Councillor Murray Lyle - Leader of Perth & Kinross Council

I would like to take this opportunity to encourage residents to‘stick with it’and continue to follow public health guidelines.

Like everyone else, for me the end of 2020 cannot come soon enough, this has been one of the most difficult years I can remember.

Christmas is normally a time for families to come together and forget their day-to-day problems.

Unfortunately, this year is going to be different.

On a positive note, vaccinations for the coronavirus have started, but the roll-out will take time.

In the meantime, we cannot let our guard down and it is vitally important that we continue to follow public health guidance.

Doing this may mean our Christmas celebrations will be smaller than normal this year but following the advice will reduce transmission of coronavirus, protecting our families and communities, and help us to move out of level three restrictions faster.

I appreciate we have all had a long and difficult eight months and we can’t celebrate the festive season as we would like, but in order to stop this virus and save lives‘sticking with it’and continuing to follow the guidelines will mean a better outlook for 2021.