Scotland is moving into a super-strict lockdown with schools remaining closed and people banned from leaving their homes for all but essential purposes.
Nicola Sturgeon has just announced tough new measures akin to the full lockdown in March in a bid to stem the rapidly rising tide of new coronavirus cases threatening to engulf the NHS.
The First Minister says the classrooms won't reopen as planned on January 18, instead children will learn at home until at least the beginning of February, with the situation under fortnightly review.
And the law will also be changed to enforce the 'stay at home message'.
Speaking in the Scottish Parliament just moments ago, she said: "I am more concerned at the situation we face now than I was now that I have been at any time since March last year."
Ms Sturgeon says that without intervention the NHS in Scotland could become overwhelmed within weeks, with Glasgow's intensive care already at 60 per cent capacity.
She added: "We have an opportunity in Scotland to avert the situation here deteriorating to that extent.
"But we must act quickly."
The news comes as 1,905 new cases of covid were reported in the last 24 hours.
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