Mark McLaughlin from the Times asks will the approach of "test, trace and isolate" bring down the percentage of people required for herd immunity.

Will it bring it down from the current estimate of 60%, asks Mr McLaughlin.

Scotland’s interim chief medical officer Dr Gregor Smith replies once the pandemic curve is suppressed, "test, trace and isolate" will reduce the risk particularly to those who are most vulnerable in our society.

Dr Smith adds work must go on in parallel to this, developing other measures to intervene on this disease.

This could be pharmaceutical developments or the developments of vaccines, he adds.

The next question from the media returns to comments from the chief executive of Renaissance Care Earlier today.

Robert Kilgour told the Good Morning Scotland programme that the pay rise for social care workers was not new money, but had already been agreed.

Health secretary Jeane Freeman announced yesterday a deal with councils had been reached to pay the workers the real living wage of £9.30 per hour.

The care workers will certainly feel the benefit of the new money in their pay packets, which is the least they deserve at this point, replies the first minister.

Image source, Getty Images

The health secretary says the 3.3% increase she announced yesterday in conjunction with Cosla is different from normal as it applies across all adult social care workers.

It has also been announced earlier than normal so these workers can receive the increase as near as possible to the 1st of April, she adds.

BBC Scotland's Connor Gillies asks Nicola Sturgeon whether the Scottish government is involved with UK government plans for a new NHS app for contact tracing, warning users if they have been in recent close proximity to someone thought to have been in close contact with an infected person.

The app is to be trialled in the north of England.

"We have been in discussions about it and are monitoring it," Nicola Sturgeon confirms.

Greg Flucker from Wave FM asks the first minister whether she thinks it was a mistake not to go into lockdown earlier given that many people are suggesting the decision was taken too late.

Nicola Sturgeon replies that: "In the fullness of time, there will rightly and properly be a lot of scrutiny of what was done and not done. But the decisions were taken on the basis of the best advice and that was what we continued to do."

She points out that Scotland was at an earlier stage of the curve than other parts of the UK when it took the decision to call for a lockdown.

The next question from the media is how many health and social care workers are there in Scotland and how many have PPE they need to see them through the week.

The first minister replies that on a daily basis the government is working to ensure everybody in health and social care has the PPE they need when they need it.

It’s an ongoing challenge and an ongoing responsibility, she adds.

Image source, PA Media

Ms Sturgeon says there is an email address for health and care staff to contact if they do not have what they need.

This is covid-19-health-PPE@gov.scot, external.

The first minister says directly to anyone who has concerns that health and social care workers do not have what they need to use that e-mail address.

Jack Foster from Global asks about racial abuse directed against Roma people in Glasgow and about people trying to police their neighbours.

The first minister says she has heard some of the concerns expressed by the Roma community after pictures emerged that falsely purported to be taken in Govanhill, when they were not.

She says racism and prejudice is as unacceptable at this time of crisis as it is at any time.

BBC Scotland's David Henderson says the death toll in the UK is predicted to be among the worst or indeed the worst in Europe.

Sir Jeremy Farrar, one of the UK government's senior scientific advisers, made the prediction yesterday as UK hospital deaths passed 10,000.

David Henderson asks what Scotland is doing differently from the rest of the UK to address this prediction and also asks about the exit strategy.

Ms Sturgeon says when we are comparing country to country we must ensure we are comparing like for like.

She warns some countries that lifted restrictions are now seeing a second rise in cases.

Transparency is key as always, the first minister says and she adds the key priority for the Scottish government is to save lives.

She points out in terms of the exit strategy, we must remember the virus will not have gone away and it is important to make sure testing, tracing, isolating are there as part of returning to a contain strategy.

The first question at today's briefing is about testing and highlights comments from Robert Kilgour, who runs Renaissance Care, who said the elderly were being treated as second class citizens.

The first minister says everybody matters whether they are in a care home or in hospital.

She says testing capacity is being increased for care homes and from Wednesday the number of deaths will encompass those deaths where coronavirus is only suspected.

We will also be able to see the number of deaths in a care home, Ms Sturgeon confirms.

Nicola Sturgeon says people in Scotland must "stick with" the lockdown until there is "solid evidence" about its impact.

Scotland has trebled its "original capacity" of intensive care beds in response to the coronavirus crisis, Scotland's health secretary reveals.

Jeane Freeman says: "As of midnight last night, there were 211 suspected or confirmed cases of Covid-19 in ICU. Together with 55 other non-Covid patients, our numbers in ICU were 266.

"Boards now have a surge capacity, that means they have the beds ready, the ventilators and the trained staff of 585 beds - they can be resources immediately."

Grieving families in Scotland are being urged not to delay funerals in the hope that social distancing rules are going to be lifted soon.

Interim chief medical officer Gregor Smith warns that this "could increase strain on funeral and mortuary services responding to" the coronavirus crisis.

"The measures to help protect us all during this pandemic are going to remain in place for a significant period of time," he says. "This will include the restrictions on who can attend a funeral service.

"This isn't a request only to those who have sadly lost loved ones to Covid-19. This affects us all across Scotland."

Mr Smith pointed out that, on average, there are 57,000 deaths recorded in Scotland - about 1,000 deaths a week - and "those deaths from other causes also continue".

He reckoned that funeral directors, crematoriums and burial grounds "can cope if everyone understands and appreciates the circumstances" and follows the guidelines.

The first minister points to a new telephone helpline being established for people facing significant challenges from Covid-19, but who are not in the shielded group.

From tomorrow the helpline will be open for over 70s, people with disabilities and people who qualify for the flu vaccine.

This will connect to local authority and can offer help with food and medicines.

Here's the number: 0800 111 4000 (available in daytime hours during the week).

The first minister says of the £350m well-being package being provided by the Scottish government, £50m is for third sector organisations.

£10m has been for immediate priorities and £7m is for individual charities.

The majority of the cash is now open to bids from third sector organisations, she says, just check at the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations, external website.

Ms Sturgeon says figures due out later this week will break down the statistics detailing where people have died, including whether it was in a hospital, in a care home or at home.

The Scottish government is working with the Care Inspectorate to provide support for care homes and it is working hard to ensure full and robust information can be published about the number of cases in care homes, explains the first minister.

She thanks everyone in the health and care sector for the incredible work they are doing and she pledges to quickly address any concerns staff have.