Nicola Sturgeon has decided not to extend the vaccine passport scheme.

For at least three weeks, she said, the certification scheme will remain in place for the current venues.

She said: "It would not be appropriate to remove this protection."

The First Minister announced one change to the rules.

From Decemebr 6 proof of a negative test will be accepted to enter venues covered by the scheme.

She said the cabinet has decided to "retain all of the remaining protections and the Covid certification scheme".

Sturgeon urged people to test themselves often over the Christmas period.

She said: "If going out for dinner, drinks, shopping or meeting with others at home take a Lateral Flow Test before you go."

And she said if you are positive don't go, and get a PCR test.

Sturgeon said: "Our situation is definitely more positive but remains precarious."

The First Minister said infection rates are too high and higher than where the government wants them to be.

She said the coming months would see an increase in people mixing indoors posing a risk of increased infection.

She said: "Across Europe the Covid situation is detetiorating,restirctions have been tightened in Ireland, Netherlands and Slovakia.

"This is all a stark reminder that the threat of the pandemic is not behind us.

"Thankfully we are not at this stage but the situation remains precarious, cases are on the rise in countries all around us.

"Even though our position now is relatively stable, we must continue to take care."

She said the average number each day has fallen to just under 3000 a day.

The First Minister urged people to get vaccinated and get the booster when eligible.

She said not to do so was "bluntly" putting others lives at risk.

Sturgeon said: "The most precious gift you can give is to be vaccinated before you meet or hug anyone at Christmas."

The latest daily statistics showed there were  2527 new positive cases recorded in the last 24 hours.

There were 743 in hospital, down by 7 and 60 patients in intensive care up by 1.

 

There were17  deaths registered in the last 24 hours takling the total to 9495.