as is feasible and prioritise the events and occasions that matter most to you over Christmas. And then after Christmas, if we all go back to limiting our contacts for a period further, we can hopefully then minimise any January surge in cases.

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