Summary

  • Daily reported death total for UK (29,427) is now higher than the total for Italy (29,315) - though there are caveats to the comparison

  • First Minister Nicola Sturgeon says it is "highly unlikely" that there will be any significant changes to lockdown when it is reviewed on Thursday

  • Ms Sturgeon says her new paper sets out the progress and the possible next steps

  • The first minister estimates there are currently about 26,000 people with Covid-19 in Scotland

  • Ms Sturgeon says rates of transmission in Scotland may be slightly higher than elsewhere in the UK - although modelling is uncertain

  • New document shows studies suggesting reopening schools now would be likely to lead to surge in virus

  • Ms Sturgeon also says the paper looks at how they might relax the meeting of other people such as specific close family or friends

  • She also says she wants to look at how some businesses can be practically and safely allowed to reopen

  1. Thousands of knitted hearts sent to Covid patients in hospitalpublished at 08:58 British Summer Time 5 May 2020

    knitted heartsImage source, Liz Smith

    Thousands of knitted hearts have been sent to a Glasgow hospital to help connect coronavirus patients and their loved ones.

    One heart is given to the patient while the other is sent out to their next of kin, who may be unable to visit.

    More than 4,500 have been sent to Glasgow Royal Infirmary after an appeal from intensive care nurse Liz Smith.

    So many have come in, they are now being shared with other wards and hospitals across the city.

    Read the full story here.

  2. 'We need the number of new cases to fall' to exit lockdownpublished at 08:52 British Summer Time 5 May 2020

    Good Morning Scotland
    BBC Radio Scotland

    Nicola Sturgeon will later release a second version of the document which will detail how a lockdown lift would work.

    It will explain the gradual return to work, how to manage physical distancing in transportation and businesses.

    Prof Jason Leitch says for that to kick in, we will have to see a drop in cases and have the test, trace, isolate, support measures in place.

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  3. 'UK and Scottish apps will work together - but only if they are secure'published at 08:45 British Summer Time 5 May 2020

    Good Morning Scotland
    BBC Radio Scotland

    contact tracing app

    Prof Leitch explains the difference between the two apps which will be in use in the UK during the test, trace, isolate phase.

    He says the Scottish version will "help you with how you get the test, the result and crucially it will allow you to enter your contacts - who you have been with for 15 minutes or more and within two metres of".

    He says you would be expected to enter their names and phone numbers and that it requires cooperation from the population of Scotland.

    One of the contact tracers would then be in touch.

    The second app is the one being developed by NHS England. If you have bluetooth on your phone and it is switched on, it will do proximity tests, so it will know where you have been and who has been beside you.

    It will automatically send contacts anonymously, saying you have been in close contact with someone who is positive.

    But he stresses the Scottish government wants to be sure of the security of that app before it layers it on top of what it is planning.

  4. We did not have the testing capacity to carry out contact tracing at the start of outbreakpublished at 08:40 British Summer Time 5 May 2020

    Good Morning Scotland
    BBC Radio Scotland

    Jason Leitch

    Asked why the Scottish government abandoned the test, trace, isolate policy at the start of the coronavirus pandemic, Prof Leitch says for that to have worked, we needed more testing capacity.

    Quote Message

    The test we had initially was slower than the test we have now and does not need to be sent down south for confirmation. We have had to ramp up the capacity for testing, the regions where we can do the testing and now we are ramping up the contact tracers - the manual people who will call you, discuss your contacts and get in touch with them.

    Prof Jason Leitch, Clinical director, Scottish government

  5. Lockdown exit 'needs UK approach'published at 08:34 British Summer Time 5 May 2020

    Andrew Black
    BBC Scotland Business Presenter

    closed signImage source, Getty Images

    Chris Smith, managing director of Livingston-based Almond Engineering, says it's vital to have a co-ordinated approach across the UK to exiting lockdown.

    He told Good Morning that differences in guidance between Scotland and the rest of the UK confused a lot of his team and customers and probably led to some companies shutting when they didn't need to.

    He said his company had seen a 50% drop in orders for the precision engineering work they do, and in the meantime had been making test equipment for ventilators to treat coronavirus patients and face shields to donate to the NHS.

    He predicted the firm would be back to 60-70% capacity soon and also called for a government industrial strategy to "reflect the severity and depth of the crisis".

    Quote Message

    "If you want ventilator capacity in the UK, the NHS has to buy ventilators in the UK - you can't just assume these things will be there at the snap of a finger.

    Chris Smith, Managing Director, Almond Engineering

  6. Skye care home did have correct PPEpublished at 08:22 British Summer Time 5 May 2020

    Good Morning Scotland
    BBC Radio Scotland

    Home farm care home

    Scottish government clinical director Prof Jason Leitch says the care home on Skye which has seen an outbreak of 57 cases did have the correct PPE supplies.

    Two residents have died at Home Farm independent care home in Portree.

    An Army testing unit has been set up on the island.

    Prof Leitch said extra NHS staff had also been sent to the island to offer help and support.

    Quote Message

    We have people on the ground now. NHS Highland have been in touch with the care home. They have checked they have got the correct PPE which they have and have had all along. They have checked the guidance and they understand that guidance and we have sent health service people to help. This virus appears to have attacked that care home. It is such a nasty disease and these individuals are very vulnerable

    Jason Leitch, Clinical director, Scottish government

  7. 'We have learned nothing from past pandemics'published at 08:12 British Summer Time 5 May 2020

    Good Morning Scotland
    BBC Radio Scotland

    1918 Spanish Flu outbreakImage source, Getty
    Image caption,

    1918 Spanish Flu outbreak

    Prof Frank Snowden from Yale University is an expert in the history of pandemics.

    He is the author of "Epidemics and Society: From the Black Death to the Present".

    He believes the impact of the coronavirus pandemic was entirely preventable.

    He says "amnesia has taken over the world".

    Quote Message

    The dress rehearsals of Sars and Mers and the other epidemics we have suffered from, as soon as they pass we seem to forget all about them. And that's one of the reasons we were caught completely unprepared for a disease that need not have created as much havoc as this one has, because many of the deaths and much of the suffering could have been prevented if we had taken clear measures based on those early warnings.

    Prof Frank Snowden, Yale University professor and author

  8. Small business owners: 'We've been left behind'published at 08:08 British Summer Time 5 May 2020

    Good Morning Scotland
    BBC Radio Scotland

    Small business owners who can't take furlough and aren't covered by government schemes, fear there is nothing they can do to stop their livelihoods disappearing.

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  9. Will we need to download two contact-tracing apps in Scotland?published at 08:01 British Summer Time 5 May 2020

    Good Morning Scotland
    BBC Radio Scotland

    contact tracing app

    The Scottish government is due to reveal more on its plan to introduce a test and trace strategy in the ongoing fight to stem coronavirus.

    There's talk of a special phone app, similar to the one used in South Korea, becoming a key tool in tracking those who come into contact with the virus.

    But Dr Tata Shivaji from NHS Grampian says Scotland is developing its own app, which is different from the UK-wide download.

    Quote Message

    The Scottish app focuses on people entering the details of what they have done and where they have been, who they sat next to and also gives a bit of advice and support and help to organise a test. It can also alert the people you have identified. The UK app works without you entering details, using bluetooth. But it is reliant on other phones having the app and being enabled and people carrying it.

    Dr Tata Shivaji, Consultant in public health medicine, NHS Grampian,

  10. Tuesday's headlinespublished at 07:54 British Summer Time 5 May 2020

    Good Morning Scotland
    BBC Radio Scotland

    • The first minister will publish a new Scottish government paper setting out the challenges, and the options, involved in exiting the Coronavirus lockdown.
    • Aer Lingus says it's looking into pictures which have emerged online, apparently showing an almost full flight from Belfast to London Heathrow, with no social distancing.
    • It's claimed 80% of Scotland's visitor attractions are worried they could go out of business within a year.
    greyfriars bobbyImage source, Getty Images
  11. Depression, anxiety, stress, and burnout - what is the outbreak doing to doctors?published at 07:45 British Summer Time 5 May 2020

    Good Morning Scotland
    BBC Radio Scotland

    Hospital doctorsImage source, PA Media

    More doctors are reporting mental health difficulties since the start of the coronavirus outbreak.

    That's according to a survey by the British Medical Association, which shows 25% of members feel pressure they didn't before the pandemic.

    Dr Lewis Morrison who leads BMA Scotland tells Good Morning Scotland the Covid-19 response has pushed doctors to the limit.

    Quote Message

    We are dealing with the cumulative effect of many weeks now of having to deal with not just the patients we are seeing with Covid but we have pretty much uprooted the NHS as we know it and completely reorganised in a short space of time. The other thing is we have to remember that we came from a place that wasn't great anyway. We did a similar survey last year showing worrying levels of mental health issues and burnout in doctors... and then we had not a great winter.

    Dr Lewis Morrison, Chair, BMA Scotland

  12. Government pays nearly quarter of worker wagespublished at 07:40 British Summer Time 5 May 2020

    Programme to help people put on leave due to coronavrius is now being used by 6.3 million people.

    Read More
  13. What's making Scotland's front pages?published at 07:33 British Summer Time 5 May 2020

    Tuesday's papers

    The prospect of self-isolation in so-called quarantine hotels and a stepping up of Covid-19 testing dominate Scotland's papers today.

    See our full review here.

  14. Cumbrian police issue lockdown warning as Scots travel to supermarket in Englandpublished at 07:22 British Summer Time 5 May 2020

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  15. More than 2,000 people sign up for Benedetti online tutorialpublished at 07:15 British Summer Time 5 May 2020

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  16. Coming up on GMS: Doctors living with depression and anxiety due to Covid-19published at 07:06 British Summer Time 5 May 2020

    Good Morning Scotland
    BBC Radio Scotland

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  17. Key sporting figures to meet sport minister to discuss phased return of eventspublished at 07:01 British Summer Time 5 May 2020

    sportImage source, Getty Images

    Key sporting figures are to meet with Scotland’s sport minister to discuss a phased return of events.

    Lower football leagues ended early, and a decision on whether or not to end the Scottish Premiership must be made this month.

    The Scottish FA, the SPFL, Scottish Rugby and Sportscotland will all take part in the virtual meeting.

    Holding future sport in empty stadiums while coronavirus measures remain in place will be discussed.

  18. BMA concern over mental health toll on doctors of coronavirus outbreakpublished at 06:50 British Summer Time 5 May 2020

    doctorImage source, Getty Images

    The coronavirus pandemic is taking its toll on the mental health of Scotland's doctors, according to the British Medical Association.

    They surveyed 1,351 doctors in Scotland and found a quarter reported mental health problems due to the outbreak.

    The poll also suggests 40% of doctors are living with depression, anxiety or another mental health problem that relates to or has been made worse by their jobs.

  19. Scotland's national clinical director: 'We are beginning to think about counter-measure release'published at 06:36 British Summer Time 5 May 2020

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  20. Good Morningpublished at 06:23 British Summer Time 5 May 2020

    Welcome to Tuesday's live coverage of the latest developments in the coronavirus pandemic in Scotland.

    Coming up today;

    Nicola Sturgeon's expected to set out the next steps towards exiting the lockdown.

    The first minister will publish a new Scottish government paper setting out the challenges and options involved.

    The document will deal with a series of scenarios including the impact on the NHS, the choices regarding the possible reopening of schools and the prospects for business.

    Nicola SturgeonImage source, Getty Images