CURBS mix on Christmas Day is a “possibility” due to the explosive strain Omicron, a prominent public health expert has warned.

Professor Linda Bauld predicted changes in restrictions days after the fastest-spreading variant of the pandemic triggered tighter isolation rules and a call for schools to be closed.

The University of Edinburgh scholar said any further action should be weighed against the impact on the economy and society as a whole, as well as on the well-being of people.

And she urged a united approach with Westminster to avoid confusion over how the rules evolve.

It came as statistics confirmed 11 more cases of Omicron in Scotland, bringing the total to 121. Factoring in probable or possible infections brings the figure to over 1,000.

Professor Bauld – who sits on the Scottish Government’s Covid Advisory Group – told the BBC’s Good Morning Scotland program: ‘This is a really tricky time. None of us wanted to be here. I think there will probably be other changes next week.

“And I hope the UK will align itself on that, because it is very confusing for people.

‘If you only thought about it from a public health and NHS protection perspective, we would all be asked to stay home right now and effectively stop mixing.

“But those aren’t the only decisions, because you’ll hear from business owners, people in the hospitality industry, and so on. “

Southern ministers are under pressure to adopt tough measures in the south by next Saturday – including a ban on drinking alcohol in indoors pubs – amid warnings from experts of 75 000 deaths at Omicron in England this winter.

Deputy Prime Minister John Swinney could not say “definitively” if new measures are in the works here, but said they were being considered this weekend.

Warning of a “growing problem” with Omicron, he told BBC Breakfast: “We have to judge the best set of measures we can take to try to stop the circulation of the virus.

“We cannot make it evolve at the rate it is evolving now, because the danger is that it will overwhelm our public and private services. “

When asked if the Scots were facing a rehearsal for last Christmas, when travel restrictions and limits on gatherings were imposed, he replied: “I don’t think so. I hope not. We are working very hard to make sure that does not become the case. “

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But Eleanor Riley, professor of infectious diseases at Edinburgh United, said Scots were unlikely to avoid exposure to Omicron unless they “live the life of a hermit”.

She told BBC Radio 4: “I don’t think anyone should be walking around thinking they’re not going to catch it.”

It also emerged that ministers are under pressure from Scotland’s largest teachers’ union to close schools early for Christmas.

EIS Secretary General Larry Flanagan said the closures this week could help “push back” the worst of an Omicron wave before the holiday season.

He warned that more schools may have to close or switch to distance learning if they cannot be staffed.

He told the Sunday Times: ‘The Scottish government should consider an early Christmas shutdown if a firewall is needed to ward off a new wave. “

Nicola Sturgeon had said she would “break her stomach” to keep schools open normally.

But it is understood that its officials are already bracing for more restrictions in classrooms in the new year – and have not ruled out the possibility that next year’s exams will be disrupted or removed. Researchers at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine have revealed modeling of the potential impact of Omicron – predicting a big wave of infections in January.

They predict that the strain could cause between 25,000 and 75,000 more deaths in England.

But they said the return of severe restrictions on hospitality and social gatherings in early 2022 could keep that figure below 10,000.

In a televised briefing on Friday, Ms Sturgeon declined to detail new rules that could be introduced before a meeting of her cabinet on Tuesday.

But the Prime Minister has warned Scots of a ‘tsunami’ of Omicron cases – as infections are doubling almost every other day.

The new strict quarantine rules entered today mean that family contacts of someone infected with Covid must self-isolate for ten days – regardless of their jab status or if they are negative for the bug. .

The Scottish government has said it is closely monitoring the spread of Omicron, adding: “We encourage everyone to get a flu shot and a Covid booster.”

Twelve other deaths and 4,087 cases have been recorded.

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