'Stay at home': Sturgeon imposes new Scottish lockdown from midnight

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon arrives to deliver a statement at Holyrood, Edinburgh, announcing that Scotland will be placed in lockdown from midnight for the duration of January with a legal requirement to stay at home except for essential purposes, Scotland, Britain January 4, 2021. Andrew Milligan/Pool via REUTERS

Scotland will go into a new lockdown with people ordered to stay at home for January to tackle the escalating COVID-19 crisis, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said on Monday.

Sturgeon told the Scottish parliament that from midnight on Monday people would face a legal requirement to stay at home except for essential purposes, similar to the lockdown imposed at the start of the pandemic in March last year.

"The situation ... is extremely serious," she said.

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon reacts as she delivers a statement at Holyrood, Edinburgh, announcing that Scotland will be placed in lockdown from midnight for the duration of January with a legal requirement to stay at home except for essential purposes, Scotland, Britain January 4, 2021. Andrew Milligan/Pool via REUTERS

(Reporting Guy Faulconbridge; writing by Kate Holton)