A Scotland-wide mini-lockdown could be announced today in an attempt to tackle rising coronavirus cases.
The Scottish cabinet is due to meet later to discuss the possible reintroduction of tougher restrictions to stem the spread of the virus, reports the BBC.
Several government advisers are said to support the idea of a "circuit breaker" lockdown as a "short, sharp shock" with Scotland's First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, having previously suggested further measures could be rolled out "in the near future".
The BBC reports a further 697 cases of the virus were confirmed yesterday in Scotland, with numbers of people being treated in hospital for coronavirus also rising.
There are currently 218 Covid-19 patients in hospital in Scotland, with 22 of them in intensive care.
Ms Sturgeon has said that an announcement on a "circuit breaker" lockdown could come today.
She said tough decisions on what the mini-lockdown would entail were discussed with Scottish Government officials yesterday afternoon.
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 March 23 - so you might make some choices in there about schools or about further education - but fundamentally a short, sharp shock to the R number.
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"You get the R number down, you get the numbers down to a reasonable level and then you can begin 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."
