| Good afternoon, Welcome to your breaking coronavirus news bulletin from The Scotsman. Thank you for reading. If you value our work keeping the public informed throughout this crisis, please consider taking out a subscription with us from just £3 a month. You'll have full access to the news, daily puzzles, and see 70% fewer ads. Give us a try here. New variant responsible for half new cases That was revealed by the First Minister this afternoon - and she says the proportion continues to rise. Nicola Sturgeon also confirmed 2,529 new Covid cases have been reported in the last 24 hours in Scotland. It comes as the mainland returns into lockdown to slow the spread of this virulent new coronavirus strain. Get a breakdown of the latest figures, including for where you live, here. When does the lockdown end? Scotland has officially entered its second lockdown period. People are being told to stay at home as much as possible, with outdoor gatherings limited and schools closed. But how long will this go on for? Sadly there's not a 'definitive' end date but here's all we know so far. And you can always contact us if you would like to share your lockdown experience - email the address at the bottom of this newsletter. More Covid news this afternoon >> Don't miss the latest breaking coronavirus news as it happens on our LIVE blog Thank you for reading and stay safe, Ginny - ginny.sanderson@jpimedia.co.uk | 
