Scottish Lib Dem leader Willie Rennie expresses concern about care homes, as residents are vulnerable and staff are essential.

Some care homes are under pressure to admit new residents from hospitals without assurances they are free from the virus, Mr Rennie suggests.

He also queries whether the NHS has the capacity and ability for primary and secondary care to be delivered in care homes.

Ms Sturgeon accepts the NHS is under pressure and that is why there has been a reorganisation of how it works.

The Care Inspectorate is working closely with care homes to ensure the right support and infection control measures are in place, she explains, which can include residents self-isolating in their rooms.

The Scottish Lib Dem leader raises concerns about the impact of the lockdown on mental health, particularly the trauma being experience by health and care staff.

The first minister agrees this is an important question and she points to funding to expand NHS 24 phone and online services, as well as Breathing Space, external.

Scottish Green co-leader Patrick Harvie asks about "do not resuscitate" notices, saying they must be taken in the context of “respectful discussion”.

At the moment that isn’t always happening and some are concerned they are being issued on a blanket basis, he adds.

Ms Sturgeon says she has heard of such concerns and there are some cases of professionals trying to do the right thing but not necessarily in the best way.

We encourage health professionals to talk to individuals and patients about anticipatory care but nobody should receive a DNR form out of the blue or feel under pressure to complete one, the first minister insists.

Mr Harvie asks where people should go if they do feel they have not been given the right advice.

Ms Sturgeon suggests that, if people feel aggrieved, they should take this up with their health board.

Richard Leonard says the World Health Organization advice is to "test, test, test" and he asks how many health and care workers have requested a test and what are the current rates of absenteeism.

Ms Sturgeon says NHS absenteeism related to the virus is around 6%. We hope to provide an update on the numbers of staff tested in the next few days, she adds.

Academic and commercial testing will be brought on stream soon, helping to meet the aim of conducting 3,500 tests a day, explains the first minister.

Image source, Getty Images

Ms Sturgeon adds that testing is an important tool and "we will use it to maximum capacity" but it is also important to understand its limitation, hence the need for antibody testing.

The Scottish Labour leader asks about testing for family members of those patients who have end-of-life conditions such as cancer. He raised the issue because of concerns that patients were dying alone and family members were grieving alone.

Ms Sturgeon says there is no point testing people before or after they have symptoms because the current test will not return a positive result regardless.

But she says she will always look at other suggestions and offer to come back to this.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has revealed that 136,000 people in Scotland have now been designated as vulnerable people requiring "shielding" for food and medical supplies.

Responding to a question from Scottish Conservative leader Jackson Carlaw, she said that those people should have all received letters and a text message asking them to register - and that 21,000 had so far taken up the offer.

Nearly 6,000 food packages had been ordered and 4,200 delivered free of charge under a contract with two supermarkets.

Those who indicated a preference for deliveries to come from a supermarket of their own choice would receive a text later this afternoon and the government hoped to have that scheme in place next week.

Mr Carlaw had said he had received many complaints from people left frustrated because they did not know when deliveries would be made.

"In Scotland, this has been rumbling on for weeks when it is being resolved elsewhere," he said.

Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard offers condolences to all families who have lost loved ones over the course of the last few weeks, adding: "We applaud the efforts of all of those front-line workers."

He raises guidance from the chief nursing officer on PPE, saying it is putting staff under even more stress and pressure. He calls for all those working on the frontline to receive the right and adequate PPE.

The first minister says the government is working hard to maintain supplies and distribute PPE.

Every care workers should feel they can wear a mask unless they judge they do not need to, she adds.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has admitted that health care staff have expressed concerns about the adequacy of PPE supplies, its distribution to where it is needed, the guidance the government are issuing and the quality but stressed that it had been working hard to resolve the issues.

Responding to a question from Scottish Conservative leader Jackson Carlaw, she stressed that there were adequate supplies of protective equipment "despite global pressures", glitches in its distribution were being addressed and the government was working towards ensuring that distribution hubs will be open over the Easter weekend.

"We do have an effective distribution system in place," she insisted.

Mr Carlaw pointed out that unions were saying the PPE guidelines are confusing, frontline staff say the equipment is not robust enough, care homes say they don't get the kit until after the virus has actually entered a care home and "it emerged the new PPE distruction hubs may be closed over the Easter weekend".

Ms Sturgeon urges people to continue observing the lockdown over the Easter holiday weekend.

She accepts this will be hard, especially for families and older people, and encourages people to stay in touch in alternative ways.

"Please do follow the rules and stay at home over Easter."

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon confirms 4,957 people have tested positive for Covid-19, up 392 from yesterday.

1,781 people are in hospital with suspected or confirmed Covid-19, with 212 of them in intensive care.

A further 81 people have died with coronavirus, taking the total to 447 she confirms.

Image source, Getty Images

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon will deliver the daily update on the impact of coronavirus in Scotland shortly.

She will then answer questions by the four leaders of the opposition parties in a virtual meeting.

Image source, Getty Images

Bank holiday weekend is fast approaching and the public is being warned not to travel far from home for their daily exercise.

In a bid to deter day trippers, Argyll and Bute Council has announced that the car parks at Luss, Arrochar (Glenloin 1 and 2) and Duck Bay will be closed during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Gordon Watson from the Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park Authority supported the move saying it was crucial that people who wanted to exercise should not leave their local area.

BBC Radio Scotland

Dr Sandesh Gulhane is urging the public not to neglect other health problems during the coronavirus pandemic.

"It is a real concern for us," he tells Kaye Adams on BBC Radio Scotland. "We know that people who have heart attacks and strokes, the numbers should be pretty steady.

"Coronavirus hasn't protected anyone against these diseases, but the number of people attending has dramatically dropped and I've seen information about children who have been presented so late that they have had really bad outcomes because of the fear over coronavirus.

"So I really want to impress on people that, if you have concerns about your health and it has nothing to do with coronavirus, the NHS is still open for you.

"Even though capacity is being used up right, left and centre by the coronavirus, we still want to do things for you. We might not be able to everything we did before, but what we need to do is make sure that you're safe."

Image source, Science Photo Library

GPs and pharmacies will remain open over Easter as part of the coronavirus response.

The extended opening hours will help relieve pressure on out-of-hours services.

The Scottish government announced £15m will be provided to meet the additional costs earlier this week.

Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said: "Given ongoing demand on our NHS, I have taken the unusual step of asking GP practices and community pharmacies to remain open on Good Friday and Easter Monday – but only if it is safe to do so."

BBC Radio Scotland

Dr Sandesh Gulhane says the "best way to protect yourself and others" is social distancing and regular hand washing, rather than the wearing of masks.

"The reason masks aren't being talked about right now is because people aren't used to wearing them," he tells Kaye Adams on BBC Radio Scotland.

Image source, Reuters

"So what you'll find is that, if you put masks on, you will fiddle with them and you're much more likely to put contaminated hands on to your face, which will then spread the virus to you.

"And, if you have coronavirus and you have a surgical mask, for example, when you cough, it will go sideways and shoot out and hit people at your sides.

"You will get false reassurance and that's why we shouldn't be using masks."

Image source, Plexus

Two Scotland-based companies are to produce 10,000 ventilators for the NHS, the Scottish government has said.

Plexus and Raytheon UK will make the equipment at their Kelso, Livingston and Glenrothes manufacturing facilities.

The firms are part of an effort led by Babcock International Group to design and produce new ventilators in response to the UK government’s request for help from industry in the fight against coronavirus.

Trade Minister Ivan McKee said: "These companies are at the vanguard of efforts to manufacture more ventilators as part of UK-wide efforts to tackle Covid-19.

"Plexus and Raytheon UK have been supported by Scottish Enterprise to facilitate their involvement in vital efforts to increase capacity for the NHS, and the Scottish government and Scottish Enterprise remain in contact to provide any operational support they require."

BBC Radio Scotland

Dr Sandesh Gulhane has been highlighting the fears of health professionals in face of the Covid-19 threat on Mornings with Kaye Adams.

"We are all scared," he tells BBC Radio Scotland. "We are worried about our loved ones. We are worried about what will the implications mean for us if we don't have the appropriate PPE. Even if we have the appropriate PPE, we might be getting it.

"In Italy, one in 10 of people who were very unwell were doctors. That's just the reality of going in and seeing patients with high viral load.

"But, at the same time, everyone who is working is very dedicated to their jobs and we would do nothing other than go in to help you. So, if you are thinking about what to do this bank holiday weekend, just think of the sacrifices that our healthcare workers are doing on your behalf and just stay at home."