Nicola Sturgeon has appeared on Good Morning Britain to talk about Scotland's battle with Covid-19 following mew restrictions being put in place. 

In addition to the ban on visiting others inside their homes across Scotland there will be a “strict nationwide curfew” for pubs and restaurants, starting at 10pm on Friday.

People are also advised not to share car journeys with anyone from outside their household.

Appearing on Good Morning Britain, the First Minister said on the new measures: "If we don't act now, urgently and decisively, then we might find COVID running out of control again.

"If we take tough action now, we might be under these restrictions for a shorter period of time than if we delayed these difficult decisions."

When asked about the mental health impact of a ban of indoor visits between households in Scotland, the First Minister said: "I haven't done this lightly. We've been very careful to take account of the mental health implications, there's more flexibility outdoors for young people, but I've made a judgment that we are again, at a tipping point with Covid. 

"I'm looking at data that alarms me frankly, and if we don't act now, urgently and decisively then we might find Covid running out of control again.

"So the judgement I've made, and it's not an easy one, is that if we take tough action now, we might actually manage to be under these restrictions for a shorter period of time than we will end up being if we delay that action."

She added: "These are tough judgments, but I think given the loss of life we know that Covid can result in, the health damage that it does, we've got to be prepared, at moments like this, people like me, to take tough decisions and to be prepared to do things even if they are unpopular for the greater good" 

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Host Pier Morgan quizzing the First Minister on the early morning show said that "a bit of empathy from leaders to the people right now goes a long way" and that a lot of people "don't know what to think" during the pandemic. 

The First Minister said that the decision had not been taken lightly saying: "I am in a different position to other people in Scotland, because I am having to lead this effort, but I am a human being, an individual citizen. I am separated from my family, I'm struggling with this decision. This is the toughest stuff I've ever faced, we're all struggling with this, it's nobodies fault.

"I don't think we should be trying to blame each other, our experiences are all different but we are all in it together. We will get through it."

She added: "One thing we know just know is that this virus will pass."

Morgan also quizzed the First Minister on the decisions being made by Boris Johnson saying it was clear she thought more should be done. The First Minister distanced herself from the question however stating that she is 'responsible for her decisions' and she can only answer for the decisions she makes.

He also asked how often the First Minister and Boris Johnson talk with the First Minister stating that it was "not as often as we should. Michael Gove tends to do a lot of the four nations dialogue, I'm not knocking that the discussions are useful. 

"I spoke to Boris yesterday, I participated in the COBRA meeting yesterday. Monday was the first time in quite some time that I had spoken to him about Covid. One of the things all of the devolved administrations have been pressing is for more regular four nations discussions."

Piers Morgan added that it seemed extraordinary that communication was not happening all the time given that different decisions were being made. 

Asked about the number of deaths in care homes, Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “I’m sorry for every death that has occurred.”

She told Good Morning Britain: “These things will stay with me for the rest of my life, and the knowledge that decisions we took for the best of reasons, based on the information we had at the time… influenced all of these things – no leader worth their salt carries that lightly.

“I think if we can turn the clock back, there are things in many aspects of the handling of this pandemic, including in care homes, that we would undoubtedly do differently.

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“We were dealing with a new virus, things like asymptomatic transmission we didn’t understand as well then as we do now and we’ve made a lot of changes along the way.

“And as we go into winter certainly a big preoccupation of mine and the Scottish Government is how do we protect people in care homes better perhaps than was done before.” 

After her interview, host Piers Morgan said: "I like Nicola Sturgeon. It's got nothing to do with politics actually. It's all about leadership. I just feel like she's a proper leader.

"It's not to do with the individual things she does. It's just the way she conducts herself."

There will be exemptions, such as for grandparents providing informal childcare, for couples who do not live together, for tradespeople and for those living alone, or alone with children, who have already formed extended households.

The restrictions will be reviewed in three weeks time. 

Scottish Secretary Alister Jack also addressed the new measures, saying he feels “sorry” for people in parts of Scotland where there are fewer cases of Covid-19 as they have to live with the restrictions.

Speaking on BBC Radio Scotland’s Good Morning Scotland programme, Mr Jack said: “If you’re an elderly person and you’re not able to have visits and you’re lonely, my sympathy goes out to those people.”

The UK Government minister accepted Ms Sturgeon was entitled to take different decisions from those made south of the border.

But he said the new ban on household visits was “the only part of the restrictions announced yesterday which we haven’t agreed across the UK”.

Mr Jack added: “Pretty much everything else we’re all on the same page and aligned, and I would have preferred, myself, a process that we’ve taken in England which is the local lockdown measures.”