The first minister says you should only be outside for a reasonable purpose and those found not to be acting in line with regulations will be made to return home.

People could also be subject to prohibition notices, on-the-spot fines and prosecution, she says.

It remains essential that we stay at home and follow the advice, Ms Sturgeon insists.

She says police will continue to take a soft approach and will only use these emergency powers when necessary.

She adds that there are safeguards in place which will be reviewed every 21 days to ensure proper use and restrictions on movement will be removed when completely safe to do so.

Nicolas Sturgeon thanks all the NHS staff caring for patients and all the other people keeping things going in Scotland.

The first minister says the Coronavirus Bill has gained Royal Assent so the Scottish government can now enforce social distancing, with regulations being created today.

She says most people are following the advice anyway and this will help delay the spread of the virus

The first minister explains that the regulations will allow the closure of businesses and ensure social distancing.

They will give enforcement powers to police to ensure there are no public gatherings of more than two people, unless from the same household or in emergencies that are exceptional.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon says a further three people with Covid-19 have died in Scotland, taking the total to 25.

894 people have tested positive for the virus, up 175 from yesterday, she says.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon will shortly hold a media briefing on coronavirus (COVID-19), from around 12.30pm today.

The first minister is likely to be joined again by Chief Medical Officer Catherine Calderwood and Health Secretary Jeane Freeman, as she explains the latest developments in tackling the crisis.

Image source, Police Scotland

Police Scotland's chief constable says the vast majority of people are obeying the guidance to stay at home.

Iain Livingstone hopes new powers to arrest people flouting the rules will be used "very, very infrequently, if at all".

Image source, Getty Images

Scotland’s chief medical officer Dr Catherine Calderwood says that every health worker should be able to get appropriate protective equipment by next week.

They are changing the way they distribute equipment, she says, after the system got “clogged up with huge orders that didn’t get processed because the orders couldn’t be fulfilled”.

She says the changes to the distribution process mean the supply “shouldn’t be a problem next week.”

Dr Calderwood also says she agrees with a senior medic who said they were expecting a coronavirus “tsunami” in the coming weeks.

So far, 22 people with Covid-19 have died in Scotland while 719 cases have been confirmed. The true figure is thought to be much higher.

Image source, Getty Images

There were "very good reasons" to test Prince Charles for coronavirus, Scotland's chief medical officer has insisted.

The heir to the throne is currently in isolation in Aberdeenshire after testing positive for Covid-19.

Questions have been raised over why he was eligible for a test from NHS Grampian while many frontline medical workers have been unable to get them.

Catherine Calderwood said the prince had been tested for "clinical reasons".

Meanwhile Prince Charles is working at his desk as usual today, according to palace officials, following the announcement yesterday that he had tested positive for coronavirus.

However, a spokesman declined to give an update on the health status of the Duke of Rothesay, 71.

Read more here.

For those people already living with anxiety concerns, this is an especially tough time.

In this video, Anxiety UK's operations director David Smithson and three women with pre-existing anxiety disorders offer their advice for dealing with the condition during the pandemic.

We've also put together a guide on how to protect your mental health during the outbreak.

Image source, Paul Campbell

One of a group of senior clinicians who exposed a "culture of bullying" at NHS Highland is working full-time at the health board to help tackle the coronavirus.

Dr Lorien Cameron Ross was among health workers who spoke out in September 2018, leading to an independent review of bullying allegations at NHS Highland.

Following a rise in virus cases in the UK, she has changed from working in her role as clinical director for out of hours from part-time to full-time.

Separately, she helps run a gin distilling business with her husband Kevin on the shores of Loch Ness.

The couple have turned production at Loch Ness Spirits to making hand sanitiser for community groups and organisations helping the homeless and people in supported accommodation.

Image source, BBC/Twitter

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon will hold a media briefing on coronavirus (COVID-19) from around 12.30pm today.

The first minister is likely to be joined again by Chief Medical Officer Catherine Calderwood and Health Secretary Jeane Freeman, as she explains the latest developments in tackling the crisis.

You can stay here and watch the briefing with us, or....

Giancarlo Rinaldi
South Scotland reporter, BBC news website

Image source, Scottish Borders Council

One of the biggest construction projects in the Borders is facing a delay in its timetable due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Scottish Borders Council had hoped to see the £44m flood protection scheme in Hawick completed in late 2022.

However, it said it was clear the current situation would have an impact on timescales., external

Project director Conor Price said it was "disappointing" but due to "wholly unprecedented circumstances".

You would've almost certainly heard by now that washing your hands is one of the most important and effective ways to keep the coronavirus at bay - but you shouldn't be doing just a quick rinse. Here's a quick video to explain the correct technique.

Image source, Getty Images

West coast ferry operator CalMac will introduce a new reduced service from Friday.

It said the "essential lifeline timetable" will run for an initial three-week period as part of Scotland's "lockdown".

All islands on its 28-route network will receive a "regular lifeline service ensuring the delivery of essential goods and services", said CalMac.

In the last few days overall passenger numbers have fallen by 85% and there has been 75% fewer cars and 45% reduction in commercial traffic.

CalMac has also seen 8,000 bookings cancelled. There were 300 cancellations in the same time last year.

A Glasgow-based travel equipment firm has donated 5,000 pairs of compression socks to nurses at Scotland's hospitals.

Image source, Trtl

The socks, commonly worn during long-haul flights to maintain blood flow, are popular with nurses as a way of combating fatigue during long shifts.

Online company Trtl said its sales had dropped by 95% in recent weeks and it was happy to donate surplus stock, worth £250k, to frontline staff.

Glasgow Royal Infirmary, the city's Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley and the Royal Edinburgh Hospital have each received 1,000 pairs. Ninewells Hospital in Dundee and Aberdeen Royal Infirmary have both been given 500 pairs.

The firm also plans to deliver another 5,000 pairs to London hospitals in the coming weeks.

There are lots of sources of useful information at Ready Scotland, external to help you stay safe and well during the coronavirus outbreak.

For advice on the coronavirus:

• NHS Inform, external host a wealth of advice on symptoms, social distancing, caring for a cough or fever, and more.
• If you don't have symptoms and are looking for general information, phone our free helpline on 0800 028 2816, external. The helpline is open from 8.00am to 10.00pm each day.
• Or you can click to find out more abou thelping in your community, external and where to find additional support, external

For advice to businesses:

• Scottish Government helpline: 0300 303 0660, open Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5.30pm
• the Find Business Support, external website for the latest information and advice.
• Advice about benefits, employment rights, paying bills or travel cancellation rights you can check the Citizens Advice Scotland, external pages.
• the Scottish Government’s information hub, external for all the latest test numbers, news and publications.

Schools to be used as centres for caring for children of key workers in the Highlands have been listed by the local authority.

Highland Council plans to set up hubs at Millburn Academy and Inverness Royal Academy in Inverness also Dingwall Academy and Ullapool Academy.

Portree High School on Skye, Lochaber High School in Fort William, Golspie High School, Noss Primary in Wick and Miller Academy in Thurso are also be used as centres.

The council said key workers would be contacted about the arrangements.

But it warned that not everyone who had requested a place would be given one and it was working to increase capacity at the hubs.

Our Seoul correspondent Laura Bicker has visited an intensive care unit in South Korea to find out what conditions are like for workers. Watch her report

More than 1,000 retired doctors have confirmed their interest in returning to work, to help battle the coronavirus outbreak in Scotland.

The General Medical Council has contacted about 1,500 doctors with an address in Scotland who left the register in the last 3 years.

As of yesterday, there are 1,062 confirmed expressions of interest, which are currently being processed by the Healthcare Professional Registration Team.

Since the outbreak, approximately 3,600 contacts have been made by those who want to return or volunteer into NHS Scotland in a range of capacities.

In Scotland, anyone who left the medical profession during the past three years has also been asked to consider returning to the NHS and the numbers doing so are continually growing.

The number of people who have volunteered to help the NHS in England in its fight against coronavirus has passed half a million - double the UK government's recruitment target.

There are now calls to replicate the volunteering scheme- which is currently only for those in England, across the whole of the UK.

Speaking on Mornings with Kaye Adams... GP Dr Fiona Kinnon explains that dedicated hubs have been set up for patients with suspected coronavirus.

But the main advice is still to self-isolate if your temperature is above 37.8 degrees or you have a new and persistent cough, she says.

Dr Kinnon says some people do get diarrhoea, a sore throat, feel a bit shivery and have various other symptoms - but the key ones are a temperature and coughing.

But many do not exhibit symptoms at all she adds.

She says: "The best you can do is stay at home."

"Act at all times as if you have coronavirus, even if you don't, to protect everyone else."