The Scottish Government have revealed their justification for every local authority's lockdown level in Scotland.
The information, which has been published as a part of the weekly Covid-19 strategic framework review, sets out data and analysis supporting the decisions made across the country.
Level four of lockdown has been announced for council areas such as City of Glasgow, Renfrewshire, East Renfrewshire, East Dunbartonshire, West Dunbartonshire, North Lanarkshire, South Lanarkshire, East Ayrshire, South Ayrshire, Stirling and West Lothian.
New rules are also in place for people in East Lothian and Midlothian who move down to Level 2.
Nicola Sturgeon said:
"The clear advice of our public health experts therefore is that we must drive infection rates down further in these areas, and they are not confident that level 3 restrictions will do this to the extent necessary.
"That is why, albeit reluctantly, we have taken the decision to place these areas into level 4 for a limited period.
"The level 4 restrictions will be in place for three weeks - and will be lifted on 11 December."
In the document, it makes clear that decisions have to be based firmly in the best available evidence, assessed through a process that is open, transparent and collaborative and frequently reviewed so that restrictions are not kept in place longer than is strictly necessary to achieve the aim of suppressing the virus.
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