Drivetime with John Beattie
BBC Radio Scotland

A care home owner has warned older people may become homeless if their care home goes under.

If a local authority is unable to provide an alternative place, the person would have to rely on the NHS for continued care.

An owner, who wishes to remain anonymous, said: "We are going to see various homes probably go under. The issue with that is there will still be people remaining in those homes and those people will basically become homeless."

Nick Hood, a former insolvency practitioner, blamed the business model for care homes which relies on people who pay their own charges to cover the excess costs of those who receive local authority places.

He said: "This is a market where the business model is broken and it's been broken for a very, very long time."

Mr Hood warned that many care homes will now be operating at a level "well below" at which they are making money.

The first minister has announced coronavirus lockdown measures in Scotland could begin to be lifted from 28 May.

Here's the main points from today's Scottish government briefing:

• a "route map" setting out a phased approach to easing lockdown measures will be published on Thursday, with phase one expected to begin on 28 May
• phase one should allow more outdoor activities including sitting in the park, meeting up with someone from another household, golf and fishing, visiting a garden centre or recycling facility and returning to outdoor work
• Thursday's route map will also set out the assessment of a phased return to school

• the loss of smell or taste is added to a fever or persistent cough as the third symptom requiring self-isolation
• anyone over the age of five with any of the three symptoms will now be able to book a test

The SNP's leader at Westminster is facing calls to apologise for sharing a tweet which included an expletive encouraging people not to travel to Scotland.

Ian Blackford retweeted an image of a road sign at Scotland's border, which had the "F" word edited in.

The tweet was posted in response to news that author Neil Gaiman travelled from New Zealand to his house in Skye.

Quoting the doctored photograph, Mr Blackford added: "Perhaps not the language I would use but for some folk perhaps it needs to be blunt before they get it!"

The Scottish Conservatives have criticised the "utterly inexcusable" post.

Rory Cellan-Jones
Technology correspondent

Image source, AFP

It is 10 days since all Isle of Wight residents were invited to test the NHS app at the heart of the government's test, track and trace strategy. So how's it going?

Mixed would probably be a fair verdict, though we may have a clearer idea following a Commons statement by the Health Secretary Matt Hancock this afternoon.

The big concern was how many people would download it. Epidemiologists suggest that for the UK as a whole, about 60% of the population needs to install and use the software for it to live up to its full potential.

So when Downing Street says there have been roughly 60,000 downloads, that's not a bad result. The island's population is 140,000, and its inhabitants are slightly older and less likely to own a smartphone than the UK average.

But one cautionary note - that 60,000 may include some who downloaded it twice or are from the mainland.

Read the full analysis

Image source, Getty Images

The first phase of the easing of the lockdown in Scotland should allow, within a few days of 28 May, more outdoor activity like:

• being able to sit in the park
• meeting up outdoors with someone from another household with social distancing
• limited outdoor sporting activities like golf and fishing
• the opening of garden centres and recycling facilities
• the resumption of some outdoor work

Drivetime with John Beattie
BBC Radio Scotland

Not quite the final countdown but Scotland's lockdown should start to ease on 28 May. On Drivetime this afternoon...

• Nicola Sturgeon has announced anyone over age five with symptoms can get a Covid-19 test from today.
• Deaths in the care sector remain under the spotlight and the health secretary said all care home staff will be offered regular tests. John speaks to one care home owner who says some establishments won't survive the pandemic.
• The police have spoken to Neil Gaiman after he travelled from New Zealand to Skye. The author said he and his wife needed to give each other some space. How are relationships coping in lockdown? Text your experiences to 80295.
• Celtic have been crowned SPFL champions and Hearts are relegated. Will harmony be restored? Unlikely.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon outlines plans for a road map for easing lock down in Scotland.

Never has Mental Health Awareness Week been more resonant than now, with Coronavirus plunging the world into uncertainty and the constant news about the pandemic feeling relentless. All of this is taking its toll on people's mental health. Thankfully there's a number of places you go for support:

NHS Inform, external: As well as providing the most up to date guidance on physical health during the pandemic, the website also has a range of tools to support wellbeing - including guides to coping with depression and anxiety.

Clear Your Head:, external Help, support and tips from the Scottish government.

SAMH, external: Tips on protecting your mental health at this difficult time, including a blog series.

Image source, Getty Images

There are also a number of helplines available over the phone if you need someone to talk to...

• Breathing Space, external: A weekend and night-time service run by NHS 24:0800 83 85 87.
• Age Scotland, external: An advice and support line specifically for older people:0800 12 44 222.
• NSPCC Scotland, external: A support line for children and young people:0800 1111.
• Samaritans, external: A 24/7 service for crisis support:116 123.

Image source, Getty Images

Coronavirus lockdown measures in Scotland could begin to be lifted from 28 May, Nicola Sturgeon has announced.

The first minister said this would mean people could meet someone from another household as long as social distancing is maintained.

More outdoor activities and sports like golf and fishing will also be allowed.

Ms Sturgeon also announced that coronavirus testing will be extended to everyone in Scotland over the age of five who is displaying symptoms.

The list of symptoms which would require someone to self-isolate was updated on Monday to include loss of smell or taste.

Read more here.

Image source, SNS

Celtic fans have been gathering at Parkhead after the club were confirmed as Scottish champions for the ninth season in a row after the SPFL ended the season due to the pandemic.

Groups were pictured at the club, in Glasgow's east end, despite warnings to stay away.

Earlier, the club said in a statement, external that while it wanted fans "all over the world to celebrate in style", it urged them to do so safely.

"For now this means celebrating in our homes. We all must stay safe and stay home.

"Please DO NOT come to Celtic Park."

Chief Superintendent Hazel Hendren, of Police Scotland, said: "The Scottish government's guidance is clear - people should only leave the house for very limited purposes, for example for basic necessities, such as food and medicine, for exercise, for medical needs or travelling for work which cannot be done at home."It’s really important that people follow these instructions in order to protect the NHS and save lives."

Scottish musician Alan Cormack and Italian singer-songwriter Cecilia Miradoli have teamed up for a charity lockdown collaboration from their homes in Dundee and Milan.

Mr Cormack, known as The Alien Cormorant, and his collaborator shared their experiences of living in lockdown by email before turning them into musical ideas.

The pair then recorded their individual parts in their respective home studios.

The five-song EP's title, From My House To Your House, is inspired by graffiti spotted by Miradoli in Milan, andreleased on 5 June. The first track, Is It Not Tomorrow Yet, was released earlier this month.

NHS Lanarkshire’s staff choir is back for its second lockdown performance, this time with a performance of "You Raise Me Up".

They recorded their version remotely and edited this video together with pictures of family members posing with rainbows as a show of thanks to essential workers.

Hearts say pursuing legal action would be less costly than an "unjust" relegation after their demotion from the Scottish Premiership was confirmed.

The Tynecastle club finished bottom of the top flight after the season was halted with eight games left.

In a statement, Hearts said no club "should be unfairly penalised" amid the Covid-19 pandemic and that they are continuing to take legal advice.

"Legal action would be both time consuming and expensive," they said. "However, the cost to the club of relegation would outweigh these considerations."

Read more.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

The first minister has announced coronavirus lockdown measures in Scotland could begin to be lifted from 28 May.

Nicola Sturgeon was leading the Scottish government coronavirus media briefing. Here's the main points from today's briefing:

• the loss of smell or taste is added to a fever or persistent cough as the third symptom requiring self-isolation
• anyone over the age of five with any of the three symptoms will now be able to book a test
• a "route map" setting out a phased approach to easing lockdown measures will be published on Thursday, with phase one expected to begin on 28 May
• phase one should allow more outdoor activities including sitting in the park, meeting up with someone from another household, golf and fishing, visiting a garden centre or recycling facility and returning to outdoor work
• Thursday's route map will also set out the assessment of a phased return to school
• Health Secretary Jeane Freeman announces all care home staff will be offered testing regardless of symptoms
• a further two deaths from coronavirus have been registered bringing the total to 2,105

Kieran Andrews, from The Times, says there has been a lot of personal criticism from politicians of national clinical director Prof Jason Leitch's strategy towards Covid-19 and wonders where First Minister Nicola Sturgeon takes her advice.

Ms Sturgeon says she takes advice from the UK Sage emergency body, through the advisory group established in Scotland and through the chief medical officer, but she says that she is the ultimate decision-maker along with the cabinet as a whole.

"If anyone has criticisms, they should make them of the elected politicians, because we are accountable and are in a better position. If we think those criticisms are unfair or unfounded, we can answer back in a way officials or clinicians cannot," she says.

"Jason Leitch, in my view, does a very good job and has done an incredibly important job to give messages to the public."

WATCH AGAIN: Scottish government media briefing

Image source, Getty Images

Andrew Learmonth, from The National, points out cross-party support for a Scottish Green amendment to the second coronavirus bill that would add the birth control pill the list of products which can be prescribed by pharmacies under the minor ailments service.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon says she has a lot of sympathy with that position but stresses that discussions are still continuing.