Nicola Sturgeon has told people not to expect the current lockdown restrictions to be lifted at the end of January.

The rules, for the whole of mainland Scotland, are in place until January 31 but the First Minister has given a strong indication that some, or all of them, may be in place for even longer.

Scotland was put into level four lockdown on Boxing Day and then, after New Year, the rules were tightened to mean stay at home except for limited essential reasons.

But it is now likely that there will continue to be tough rules going into next month at least.

The First Minister said: “There is unlikely to a wholesale lifting at the end of January. Maybe even no lifting. We will set that out in due course.”

Instead of being able to give a date for lifting the current restrictions it is possible they will be tightened even further.

Ms Sturgeon said that she would announce to the Scottish Parliament on Wednesday the decision reached by teh scottish Cabinet on an even more resrictive lockdown, like closing takeaway and click and collect retail services.

She said they were both examples of where people were still able to interact and provide reasons for people leaving their home.

She said: “This virus will spread wherever people come together.”

However, the First Minister said that the restrictions were necessary and that while it was difficult people understood the need to abide by them.

She said “My message to the public who are fed up with this is, I feel your pain. We are all scunnered and fed up.

“But I think the majority understands this is something we have to do to keep ourselves and loved ones safe. There is a pretty grim realism just now in the public.

“We have to stick with it. I’m not going to stand here give a date for when restrictions will be lifted. I cannot do that. It’s about saving lives. That is what we have to remind ourselves of.”