Image source, CalMac

People can stay in their cars while travelling on some Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac) services.

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency has relaxed rules around ferry passengers having to leave their vehicles during sailings.

The move is to help limit the spread of the coronavirus.

CalMac says passengers can now stay in their cars when travelling from Wemyss Bay to Rothesay and across the Sound of Harris, on a limited number of sailings.

It says the change does not affect any of CalMac’s larger vessels where passengers are not permitted to remain in their vehicles.

From Friday, CalMac has introduced a new reduced timetable to ensure island communities continue to get lifeline services.

Image source, Getty Images

The group pressing to secure the status in the south west of Scotland has said it would be "innappropriate" to argue its case at this time.

Dame Barbara Kelly, who chairs the Galloway National Park Association, said they would return to the campaign "with vigour" once the coronavirus crisis was over., external

Image source, Getty Images

Glasgow subway will only be running on the outer circle from Saturday.

It means trains will only travel clockwise under the city, offering a service every six minutes.

Operator SPT says it will reduce the number of staff needed and allow them to concentrate on cleaning. They have appealed to people only travel if it is essential.

Angie Brown
Edinburgh and East reporter

One of Edinburgh’s most iconic hotels has been boarded up in a bid to stop vandals and thieves while it lies empty during the Coronavirus lockdown.

The landmark, with the famous number 1 Princes Street address, which opened 118 years ago in 1902, has wooden boards covering every ground floor window and even the glass panels in the front door of the grand entrance.

The five star hotel, which is owned by Sir Rocco Forte, has joined other businesses taking the safety measures including The Merlin Pub In Morningside.

The Balmoral began as the North British Station Hotel.

Asked by the BBC's Vicky Young whether the government has been taking its own advice given the PM and the health secretary have tested positive for coronavirus, Mr Gove says the fact both have contracted the virus "is a reminder the virus does not discriminate.

"We are all at risk."

The minister says social distancing measures are in place within government and that everyone should be following the strict advice.

Mr Gove pays tribute to medical staff, the military and hails the UK's "spirit of selflessness" as truly inspiring.

Mr Gove says PM Boris Johnson has brought together businesses, research institutes and universities in a new alliance to increase testing capacity for front-line workers.

He says the new initiative will be "antigen" testing that will help prove if it is safe for a worker to go back to the front line and will begin immediately.

Mr Gove says that the best analysis shows the rate of infection in the UK has been doubling every three to four days.

"These figures are a powerful reminder of the need for all of us to act," he says. "Strict social distancing measures have been put in place to restrict the spread of Covid-19."

Image source, Getty Images

Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove has begun today's media briefing at Downing Street.

He is joined by chief executive of the NHS Simon Stevens and deputy chief medical officer Jenny Harries.

Mr Gove will front the conference after it was confirmed Prime Minister Boris Johnson had tested positive for coronavirus.

Image source, John Menzies

Aviation services firm John Menzies has announced it has cut more than 17,500 jobs worldwide as it struggles to deal with the major slump in air travel as a result of the coronavirus outbreak.The job losses represent more than half the Edinburgh-based group's total workforce.

Menzies, which provides fuelling, ground handling and cargo handling services at 200 airports, said it had recently seen its international and domestic airline customers ground passenger flights "on an unprecedented scale".

The number of flights handled in the past two weeks has fallen by more than 60%, while volumes in the cargo sector have dropped by about 20%.

The company said it was attempting to secure some of the emergency funding for businesses announced this week by the chancellor of the exchequer and was engaged in "constructive discussions" with its lending banks.

Chief executive Giles Wilson said: "John Menzies plc has existed since 1833 and been listed since 1962 but never have we faced such difficult and unpredictable times."

The UK government's daily briefing from Downing Street will take place at 17:00 GMT today - without Boris Johnson, after the prime minister tested positive for coronavirus.

Instead the briefing will be fronted by Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove, along with Sir Patrick Vallance, the UK's chief scientific adviser, and Simon Stevens, the chief executive of the NHS alongside him.

David Henderson
BBC Scotland

Teams are working 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to deliver supplies to front line health care workers at the NHS NSS supply depot in Lanarkshire.

NHS NSS director Jim Miller told BBC Scotland they’ve changed their supply lines to ensure critically important supplies, including PPE protective equipment is delivered direct to the almost 1,000 GP practices around Scotland.

Until now those supplies were sent via health boards. It’s hoped this will deliver much needed equipment to healthcare workers faster than before and fill gaps in supply.

He said that last week alone they’d delivered more than a million items to social care providers in response to the coronavirus outbreak. They are also enlisting the help of big warehouse distributors to help supplies reach the NHS faster.

Louise Cowie
BBC Scotland reporter

Image source, Alison Nicol

There’s little doubt coronavirus has heaped a whole new level of stress and strain on expectant mothers, with many having concerns about its impact on their own health and that of their unborn child.

Restrictions resulting from Covid-19 mean women in some health board areas now have to attend scans alone and partners can only be present during active labour and for a short time after birth.

Mum-of-one Alison Nicol, from Glasgow, is due to have her second child any day now. She says: “My main concern is that my husband will be there at the birth.

"At this moment in time although they’re saying there will be a birthing partner permitted, will that change? We don’t have the answer to that.

"The coronavirus is frightening and terrifying but my main concern is the resources at the maternity unit and the impact on that and how that could affect the birth and if we require any additional care.

"It’s the unknown.”

Angie Brown
Edinburgh and East reporter

Edinburgh charity shop managers are asking people not to leave donations outside shops while they lie empty during the Coronavirus lockdown.

It comes after piles of clothes and bric-a-brac were seen lying on pavements outside premises.

People are being asked to hold on to their donations until the charity shops reopen.

Image source, PA Media

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has asked NHS staff to "come to government" with issues and complaints rather than going to the media.

Speaking at a briefing about coronavirus on Friday, Ms Sturgeon said staff should not be banned from speaking to the press but asked whistleblowers to see if ministers could resolve their issues.

It comes after a number of medics have spoken to politicians and the media to raise concerns about the rollout of personal protective equipment (PPE) such as face masks and aprons to protect against Covid-19.

There are currently 1,059 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Scotland, although the actual number of cases is likely to be in the tens of thousands.

This page is updated regularly and shows how the number of confirmed cases has grown in Scotland, as well as a breakdown of where those cases are.

Read more here.

Image source, MOD

Three military helicopters have been stationed at Kinloss Barracks in Moray to provide help to the NHS.

The Puma helicopter crews will work closely with those of a Chinook and a Wildcat helicopter based at RAF Leeming in North Yorkshire.

Kinloss Barracks is a former RAF station.

The arrival of the Pumas follows last weekend’s use of an RAF A400M transport aircraft, working with the Scottish Ambulance Service, to evacuate a critically ill patient from the Shetland to Aberdeen to receive intensive care treatment.

Steven McKenzie
BBC Scotland Highlands and Islands reporter

Image source, Pete Crane

Countryside car parks have been closed to the public in the Cairngorms National Park.

The closures follow government guidance on measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

The Cairngorms park is Britain's largest national park and includes parts of the Highlands, Moray, Aberdeenshire and Perthshire.

Last week, Mountaineering Scotland and Scottish Mountain Rescue urged people not to travel to visit Scotland's hills and mountains.

Jamie McIvor
BBC Scotland local government correspondent

Councils across Scotland are trying to maintain their most important local services through the crisis. One of the most vital is street cleaning and bin collections.

This is vital because of the importance of maintaining public health in general – there is no suggestion overflowing bins would affect the spread of coronavirus.

Like all employers, they are having to adapt to rules on social distancing and may face staffing issues because employees have to self-isolate.

One challenge facing some councils is that they cannot get as many staff as normal into refuse collection vehicles. In Glasgow, some staff are following in a second vehicle.

Many councils have announced changes to bin collections. Details are on their websites. Some have also shut recycling centres for now.

There is another interesting issue for them. Might lockdown mean some bins in busy streets fill up less quickly?