| Good afternoon, Nicola Sturgeon has urged the public to talk to their family and friends about following the Covid-19 guidance as she said she was feeling a “greater sense of anxiety” around the position of Scotland in regards to the virus compared to the last few months. In a stark change of emphasis at the end of her daily coronavirus briefing, the First Minister underlined the “fragile state” she believes the country is facing ahead of winter. Cases of Covid-19 rose to a total of 160, the highest total since May 16 and a further increase on the 123 announced on Sunday. The First Minister said the rise “concerned” her and the Scottish Government are taking the rise “very seriously”. Message from the editor While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you. With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our advertisers - and consequently the revenue we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you taking out a digital subscription. Subscribe to scotsman.com and enjoy unlimited access to Scottish news and information online and on our app. With a digital subscription, you can read more than 5 articles, see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Visit https://www.scotsman.com/subscriptions now to sign up. Our journalism costs money and we rely on advertising, print and digital revenues to help to support them. By supporting us, we are able to support you in providing trusted, fact-checked content for this website. Your feedback is really important, please email me with any comments and suggestions at [email protected] Joy Yates Editorial Director JPIMedia Scotland | 