During January 2021 and in response to the increasing spread of the new variant of COVID-19 across Scotland, a number of measures were advised:

- the Lord President announced that criminal courts would focus on the most serious trials and the majority of summary trials in the Sheriff Court and Justice of the Peace Court would be adjourned. This was estimated to reduce the overall number of criminal trials taking place during lockdown by up to 75%

- Social Work Scotland announced that for the same reason, face to face unpaid work as part of CPOs would be suspended as part of the current lockdown

- HMIPS announced that they had taken the decision to suspend on-site monitoring and liaison visits to prisons and Court Custody Units - a decision that would be reviewed on a fortnightly basis.