Nicola Sturgeon said the planned move to level zero lockdown restrictions, at the end of this month, is unlikely to go ahead 

Next Monday, the First Minister will give an update on the aim to move all of Scotland down to level 0 the lowest of Scotland's five levels, on June 28.

However, she said it was likely the move would be "paused" as there was a continuing rise in cases and in people being admitted to hospital.

She said: "Emerging evidence needs close analysis. We need time to get more people vaccinated with both doses.

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"To be blunt that remains our biggest vulnerability at this moment.

"We need to buy ourselves time for vaccination to get ahead."

Sturgeon noted the UK Government announced four week delay in its plan and said Scotland also needs to be cautious.

She said: "Our next scheduled review will take place next week.

"I will confirm decision next week, however, given the current situation it is reasonable to indicate now that any part of the country will not move down a level."

She said it was "more likely we will wait for a further three weeks".

She said there will then be a "better chance in July."

Sturgeon added: "In all probability we will pause the further easing as we press ahead with double doses of vaccinations." 

She said there were 6651 new positive cases over the course of the past week, compared to 5475 in the week before that.

Glasgow Times: Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced yesterday there would be a delay in EnglandPrime Minister Boris Johnson announced yesterday there would be a delay in England

It is, she said, five times higher than in early May.

The First Minister said a new study was "instructive".

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She said:"One the one hand, it suggsts the Delta variant is associated with higher risk of hospitalisation but on the other hand, double vaccination offers protection.

"It hasn't yet been completely broken but vaccination is weakening the link.

The latest statistics showed there were 974 new cases, 5% of all tests. 157 were in hospital, up 9 and there were 17 patients in intensive care, the same as the day before. Two more deaths have been reported.