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The first minister says health boards will be using contact tracing from now if required, with capacity to have increased by the end of the month. We will also seek to build capacity after that as the ability to flex this will be important, she adds.

Prof Leitch says the clinical knowledge about when to pursue contract tracing is already there and we will now be ramping capacity up to ensure it is possible across the country.

Ms Sturgeon says there has been a lot of focus on test and trace, but less so on isolation which will be the toughest part for the public.

If a person is told to isolate there will be questions about how to do this, such as how to do it in households where it is difficult to stay away from other members or how those living alone will get essentials, she adds.

Christine Levelle from The Sun asks how long the lockdown will remain in place.

Nicola Sturgeon says she is “pretty certain” she will not be announcing any “meaningful changes” to lockdown on Thursday, which is the next review date.

The legislation says lockdown measures must be reviewed every three weeks, which takes us until the end of May.

However, the first minister adds this does not mean elements of lockdown could not be lifted before then it was safe to do so.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Anas Hassan from Kingdom FM wonders about the introduction of a universal basic income scheme.

The FM says the recent crisis has made her believe the idea's "time has come," but the Scottish government cannot introduce it unilaterally. She confirms there will be discussions with the UK government.

Alan Smith from Bauer asks where the contact tracing staff will come from, pondering if it will come from medical students.

This is a process being looked at right now, with some of it being straight forward recruitment.

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The next question is from Peter MacMahon from ITV Border, who asks if the first minister hopes to have this TTI scheme up and running by the end of May.

Mr McMahon also asks if there won’t be particular problems in implementing this strategy in rural areas.

The first minister says different approaches will be needed for different parts of Scotland.

Ms Sturgeon points out that the capability will have to be flexed by the end of the month depending on the infection rate, but we will need to be be able to significantly increase contact tracing by then.

She says contact tracing in happening in Skye due to the outbreak there.

The first minister also says there is no guarantee we will start changing lockdown restrictions by the end of the month.

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James Matthews from Sky says Boris Johnson appears to be shaping up for a “big reveal” on Sunday about people returning to work and he asks how far apart from that Ms Sturgeon is.

The first minister replies: “I don’t necessarily say we are terribly far apart.

All I want to focus on is taking the right decisions, in the right order, at the right pace to protect the people of Scotland from this virus, as best I can.”

She says she is pretty sure the prime minister has the same objectives in mind and she is clear we must avoid a resurgence of this virus, due to the lives that would be lost and the damage to the economy.

As much alignment as possible is really important, but we also have to be able to do things based on what is considered to be best for those we represent, she says, for example on the return of schools.

Lisa Summers
BBC Scotland Health Correspondent

Lisa Summers from BBC Scotland says when TTI is rolled out the goal is 15,500 tests a day.

When will that be able to be done, asks Ms Summers.

The first minister says in a TTI approach the government will want to do as many tests as required and the 15,500 number is an estimate.

She says work is underway on the testing capacity, with health boards looking at how to increase contact tracing capacity too.

There will need to be an additional 2,000 contact tracers, she says.

“We want to be in a position to have an enhanced TTI approach ready to be implemented from the end of May.”

She insists we must continue to supress the virus, through the current approach mixed with this TTI strategy, keeping the R Number as low as possible.

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Ewan Petrie from STV asks if today's announcement amounts to an admission that it was wrong to abandon the policy of testing and tracing back in March.

The first minister replies: "No it's emphatically not that."

She insists the Scottish government has done the best it can and taken decisions based on the best possible evidence.

Ms Sturgeon accepts in due course countries will look back and see what lessons must be learned.

She points out "test, trace, isolate" will not work on its own it is an important tool used in combination with continued physical distancing, hygiene and face coverings, as well as probably limiting contact with those outside our households.

Health Secretary Jeane Freeman sends "good wishes" to residents and staff at the Skye care home facing an outbreak.

Contact tracing is in hand and a mobile testing unit in place, she says.

On care homes more generally, the health secretary says clinical support through primary care teams is being provided and the government has acted to top-up PPE supplies.

Just under 20,000 volunteers have offered help to the sector, 3,000 of whom have previous experience she confirms.

Ms Freeman says 234 volunteers have been deployed following background checks and a further 305 are ready to be deployed.

National Clinical Director Professor Jason Leitch explains contact tracing is familiar to health protection teams already, though they will need new staff to help.

Isolating and support will need not just professionals, but the public to help family and neighbours he says.

"We will be very clear about what we are asking you to do and when we are asking you to do it."

The first minister asks us to take the time to read the paper, which you can find here.

Finally the first minister tells the briefing the TTI approach can only begin if we all stick to the lockdown restrictions now.

She warns she is worried people may ease up now and reiterates the restrictions.

Ms Sturgeon says: "What I'm asking you today is please make sure we keep that light at the end of the tunnel on and let's all keep making sure that it gets brighter with every single day that passes.

"Please don't risk extinguishing that light by easing up too quickly."

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Image source, Getty Images

The first minister says a proximity app would operate on bluetooth and it would alert anyone who has been in contact with you if you have symptoms.

The UK government is working on this app and in Scotland it could enhance the TTI approach, but the whole system will not be built around the app, she explains.

Ms Sturgeon points out the success of the app will rely on high take up by the public, which will rely on the confidence of the public.

She says we will increasingly hear about TTI in the coming days and it will be an important tool to get some normality back into our lives.

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The first minister says being isolated may occur multiple times causing major disruption.

Ms Sturgeon stresses preparations are being made to allow the delivery of an enhanced TTI approach at the beginning of this month.

This means more testing, with an estimate of 15,500 a day needed to support TTI, points out the first minister.

2,000 additional contact tracers will be needed, she says.

Ms Sturgeon says a digital system will be put in place to make as much of this process automated.

Ms Sturgeon says the Scottish government has just published a short paper on the strategy: Test, Trace, Isolate, Support, external.

The first minister says the approach will only work if the public do what the government asks of them.

She says a successful TTI approach depends on suppressing the virus as much as possible.

TTI on its own won't keep infections down, it will have to be combined with physical distancing, and hand and respiratory hygiene through face coverings.

She says people will have to recognise symptoms, isolate, contact the NHS and reveal contacts they have had.

For all of us it will mean having to be prepared to isolate for 14 days if we are told we have been in close proximity to someone with the virus.

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The first minister says care home transmission remains a significant challenge, as seen on Skye today.

"It is very likely that on Thursday I will be asking you to stick with lockdown for a bit longer."

She accepts this is really hard and people want to see light at the end of the tunnel.

Ms Sturgeon says, building on the framework paper published a week and a half ago today she wants to share work being done to make changes to the lockdown as soon as possible.

She says today she wants to outline the approach when we can move into the next phase: the Test, Trace, Isolate approach or TTI in short.

It involves anyone who has covid symptoms immediately isolating themselves, quickly getting a test and sharing details of the people they have been in contact with.

Professionals called contact tracers then get in touch with those who have been in contact advising them to isolate for 14 days.

If any of them get symptoms they get tested and the process starts again with their contacts.

Nicola Sturgeon says the review of the current lockdown measures must take place by Thursday.

"I have said already that it is very unlikely that any change this week will be possible.

"Although we're making real and significant progress, and that is definitely the case, the numbers still being infected by the virus and the all important R Number remain too high right now to make any meaningful change, without risking the virus running out of control again."

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First Minister Nicola Sturgeon confirms 12,226 people have tested positive for Covid-19, an increase of 169 from yesterday.

1,720 patients are in hospital with a suspected or confirmed case (up 54), with 99 being treated in intensive care (no change).

2,780 people have been discharged from hospital after receiving treatment for the virus since 5 March.

A further five people who tested positive have died, taking the total to 1,576 deaths in Scotland by that measure. Ms Sturgeon reiterates death registration tends to be lower at weekend so this figure may be "artificially low".