Tier Four could become a reality in the space of a day

However, this was swiftly followed by a stark warning that the area continues to be extremely close to the most restrictive top tier and the position in Lanarkshire will be reviewed daily.

The much-discussed restrictions began at a lower level than many had previously thought.

A leaked document had suggested days before that Lanarkshire could be placed at this high level.

And First Minister Nicola Sturgeon herself admitted that this was a “borderline” decision where it did not in fact come to pass.

Now, Heather Knox, chief executive of NHS Lanarkshire, is encouraging locals to follow the guidance immediately to avoid Lanarkshire residents being placed in tier four.

Ms Knox said: “NHS Lanarkshire is jointly working with its partners to support the combined effort to tackle the coronavirus pandemic.

“The measures that were put in place across the Central Belt are now showing some impact and we are already starting to see a reduction in occupied hospital beds.

“However, I would like to remind the public that, at present, Covid-19 is causing severe pressure on our resources in Lanarkshire.

“To protect our loved ones, our staff and our hospitals, it is vitally important that everyone takes personal responsibility and follows Scottish Government guidance, taking into account the consequences of their actions on their families, community, local business and people’s livelihoods.

“Everyone must comply with these restrictions as a rise in infections will move the area into a level 4 lockdown.

“Lanarkshire currently has one of the highest rates of Covid-19 transmission in Scotland.

“By working together and following the guidance, we can protect our loved ones and avoid harsher restrictions.

“We need to ensure that our hospitals comply with physical distancing. Therefore, please do not attend our emergency departments unless it is an emergency.”

Meanwhile, the lowered status of the tier has been welcomed by Andy Aird, Scotland national group chair of Federation of Small Businesses, but he admitted he still had some concerns.

Mr Aird said: “Many small businesses across Lanarkshire were worried that they will have to close under the new system, so this gave them some relief and breathing space in the next few weeks.

“The local business community thanks the people of Lanarkshire for their help keeping our county out of level four tightest restrictions.

“We must continue protecting ourselves to keep the trend in our favour as we are now under daily scrutiny.

“However, it means that many businesses including pubs and restaurants are still not allowed to open and other restrictions such as travel ban remain in place. The current restrictions are causing significant problems for many operators, so we want to see Lanarkshire’s restrictions relaxed as soon as possible.

“Small firms across the region are keen to work with local and national governments to ensure that they do absolutely everything they can to keep their staff, customers and clients safe, and, ultimately, to put the virus under control in this area.

“At the same time, should Lanarkshire’s restrictions tighten up, we want national and local decision-makers to improve support for all sorts of businesses.”