Marc Ellison
Data journalist, BBC Scotland

Image source, Getty Images

Before lockdown in Scotland one person with coronavirus had the potential to infect up to six other people. We are now eight weeks on from the "stay at home" restrictions, so is that infection level still the same?

Well, scientists and statisticians briefing journalists on Thursday morning outlined their thinking.

They begin their "technical" explainer by talking about a computer. It's based at Edinburgh University and has taken nearly 60 hours to make an important calculation.

This isn't a throwback to the age of slow dial-up internet, nor is it an attempt to compute the answer to life, universe, and everything,

Rather it's taken an entire weekend for this top of the line computer to run varying models to calculate something called the R number.

Put simply, the R (or reproduction) value is a way of rating a disease's ability to spread.

Read more here.

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The Care Inspectorate has taken legal action to bring about changes in the running of a private care home on Skye where seven residents have died.

It has submitted an application to cancel the registration of the HC-One-owned property in Portree, which is at the centre of a Covid-19 outbreak.

The action could mean new care arrangements being put in place for residents at Home Farm.

The move follows an unannounced inspection of the home on Tuesday.

• Read more here
• Skye care home deaths rise to seven
• Son's grief at not being at father's bedside
• Care boss: 'Nothing to hide' over Skye outbreak

Drivetime with John Beattie
BBC Radio Scotland

Drivetime with John Beattie is underway and will focus on claims from a union that the Scottish care home system faces collapse.

John will talk to GMB Scotland in a must hear interview.

Drivetime has also heard that care home workers are scared to get tested because they don't want to lose pay.

This all comes as the programme understands that the Care Inspectorate is taking legal action to cancel HC-ONE's registration of Home Farm on Skye.

This after the NHS took over the running of the care home.

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Scottish ministers are "not ruling out" easing lockdown in some areas ahead of others, Nicola Sturgeon has said.

Some parts of Scotland are less badly affected by coronavirus, with few cases currently in hospitals in Orkney, Shetland or Dumfries and Galloway.

The first minister said she had "never ruled out" taking a "regionally varied approach" across Scotland.

But she stressed that the government was not proposing that approach "at this stage" .

And she said if it was to happen, it would need to be done in a "practical and clearly understandable way".

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland currently have stricter restrictions in place than England, after Prime Minister Boris Johnson moved to begin slightly easing the lockdown there this week.

• Read more here
• Coronavirus in Scotland: Who is dying and where?
• Why might the R number be higher in Scotland?

BBC Sport

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The Tour of Britain has been cancelled for 2020 because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

The race was due to start in Cornwall on 6 September and end a week later in Aberdeen. But there are concerns over holding public events because of the spread of the virus.

Organisers say the 2021 Tour of Britain will be held between 5-12 September and use the route planned for 2020.

The cancellation means Britain will not host any major stage races this year.

Read the full story here.

Image source, Edinburgh University

Projects supporting those affected by the pandemic in Edinburgh and the surrounding areas have been given funding by Edinburgh University.

Awards of £5,000 have been given to projects including those which provide music therapy workshops for unpaid carers; deliver computers to vulnerable families; and provide isolation and mental health support networks.

One recipient, the Venchie Children and Young People's Project, has set up an emergency food service to families in Craigmillar, cooking and delivering 600 meals a day, six days a week.

Manager Susan Heron said: “When lockdown was announced we identified a huge need for an emergency food delivery service in localities in Edinburgh. Through help from the university we've been able to address the need.”

A further 428 people have died with Covid-19 in the UK, the government's latest daily figures show.

It brings the total number of deaths in hospitals and the wider community to 33,614.

The government carried out or posted out 126,064 tests on Wednesday, the figures also show.

This is the third time it has met its 100,000 a day target, according to its criteria.

David Porter
Scotland Westminster editor

The Scottish secretary has said the Scottish government and first minister were informed of plans to change the advice on the lockdown before it was published.

Giving evidence to the Scottish Affairs committee, Alister Jack, said Nicola Sturgeon was told there would be a change in policy.

However he said the “messaging was left to the communications experts”.

On Sunday the Prime minister announced changes to the lock down procedures, changing the wording from ‘’Stay at home’’ to “Stay Alert”.

The changes applied to England, but not to Scotland where the guidance and restrictions remained the same, apart from in relation to exercise.

Image source, Scottish Parliament TV

MSPs will now get the chance too quiz health and sport ministers on the Scottish government's response to the coronavirus pandemic.

You can watch the session here with Scottish Parliament TV, external.

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The Scottish government says 250,000 packages containing essential supplies have been delivered free to people across Scotland who are shielding from Covid-19.

The boxes, which include food and toiletries, are dropped off weekly to people facing the highest clinical risks from the virus.

More than 50,000 people have so far signed up for the deliveries.

Deputy First Minister John Swinney said: “We understand that this is an extremely worrying time for people who are shielding and we want to do everything we can to support them throughout this challenging time."

People at increased risk can register by phoning the free government support line on 0800 111 4000.

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UK government measures to protect the economy during the coronavirus crisis are forecast to cost £123bn for the current financial year, according to the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR).

The OBR said it also estimates that the direct impact of policy measures, such as the furlough scheme, will raise cash borrowing by £103.7bn for the year.

On Tuesday, UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced that the furlough scheme - paying a percentage of wages to workers on leave because of coronavirus - would be extended to October.

The government is also offering grants for self-employed people whose businesses are affected by coronavirus.

• Chancellor warns of 'significant' recession

The OBR estimated that a three-month lockdown, followed by a partial lifting for three months, would necessitate public sector borrowing of £298.4bn.

That represents a £25.5bn increase on the forecast from last month.

The OBR estimates that the UK economy is likely to contract by 35% in the second quarter of 2020, before bouncing back quickly.

Andrew Learmonth from The National asks about the mass picnics as a protest against lockdown planned across Scotland.

The first minister says she understands people's patience is getting frayed but support for these measures generally remains high as people understand why.

She asks the public to trust her that these restrictions remain necessary, before adding: "Anybody that goes to a picnic in the park right now will be breaking the law."

She also highlights people will be putting lives at risk.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Kieran Andrews from The Times asks whether government bonds are being considered from struggling industries as part of the economic recovery.

Nicola Sturgeon says conversations are ongoing with the Treasury but it appears the current fiscal powers of the Scottish Parliament are "probably not sufficient".

She says she is open to hearing ideas on recovery but insists an austerity approach must not be pursued due to the damage this is still causing from the last recession.

Image source, bbc

• 2.00pm: Holyrood: Finance and Economy Covid-19 Members’ Virtual Question Time (Watch here with us on the live page)

• 2.00pm: Westminster: Scottish Affairs Committee: Alister Jack and Douglas Ross are in the hot seats

• 3.00pm - Holyrood: Finance and Economy Covid-19 Members’ Virtual Question Time (Watch here with us on the live page)

• 5pm: UK government coronavirus briefing

Severin Carrell from The Guardian seeks an update on the Test, Trace, Isolate programme.

Contact tracing is happening in certain circumstances right now, while the focus of testing remains on the most vulnerable and patients, key workers and surveillance, the first minister explains.

We will have capacity in place by the end of the month to make a bigger shift into the TTI strategy, she adds.

Michael Blackley from the Daily Mail asks what needs to happen for the R number to fall further.

Ms Sturgeon says lockdown has brought the R number down from an excess of three to where it is now.

Image source, Getty Images

This includes efforts to bring it down in care homes and the rolling out of Test, Trace, Isolate, says the first minister.