Coronavirus in Scotland: Restrictions update announcement from Nicola Sturgeon, when will she speak, how can you watch, will it affect Glasgow, Moray, East Renfrewshire and Midlothian?

The First Minister will be providing an update on coronavirus in the country, and specifically what will happen in Glasgow and Moray as well as the situation in Midlothian and East Renfrewshire at 12.15pm on Friday.

Nicola Sturgeon announced last week that the city of Glasgow and Moray will both be remaining in level three due to higher case numbers.

She added that she would review this position after one week, so residents are optimistic of hearing the Government’s position on Friday.

Deputy First Minister John Swinney announced on Tuesday that alongside a review tomorrow of whether or not Glasgow and Moray will be able to leave local restrictions, there will also be a review of whether any other areas will have restrictions tightened.

Coronavirus in Scotland: Restrictions update announcement from Nicola Sturgeon, when will she speak, how can you watch?

He said: “The First Minister committed to review the situation again at the end of this week, and this will include a review of any further areas where concerns emerge, and the formulation of an appropriate response to any such developments.”

Alongside Glasgow and Moray, East Renfrewshire and Midlothian are the areas with the highest case rates per 100,000 people.

Figures released on Tuesday’s showed cases are continuing to rise in Glasgow as well as East Renfrewshire and Midlothian, but are falling in Moray.

Where can I watch it?

The First Ministers speeches are usually aired on BBC Scotland live.

They are also streamed on the Scottish Government Twitter feed here.

The Scotsman also stream speeches and updates live on the website and in our Live Blog.

What will she say?

The focus is thought to be on Moray and Glasgow and whether their case level is low enough to move down to level two.

Mainland Scotland moved to level two last week, and several islands moved to level one.

Jillian Evans from NHS Grampian spoke to the BBC on Wednesday about the situation in Moray.

She explained that there were some ‘positive signs’ coming from the increased vaccination programme, adding: “I think we’ll need a couple more days to be sure that this is a definite trend but on all of the indicators that we look at, that’s cases, test positivity, looking at vaccinations and listening to what's happening in local communities and compliance, I think the signs are looking really positive accordingly.”

In the city of Glasgow, which has a higher population and cases of the highly transmissible Indian variant, the situation is more in question.

How will it affect Glasgow, East Renfrewshire, Moray and Midlothian?

The most affected areas are in the south of Glasgow, around Pollokshields, Darnley and Maxwell Park, and Govanhill.

NHS Grampian has said it is pleased with progress in Moray, with high uptake of extra testing and vaccination for all those over 18.

Earlier this week, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde began a programme of door-to-door PCR testing in the most affected area of Pollokshields.

The rate in neighbouring East Renfrewshire, which has become the area with the second-highest figure, has risen to 102.

The outbreak here is centred around Merrylee and Braidbar as well as Mearnskirk and South Kirkhill.

Midlothian has the third-highest rate of cases, but the figure has dropped slightly to 56.

In Moray the figure has dropped from 69 on Friday to 41.

Across the whole of Scotland the rate per 100,000 people is 36.

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