Nicola Sturgeon announcement today: What time and how to watch Omicron update

It comes as the first minister warned yesterday that new restrictions "may now be unavoidable" in a letter to Boris Johnson, urging the prime minister to reintroduce furlough. 

Earlier this week, the Scottish government introduced guidance on socialising, urging people to limit gatherings to three households.

Meanwhile, expert health advisors have suggested a circuit breaker lockdown may be the only way to prevent overwhelming the NHS. 

As the first minister prepares to give another update today, here's how you can watch...

What time is Nicola Sturgeon's update today?

Nicola Sturgeon will give an emergency Covid update about Omicron today at 12:15pm. 

She will be joined by Scotland's Chief Medical Officer Dr Gregor Smith. 

How can I watch Nicola Sturgeon's Covid update today? 

The briefing will be streamed on the government's social media platforms, including Twitter. 

The statement will also be broadcast on BBC Scotland. 

What will the first minister say today? 

All week there have been warnings coming from top government ministers that further restrictions may be required if the situation continues to deteriorate. 

Yesterday the first minister requested a meeting with Boris Johnson to discuss the prospect of more money for the devolved nations to support businesses. 

This request was declined by the prime minister. 

Today could see the Scottish government introduce further restrictions. 

On Tuesday, Nicola Sturgeon announced the following measures in an attempt to curb Covid: 

• Three households socialising: The first minister urged people to limit socialising to three households, however this is not a legal requirement
• Legal measures for businesses: New legal guidance for retail and hospitality will be introduced in the coming week, including rules on social distancing 
• Employers must enable work from home by law: Employers must now allow people to work from home where possible by law