'Nicola Sturgeon does not listen to experts unless they agree with her' - Readers' online comments

Peter Lewis: I think moving to level 2 a couple of weeks before Christmas would almost certainly produce a spike. Think of people crammed into the George Street bars! As someone who lives in Edinburgh I am prepared to "keep my head down" for one Christmas if we can get on top of the virus.

David Richardson: If you look down south its the areas that have been in the lower levels of restriction that now have increasing rates of infection. Look at the Continent – Germany is going back into full national lockdown. The First Minister is absolutely right to be cautious in her approach, and those clamouring for Edinburgh and Aberdeen to be in lower levels etc etc would be the first to wade in were she to let this virus run riot. Well done for sticking to your approach First Minister, putting public health first.

Paul Johnston: Nicola Sturgeon does not listen to experts unless they agree with her, in which case they are paraded on TV. If they don't agree with her, it's a case of "who?" ,"never heard of them" or that other golden SNP classic " I don't have the figures to hand".

Ken Johnston: She won't change it in case it upsets her Weegie voters.

Ronnie Williams: She’s had the Weegies in total lockdown for weeks in tier 4. That’s a strange way of appeasing "your" voters’

Iain Lancastle: What benefits does she get keeping Edinburgh in a higher tier? It won't win her popularity, and votes. Your comment doesn't make sense. Stop playing politics; it's a public health Issue. Governments all over the world including Westminster are making the same choices.

Louise Heathcote: Fife was in Tier 2 and the pubs were full of day trippers and now we have very high figures. Anyone with an ounce of sense can see why she is doing this

Stuart Smith: The reason for this if clear: if she put Edinburgh different to Glasgow it would be a disaster. Glasgow is riddled, Edinburgh is not. Christmas shopping? Everybody from Glasgow would be in their cars, flying along the M8 with an early Christmas gift for the people of Edinburgh. However, she's not going to stand up and admit it.

Lucein Romano: I’m happy to accept medical advice from complaining restaurant owners, as long as they don’t mind me going into their kitchens and telling their chefs how to cook.

Neil King: The Central Belt will remain in Level 3 until January, with hopefully no spike as a result of the five-day festive window.

Craig Gornall: I work in a music venue/bar which currently cannot open but relaxing the rules too soon will just mean this goes on longer. And don't get me started on the five days of Christmas.

Stewart Dredge: How can taking measures to protect the health of the community be bad for business? If Covid-19 figures rise in the New Year then businesses will have to close their doors and the effects will be much worse. And there will be another effect that you seem to think is unimportant – people will die.

Andrew Rickson: I think people are kind of losing sight of the actuality of Covid- 19. It's as though it's been going on for long enough and they want to do something else now, like too many back to back episodes of Strictly. (That would be about 5 seconds worth, for me). I think the idea of someone, even themselves, getting really sick and dying of this is beyond their comprehension.

Avril Arbuckle Logan: People in Edinburgh just need to suck it up, get over it and be patient. You should be thankful you were not lumped into tier 4 when it was given to 11 health board areas

Lizz Rennie: Say they had dropped the level in Edinburgh. Case numbers are now at 95 per 100,000 for Edinburgh and still rising. Edinburgh could have potentially been put back in level three at the end of this week. Then people would have complained and asked “why did you drop it?”. It's a no-win situation. It's a matter that everyone is going to have different opinions on. I hate what is going on, but I understand why.

Mandy Milne: Nicola Sturgeon has to put Edinburgh and Midlothian into tier 2. It’s thanks to her that East Lothian’s figures are now rocketing as folk are travelling into the area for a meal and a few drinks