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12.30 pm: The Scottish government briefing on the coronavirus outbreak

Nicola Sturgeon will update the media on the latest on the Covid-19 epidemic in Scotland.

MSPs return to the chamber today, with a raft of statements from ministers on the Scottish government's reaction to the coronavirus outbreak and a session of FMQs at the end of the day.

Here's what's happening at Holyrood:

2:05pm: Covid-19 Statement from Health Secretary Jeane Freeman

2.35pm: Covid-19 Statement from Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf

3.15pm: Covid-19 Statement from Economy Secretary Fiona Hyslop

3.45pm: Topical questions on schools and young people

4.15pm: First Minister’s Questions

Mornings with Kaye Adams
BBC Radio Scotland

Osteopath Nick Potter says lockdown has increased isolation and uncertainty, which can lead to heightened fear and anxiety. This is linked to exacerbating the symptoms of those who suffer chronic pain, he explains.

Julia Cloughley-Sneddon, who suffers from lower thoracic neuropathic pain, says her own experience supports this, with everything beginning to stack up. There is a direct correlation for her between stress and increased pain.

Mr Potter explains this is because stress causes inflammatory processes which cause physical pain. This can lead to fear of doing activities which may in fact alleviate some of the symptoms, he adds.

1. NHS Inform, external

The latest from NHS Scotland and the Scottish government, including social distancing and stay at home advice.

2. Ready Scotland, external

Staying at home does not mean you are alone - there are many ways you can help your community.

3. Citizens Advice Scotland, external

Providing advice on benefits and employment rights.

4. Business Support, external

The latest advice and support for businesses.

5. Parent Club, external

Useful information on how to cope with home schooling and keeping your family safe.

Borders College is using its two 3D printers to help make the shields.

They produce the headbands before staff members Davie Lowe and Mark Catto apply acetate shields from their homes.

The shields will be distributed by Scottish Borders Council as part of a region-wide effort by several schools and Borders College to provide support during the coronavirus outbreak

Douglas Fraser
Scotland business & economy editor

Image source, getty

The number of Scots in work in the three months leading up to the coronavirus lockdown rose sharply by 34,000 - reaching more than 75% of the workforce.

During the same three-month period from December to February, unemployment dropped slightly - down by 500 to 105,000.

At 3.7%, Scotland’s unemployment rate was lower than that in the UK as a whole, which remained at 4%.

The UK employment rate was higher than that in Scotland, with a slightly higher proportion of Scots classified as "economically inactive" - mainly due to roles looking after family, full-time education or long-term sick leave.

However, the latest figures, issued today by the Officefor National Statistics, external tell us very little about the current state of the jobs market.

They do not cover the period since the health crisis took hold, and millions of people were either put out of work or furloughed by their employees.

Read more here.

Mornings with Kaye Adams
BBC Radio Scotland

Peyton Maguire is thought to be the youngest person in Scotland to contract coronavirus. She was born eight weeks early and diagnosed with Covid-19 at just three weeks old - but is now at home and well with mum Tracy.

Tracy urges expecting mums to continue attending appointments and not to avoid hospitals for fear of the coronavirus, having suffered pre-eclampsia which led to a C-section.

Peyton was diagnosed with coronavirus last Wednesday after presenting with a "wee sniffle" on Easter Monday. "The doctor was trying to keep me calm but at the time obviously I was sobbing," says Tracy.

At the time, Peyton was just 3lb 11oz - and Tracy was concerned about whether her lungs were strong enough to cope. She was told she had to stay away from her newborn for 14 days, but later this was changed to allow Tracy to isolate with Peyton.

She says: "If your baby's not well, you want to be the person looking after them." However her husband had to self-isolate at home.

Peyton's symptoms did not develop into anything too severe and she has now tested negative for the virus. Tracy says the worst thing about it was watching her baby undergo the test.

"That was the first time I'd seen my baby cry tears. That was an emotional thing. I was trying to hold her, she's crying tears and I'm crying tears and we're trying to get each other through."

Tracy says the nurses were "putting their life at risk to ensure my baby was getting fed and cuddled".

"You will never understand how grateful you can be to people for what they're doing."

Household claims for Universal Credit in Scotland have increased from an average of 20,000 per month in 2019 to over 110,000 between 1 March and 7 April, highlighting the impact the pandemic is having on people’s finances.

The Scottish government, in partnership with the Citizens Advice network, external, is launching a new campaign to raise awareness of the financial support available to people.

The campaign will provide information and advice on issues including rent and mortgage payments, energy bills, council tax, and benefits people may be entitled to.

People will be able to access this advice online, by phone or by contacting their local Citizens Advice Bureau.

Image source, Google

Six residents at an Aberdeen care home are believed to have died with suspected coronavirus symptoms.

The operators of the Kingswells home confirmed there have been a number of deaths.

Bon Accord Care said in a statement its sympathies were with the families of those who had lost a loved one.

It said robust infection control measures were in place including social-distancing and self-isolation for anyone showing Covid symptoms.

Read more here.

Mornings with Kaye Adams
BBC Radio Scotland

Image source, Getty Images

Nutritionist Dr Hazel Wallace says the disruption of routine is behind the so-called C-19 diet.

She says: "I would definitely encourage people to try to stick to their three meals a day.

"Snacks are fine but I think we're finding ourselves probably snacking a bit more and that may not be because we're hungry, but because we're slightly bored, we don't have a routine, we're anxious."

Dr Wallace adds: "Now is not the time to crash diet - definitely don't be too hard on yourself.

"But I do think we need to realise this isn't a holiday, this is probably going to be reality for a couple more weeks anyway. So finding a routine sooner rather than later is in our best interests."

Paul O'Hare
BBC Scotland News

Image source, Crimestoppers

A new campaign is urging people to report domestic abuse amid fears the coronavirus lockdown has left victims with nowhere to go.

Crimestoppers Scotland wants the public to anonymously highlight cases they are aware of among friends, family, work colleagues or neighbours.

The charity said 59,541 incidents of domestic abuse were recorded by Police Scotland in 2017/18 and 82% of those targeted were women.

But there are concerns the figures will rise due to the Covid-19 restrictions.

National manager Angela Parker said: "To be isolated during this lockdown in an abusive household must be terrifying, and you must feel so alone, that there is no one to help you.

"This is where we as a community can step forward."

All information provided to Crimestoppers Scotland, external is anonymous, whether is disclosed via the 24/7 freephone number or a secure online form.

Mornings with Kaye Adams
BBC Radio Scotland

Image source, Getty Images

Travel journalist Simon Calder tells BBC Radio Scotland's Kaye Adams programme that he thinks levels of business travel will shrink after coronavirus lockdown measures are lifted.

He says many people will have realised that travelling to meetings is not always necessary as they are forced to use video conferencing instead during lockdown.

Mr Calder predicted that international tourism would continue after the pandemic, but business travel would "dry up"- which was a big concern for some airlines.

"The thing which is really, really worrying the big airlines like British Airways and Virgin Atlantic is that their entire business is based on the premise that people will pay £5,000 return in business class to fly from Heathrow to New York to go to a really important meeting for three hours," he said.

Holyrood Live
BBC Parliaments

The Scottish Parliament is to return today from recess with a "hybrid" system combining meetings in the chamber with remote ones conducted over video links.

This afternoon will see Covid-19 statements on health, justice and the economy.

There will also be topical questions and a chance for opposition party leaders to put their questions to the first minister from 4.15pm.

Image source, Getty Images

Sittings of the parliament have become increasingly infrequent, with the UK in lockdown due to the coronavirus crisis.

MSPs have already trialled a system of posing questions to the first minister over a video conference call.

And Holyrood's committees are set to follow suit by holding meetings where members dial in from home.

Read more here.

The latest jobless figures predate the measures to tackle the coronavirus pandemic, the Scottish government has said.

The figures for December 2019 to February 2020 show the unemployment rate estimate fell to 3.7%, close to the record low.

Business Minister Jamie Hepburn said: "Our response to COVID-19 is saving lives, however, we are acutely aware that the impact of these unprecedented but necessary measures is felt throughout the economy. Throughout this period we are working to protect productive capacity to support the economy and employment to recover quickly when these measures are lifted."