Covid cases are continuing to rise across all five health boards in the north and north-east, according to the latest figures.
Positive cases in Grampian rose by 200 from yesterday to 1,242.
In Highland, cases rose from 365 to 443 in the past 24 hours.
Shetland recorded 33, while Orkney had 28 and the Western Isles had 14.
The total number of cases in Scotland was 8,516, an increase of nearly 500 since yesterday.
There were also 33 recorded deaths from Covid-19 in the past 24 hours.
These included two in Aberdeenshire, two in Highland and one in Moray.
Hospitalisations and Vaccinations
People in hospital with Covid has fallen to 1,392 from 1,571 this time last week.
Thirty-two people are in intensive care across Scotland which has fallen from 44 a week ago.
However, the number of patients in Grampian hospital has risen from 85 yesterday to 97 today.
In Highland, people in hospital dropped from 28 to 24 over the past 24 hours.
The number of people who have received the first dose of a Covid vaccine totalled 4,407,738 while 4,115,341 have received their second dose.
A further 3,269,583 have received a third dose or booster jab which gives a high level of protection against severe Covid.
Work from home guidance relaxed
New guidance set out by the Scottish Government has encouraged businesses to implement a hybrid working system to get people back to the office.
The new phasing of the return to offices can begin from January 31, but the government warns that it should be gradual to avoid pushing up infection levels.
On January 24, rules on hospitality and public venues were relaxed which marked a “significant return to normality”.
This included nightclubs and bar reopening to customers and restaurants scrapping one-metre distancing rules and table service.
