Doctors say they have been told to brace for a Scotland-wide mini-lockdown to tackle rising virus cases starting at 7pm on Friday.
Nicola Sturgeon has said that an announcement on a “circuit breaker” lockdown, which would see Scots ordered to stay at home for a fortnight or more, could come today (Tuesday).
She said tough decisions on what the mini-lockdown would entail were discussed with Scottish Government officials yesterday afternoon.
An NHS source revealed last night: “We’ve been told to expect it from 7pm on Friday,” reports the Sun.
NHS sources told the newspaper that doctors in Glasgow had been told to expect the stay-at-home order to be announced today and start just before the weekend.
Speaking at the daily briefing yesterday Nicola Sturgeon said: "Given the numbers that we are seeing it is possible that we will need to do more.
"This is further evidence that in Scotland as it in in many countries - COVID is on the rise again."
"It is vital that we do everything we can to get this under control."
The First Minister added: "I can say that the government will be considering the latest clinical evidence and advice later on today and the cabinet will be considering the up to date situation when it meets tomorrow morning."
"It could well be a number of different things."
It comes as Professor Jason Leitch said that that a two week 'shock' could reduce coronavirus infection rates by getting the R number down.
He told the BBC: "Not full lockdown like 23 March - so you might make some choices in there about schools or about further education - but fundamentally a short, sharp shock to the R number.
"You get the R number down, you get the numbers down to a reasonable level and then you can bring to reintroduce some of the things that you've closed.
"So the idea is that a two-week, roughly, circuit-breaker, would buy you 28 days. You don't know that for sure, because it's not an exact science, but it would buy you about a month in the pandemic."
