Image source, NFU Scotland

Farmers say “huge problems" are looming in securing enough workers, particularly to harvest soft fruit and vegetables, and they are looking to those losing jobs in the hospitality industry to help.

National Farmers' Union Scotland president, Andrew McCornick said farmers and crofters would strive to ensure "Scottish plates and glasses remain full of fresh, tasty food and drink" during the current crisis.

He said "novel ways" of seeking staff for farms were now being considered.

"Those who have lost their jobs or are on unpaid leave in the hospitality sector are being sought to allow planting and harvesting to be undertaken," he said.

Rail services in Scotland will move to a reduced timetable from Monday., external

Operators said the decision was taken to protect services for essential workers and to allow vital freight trains to continue.

The reduction in services will be similar to a Sunday service, with some additional early and late trains for key staff.

ScotRail said the changes would ensure there were "more than enough seats to meet current demand levels".

Read more here

Image source, Getty Images

Children across the UK will be off school for an indefinite period of time because of coronavirus. Some are likely to be anxious, so how can parents help them cope?

No school for the "foreseeable" future. Exams off. Clubs closed.

Millions of children will be looking forward to a spring, and possibly a summer, free of responsibility and routine. But these are not normal times - they're likely to have to spend days and nights indoors with parents or guardians.

They won't get much personal contact with friends and, for teenagers, the cancellation of exams will make a difficult time of year even more worrying.

Read more here.

Image source, Ten Hill Place

An Edinburgh hotel has offered free rooms and breakfast to key clinical and medical staff to save them having to commute during the height of the Covid-19 outbreak.

The four-star Ten Hill Place, which is operated by Surgeons Quarter and owned by the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (RCSEd), wants to give vital staff comfortable accommodation in the coming weeks.

The hotel is located near both the Royal Hospital for Sick Children and the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh and hopes to help thousands of NHS staff in the coming weeks.

The 129-room hotel has also contacted the Chief Medical Officer to declare its willingness to temporarily convert the hotel, should hospitals overflow.

Scott Mitchell, managing director of Surgeons Quarter, said: “We want to support both our local and medical community at this incredibly challenging time.

“Being owned by one of the UK’s most prestigious medical colleges, it feels right that we should step in to offer our facilities free of charge.

“Our city-centre location means we’re close to several of the city’s vital hospitals, full of heroic staff doing everything they can to keep us safe and well."

Rooms will be made available to a wide variety of key workers carrying a valid hospital photographic identity card.

Image source, Getty Images

The BBC's health and science correspondent James Gallagher attempts to answer the question "When will the outbreak end and life get back to normal?"

Read his thoughts here.

Image source, PA Media

The Queen has issued a message to the nation on the coronavirus outbreak, saying the UK is “entering a period of great concern and uncertainty”.

The 93-year-old praised the work of scientists, medics and emergency staff, but added that everyone has a "vitally important part to play".

Her message came just ahead of the PM's daily briefing,in which he said the UK could "turn the tide"in 12 weeks.

The monarch said she and her family "stand ready to play our part".

The Queen had already cut short her official duties because of the crisis, and is now at Windsor Castle with the Duke of Edinburgh.

The UK government has provided a list of key workers whose children will still be able to go to school after the schools close later.

They include health workers, those in social care and a range of other sectors, including key public services, food and other necessary goods and transport.

You can see the list here - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-maintaining-educational-provision/guidance-for-schools-colleges-and-local-authorities-on-maintaining-educational-provision, external

However, Scotland's Communities Secretary, Aileen Campbell, told Good Morning Scotland that the definition of a key worker in one part of Scotland might not be the same in another area:

Image source, Getty Images

Friday prayers in Mosques have been cancelled today, in line with guidance to avoid mass gatherings.

An Imam from Glasgow Central Mosque told the BBC that it was a "momentous decision" but it was "not unprecedented" for Friday prayers to be performed at home.

He added that a helpline had been set up to help Muslims and non-Muslims alike across Glasgow to help those in need.

Churches of all denominations are coming together for a national day of prayer at 19:00 on Sunday.

Image source, Neil Hanna

The Spring Fling open studios weekend in south-west Scotland has been put on hold.

The board and staff of Upland CIC, which organises the event, hope the event can be rescheduled for later in the year.

Image source, Getty Images

The Scottish footballers' union is asking clubs to find "realistic outcomes" rather than "serving ultimatums" on staff during the coronavirus outbreak.

The comments from PFA Scotland chief executive Fraser Wishart come after Hearts staff were asked to take a 50% cut in wages during the coronavirus shutdown.

Mr Wishart made it clear that players are prepared to "do their bit".

He "implored" clubs to speak to the players to find "achievable and realistic outcomes" for the "unprecedented situation we find ourselves in rather than serving ultimatums".

Mr Wishart added that there was "willingness" from players to "consider all reasonable options including wage reductions or deferrals".

"However, they would only do so after full financial disclosure by the clubs," he said.

"This is only fair and would, in the interests of transparency, allow fully informed financial decisions."

The bus industry is trying to keep its vital services on the road in the face of restrictions because of coronavirus.

Ralph Roberts, chief executive of McGill's buses, told Good Morning Scotland his company was endeavouring to access government financial aid.

He said: "It seems to be a fairly convoluted process, we still haven't got to the bottom of how to apply for the help.

"It does appear to be loans and what we want to do is to be able to come out of this strong and to be able to get back to normal as quickly as possible.

"We have cash reserves and we are burning through those at the moment."

The large hotel chain Macdonald Hotels has stepped in to help sacked employees at the Coylumbridge Hotel in Aviemore.

A spokesperson for the company said: “The entire hospitality industry is being hit really hard, with temporary closures and lay-offs across the board.

“However, when we heard of the situation at Coylumbridge Hotel, we immediately contacted the management there to offer their employees access to our staff accommodation at the nearby Macdonald Aviemore Resort to ensure they wouldn’t be put out on the street.

“Any workers from Coylumbridge Hotel who require accommodation should get in touch with Macdonald Aviemore Resort and we’ll be pleased to help them.”

Read more

Spanish worker Alvarito Garcia has shared the letter he and other staff were sent by management at the Coylumbridge Hotel in Aviemore.

It has been shared across social media and people have expressed outrage.

Even Piers Morgan tweeted, calling it "contemptible for a company to fire employees and make them homeless with shockingly callous and inhuman disregard for their wellbeing".

Image source, Alvaro Garcia

Giancarlo Rinaldi
South Scotland reporter, BBC news website

Image source, Dougie Johnston

A string of Borders summer celebrations are the latest casualties of the coronavirus outbreak.

Jethart Callant's Festival was the first to be called off on Wednesday.

Hawick Common Riding, Coldstream Civic Week, the Braw Lads Gathering in Galashiels and the Beltane Festival in Peebles also confirmed that they won't be going ahead this year.

St Ronan's Borders Games Week in Innerleithen has also been cancelled.

A meeting between Scottish Borders Council and officials from all Borders festivals is due to take place next week.

Douglas Fraser
Scotland business & economy editor

It's a big health crisis but also an economic emergency.

There are very few businesses with no reasons to be very alarmed at the impact on their staff, their ability to keep trading, their revenue sources, solvency, global supply chains etc.

And that's just in the short term.

So if you are worried, you are not alone?

The big picture from the UK government is £32bn of support in two packages over the past 10 days, with grants and business rates holidays for shops, restaurant, bars, hotels etc

Yesterday, there was £200bn of new money created by the Bank of England which ought to wash through the economy and there was an interest rate cut to one-tenth of one percent - a record low.

There was £330bn of government guarantees to back bank loans - that's not actual money for loans, it is to guarantee the banks when they loan money.

Today, very importantly we can expect a statement from the chancellor about action on jobs and employment.

There are expectations this will have to be big to avoid some disappointment on job losses.

Image source, Getty Images

A village in Lochaber has set up a system designed to support vulnerable and older people in the community.

A team of residents in Ballachulish has created what they call a framework - spreadsheets and flowcharts which prioritise help to those who need it most - including people in self-isolation.

People put a sign with a green tick on it on a window to show all is well, or one with red cross if they need assistance.

The team has made the details of its system available online for other communities to copy.

Neil Maclean, one of those involved in the initiative, said: "Our aim is to take pressure off the NHS and also to try to alleviate some of the fear that was starting to build up, particularly among the older people and more isolated people."

Fiona Walker
BBC Scotland health correspondent

We have seen a jump in cases of coronavirus each day in Scotland since the first report cases at the beginning of the month.

In England, particularly London, they are way ahead of us with the number of cases. Maybe a couple of weeks ahead in London.

We have had six deaths in Scotland of people who have tested positive with COVID-19.

We are now trying to stop the curve on the graph going up so rapidly that the NHS can't cope.

Scotland is now into those measures - really pretty severe measures - which are trying to reduce the number of cases and allow our NHS to cope with what lies ahead.

Rail services in Scotland will move to a reduced timetable from Monday.

Transport Secretary Michael Matheson said it was a decision taken to protect services for essential workers and allow vital freight trains to continue to operate.

The reduction in services will be similar to a Sunday service, with some additional first and late last trains for key staff.

Mr Matheson said: “We know that rail provides an important service in moving passengers and goods around the country however we will reach a point where travel is reduced to essential journeys only.

“Moving to a reduced timetable will not only help ensure some passenger services continue to run, it will enable freight to be prioritised so goods and emergency supplies such as medicines can be moved around the country."

As Scotland's pupils prepare for schools to close, teachers will be sending home resources to allow them to keep doing some work.

Materials are also being made available online and Louise Thornton from BBC Scotland told Good Morning Scotland there will be more educational TV programmes.

"We already have lots of really engaging content on our Bitesize platforms, so we are looking at re-purposing that and putting it out during the day on television In Scotland.

"The pressure on broadband is going to immense plus not everyone has a great broadband connection so we can really see the value of using the BBC Scotland channel in this way."

"When you are on your own, we are there for you" is the headline in The Scotsman, but it's also the headline in a large percentage of Scotland's newspapers this Friday. A group of media outlets have joined together to form the #therewithyou campaign to reassure readers they will support them through the coronavirus crisis.

Scotland's papers: 'We are there with you'