Ben Philip
BBC Scotland

Image source, Les Andrew

As Aberdonians stayed at home, Aberdeen Beach made the perfect canvas for this striking drawing sketched out on the sand to mark the 75th anniversary of VE Day.

The artist responsible is Dougie Bogie, a full-time carer for community justice body Sacro.

Created with one of his patients Jack Dunlop, 75, a Royal Air Force veteran who suffers from PTSD, Dougie said it was an “honour” to be asked by Jack to do something in tribute to VE Day.

It took Dougie just two hours to create his artwork in the sand. Over the years he has drawn several pictures on Aberdeen Beach and he told the BBC he doesn’t mind his hard work being washed away by the tide within a matter of hours.

Image source, Getty Images

A Scottish construction firm has called in administrators after being hit by the coronavirus lockdown.

A total of 20 workers have been laid off at Oban-based Neil McGougan Ltd, which provided building and construction services to clients across Argyll and Bute and the west Highlands.

Administrators from Campbell Dallas said the company had been hit by severe cash flow problems after construction activity was halted on non-essential sites.

The business, which was founded in 1986, has ceased trading with immediate effect.

The joint administrators are seeking buyers for the assets, which include plant, equipment and vehicles.

• No change in lockdown measures, stresses First Minister Nicola Sturgeon
• Scottish government is looking into expanding the current one-hour-a-day for outdoor exercise, with more information to come over the weekend
• A further 49 people who tested positive for Covid-19 have died, taking the total to 1,811 deaths in Scotland by that measure
• 1584 patients are in hospital with a suspected or confirmed case, with 84 of those in intensive care
• Scotland’s total testing capacity is now over 10,000 per day and set to reach 12,000 by end of next week
• The four UK nations may move out of lockdown at different speeds, "should the available data allow it", says the first minister
• Pivotal Enterprise Resilience Fund doubled from £45m to £90m for small businesses deemed vital to their local areas
• The numbers of people using the NHS overall during the outbreak is on the rise, but still much lower than usual
• Chief constable Iain Livingstone says police will continue to "act with courtesy and common sense"

Image source, Getty Images

Chris Musson from The Scottish Sun asks whether the exercise guidance disproportionately affects less privileged people in society and whether any penalty notices had been issued over too much exercise.

Nicola Sturgeon acknowledged the "different experiences" of some families with gardens compared to those in tenement flats who perhaps could not get out to enjoy the weather.

She added this was why she hoped to get to the "point of confidence" where relaxing exercise measures would not affect the R number and also have a positive effect on equity and wellbeing.

Ch Con Iain Livingstone said that given "demands on police service and variance in human conduct", there would have been times when fixed penalty notices have been issued in "inappropriate" circumstances.

He said when that has happened, the penalty notice has been withdrawn and an apology has been issued by the police to the member of the public - adding that measures had been brought in "literally overnight".

Image source, Getty Images

Tom Peterkin from the Press and Journal asks if a similar relaxation of lockdown measures is likely in Scotland to those announced today in Wales.

People there will be allowed to exercise more often, while garden centres can re-open under social distancing rules, and councils will begin work on plans to re-open libraries and recycling centres.

Nicola Sturgeon says an extension of outdoor exercise is the "only thing we are looking at right now in the immediate term".

"Some other things might follow not long after that but right now, it is just extension of exercise," adds the first minister, who will give a further update over the weekend, probably on Sunday, to "make sure there is clarity to the changes".

Simon Johnstone from The Telegraph asks what Ms Sturgeon would say to people in Scotland frustrated over differences in UK advice.

The first minister says all four nations accepted there would be a "difference in pace" because the virus entered countries at different stages. If people face restrictions for longer in Scotland, it is because "we judge here it's still necessary to save lives", she adds.

Michael Blackley from the Daily Mail asks whether Scotland has the highest R number (rate of infection) in the UK.

Nicola Sturgeon stresses that the R numbers for all parts of the UK are only estimates.

“We think our number is somewhere between 0.7 and 1; we can’t rule out it being still closer to 1 than 0.7," says the first minister. "We think, based on estimates, it might be a bit higher than the other individual nations.

“As First Minister I want to see another week’s data that gives me more confidence we are on that clear downward trajectory."

Ms Sturgeon says she is hopeful the next set of National Records of Scotland figures, published on Wednesday, will see a continuation of the reduction in death rates.

Katrine Bussey from PA questioned chief constable Iain Livingstone on what challenges police may face if there are differences in public instruction north and south of the Scottish border.

She also highlighted that while a recent survey showed police confidence had increased, that a proportion of people thought that policing could be tougher.

The first minister initially highlighted that she "would not anticipate a radical departure" between the UK and Scottish advice in the coming days.

Ch Con Livingstone said that people in Scotland have been used to the separate legal and policing systems "for centuries" and additionally, that the Scottish government's approach had so far made policing easier.

He added Police Scotland were in a position to "quickly respond" if circumstances were to change but would continue to monitor that.

On the public attitude survey, he said he took the increase in police confidence as a "reassuring message" about how police are conducting business, but had nevertheless asked for an independent review.

Chief Constable Iain Livingstone urges anyone who may be experiencing any form of domestic abuse, harm or neglect, or has concerns about others, to contact Police Scotland.

Mr Livingstone acknowledges the police officers and staff who are working "around the clock" and at times "putting themselves in harm’s way".

He also asks the people of Scotland to continue working together in their “shared mission” to reduce the spread of the virus, protect each other and save lives.

Image source, Getty Images

Sam Coates from Sky News asked the first minister if she thought the UK government should continue paying the furlough scheme as the imapct of Covid-19 continues,

Nicola Sturgeon said that while the UK government had "stepped up" in recent weeks, her belief was that as long as restrictions were placed on businesses, support should exist for them.

She said: "That support may not look exactly the same now as it will in future.

"I've been very clear with the furlough scheme we cannot have a premature withdrawal and we cannot have cliff edges to this."

She added that while continuing to increase debt creates challenges, "stopping support does not remove those challenges".

Professor Jason Leitch, the national clinical director of the Scottish Government, begins with words of thanks for all the NHS workers who are on shift on this Bank Holiday and once again hammers home the message that the "health service is open for you".

Do not delay getting checked, do not ignore early warning signs of serious conditions, he stresses, before adding that children's immunisation appointments are a legitimate reason for leaving home.

He says public confidence in visiting hospital or a GP is higher than it was just a few weeks ago but attendance is still considerably below the usual levels.

Accident & Emergency figures are around 10,000 down on what they would be, while the latest figures on cancer referrals are 59% down, compared to the lowest point in the outbreak which saw them drop by 72%.

Image source, Getty Images

BBC Scotland's Katie Hunter posed concerns that not all care home staff are going for testing because there is not sufficient levels of workers to cover absence.

Nicola Sturgeon stressed if anyone had concerns of that nature, to raise them with the Scottish government and to pass on details of affected care homes in confidence.

She said: "If there is a are home with an outbreak it is policy that all residents and staff will be tested.

"If somebody has the virus, even if they have no symptoms, the should not be at work as it increases the risk of transmission.

"Someone should not be at work if they have the virus in case it affects staffing."

The first minister added the government was working with the sector to provide cover, including NHS staff being posted in stretched care homes.

Chief Constable Iain Livingstone says Police Scotland's response to helping support coronavirus measures will be assessed by:

1) How the work of officers and staff to support physical distancing contributes in some way to reducing the mortality rate

2) Whether it can maintain, and possibly enhance, a very strong relationship of trust the police have with the public

3) Whether they protect the health and safety of all officers and staff and their families

The chief constable says communities have stepped forward collectively and individually to "do their duty and help each other".

He highlights sacrifices young people are making as the are forced to miss "milestone events" and says officers are experiencing "higher levels of consent" from citizens coping with "very restrictive measures on personal freedoms".

Mr Livingstone adds that recent independent surveys suggest public confjdence in the police "remains solid" and is perhaps "even higher than it was before this emergency".

STV questioned the first minister on comments from Donald Macaskill, the chief executive officer of Scottish Care, who expressed concern that home care workers have been travelling long distances to be tested.

Nicola Sturgeon said she was aware of the comments and that home care workers should be able to be tested through their local health board.

She added that, with the assistance of the military, the Scottish government was establishing mobile testing units in communities and that the online portal for booking tests should direct people to their nearest drive-through test centre.

Image source, PA Media

Image source, Getty Images

The first minister says that an initial £45 million Pivotal Enterprise Resilience Fund will now double to £90 million, with grants being made available to small and medium sized businesses that are "potentially vital to our economic future".

Ms Sturgeon says the move comes as a direct response to feedback from business.

This comes after yesterday's announcement of a new £100 million loan fund for house builders in Scotland, which is aimed at small and medium sized firms that are facing short term liquidity problems.

Nicola Sturgeon says Scotland has made a “significant step forward" in its capacity to test people for Covid-19.

The first minister reports that capacity within the NHS has risen by more than 2,000 tests per day. Together with capacity at Glasgow University's Lighthouse Laboratory, Scotland’s total testing capacity is now over 10,000 per day.

Ms Sturgeon expects that number to exceed 12,000 per day by this time next week.

Image source, Getty Images

"The message remains the same - please stay at home", announces First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.

She says that the Scottish Government is not yet confident that the R number is sufficiently below one and that it may be higher in Scotland than in other areas of the UK.

"The only change that we’re considering in the immediate term is the guidance on outdoor exercise," explains the first minister, who promises a further update on that over the weekend.

And following modifications to the restrictions in Wales, she adds that the four UK nations may move at different speeds if the data suggest it is necessary.

"Don't throw away all of your good work," says Ms Sturgeon. "Personal sacrifice for the common good is a lesson we can learn from those whose courage 75 years ago we are remembering today."

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon confirms 13,149 people have tested positive for Covid-19, an increase of 225 from yesterday.

1584 patients are in hospital with a suspected or confirmed case (down three), with 84 being treated in intensive care (down two).

3,016 people have been discharged from hospital after receiving treatment for the virus since 5 March.

A further 49 people who tested positive have died, taking the total to 1,811 deaths in Scotland by that measure.

Image source, Getty Images

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon will be joined by Police Scotland Chief Constable Iain Livingstone and National Clinical Director Jason Leitch when she updates us on the latest coronavirus developments shortly.