Nicola Sturgeon will deliver an update on Scotland’s coronavirus situation in Holyrood later today.
The First Minister is expected to announce a further lifting of restrictions following yesterday's restart of large outdoor gatherings.
Sturgeon will also update Scots on the latest Covid statistics during a 20 minute speech.
Here are four topics we expect the SNP leader to cover in her address.
Restrictions
Last week, Nicola Sturgeon indicated that more restrictions imposed following the festive period could be lifted from next week.
The First Minister said that it is hoped that limits on indoor live events, table services in hospitality and distancing in indoor public places could be scrapped on Monday, January 24.
When interviewed by PA yesterday, Sturgeon said that she is “cautiously optimistic” that Scotland is “turning a corner” amid the Omicron wave.
However, the SNP leader refused the reveal the specifics of her speech. A cabinet meeting is due to be held this morning before the update to Holyrood.
Sturgeon would also not comment on whether she plans to follow Wales with a mass easing of Covid rules.
Any changes to Scotland’s Covid restrictions is likely to be announced today.
Vaccine passport scheme
Nicola Sturgeon also indicated that the Covid vaccine passport scheme could be extended to include more venues during her address to parliament last week.
The First Minister said that a decision on this will require ‘careful judgement’.
Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross has called on Sturgeon to scrap the scheme entirely.
Cases and hospitalisations
The First Minister told Scots last week that the number new daily infections is falling in the majority of age groups in Scotland.
And that trajectory appears to be continuing, with average case numbers falling below 10,000 for the first time this year.
Hospitalisations in Scotland from Covid also now appears to be stabilising, while there has been little budge in the number of people in ICU.
However, test positivity could be a concern for the Scottish Government.
Yesterday, Public Health Scotland data revealed that test positivity on PCR tests was 21.3 per cent - which is still well above the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) recommended five per cent.
Sturgeon said that Scotland is in a ‘better position than initially feared’ before Christmas period. Models had previously estimated that Scotland could see daily case numbers rise to 50,000 a day in early January.
The latest Covid figures for Scotland will be announced by Nicola Sturgeon today.
Strategic framework
Nicola Sturgeon last week said more about how Scotland might ‘live with the virus’ without the need for restrictive measures in the future.
The First Minister announced that a ‘strategic framework’ - or a road map - will be released ‘within the next few weeks’.
Businesses, ministers and organisation leaders will be consulted on the plans prior to publication.
We may learn more about the progress of these plans during Sturgeon’s speech.
