WATCH AGAIN: Scottish government media briefing

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Scott McNab from The Scotsman points out that business leaders asked the Scottish Parliament this morning for a clear timeline to be published for a return to economic activity and criticised previous contradictory guidance about which businesses could or could not operate.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon says the guidance was "very clear" and not contradictory. We have consistently said there are businesses that have to close by law and there are businesses that are essential to the running of the country, and we have given guidance to those in the middle about the test they should be applying to judge whether they should be operational, she says.

She adds that the re-opening of the economy will be set out in the route map to be revealed on Thursday but points out that Scotland will be no different from other countries in not being able to give firm dates because of the uncertainties about the spread of the virus.

Tom Gordon, from The Herald, points out that, if you have symptoms, the advice is to self-isolate and not go out at all. He wonders what takes priority: staying home or driving to the airport to get tested?

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon replies that people who are symptomatic are advised to have a test and can leave their home for that purpose.

If they have symptoms, they should self-isolate and, if their symptoms worsen, they should contact the NHS.

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Tom Martin, from The Daily Express, wonders why not all residents are being tested in every care home, pointing out the Scottish Conservatives say it falls short of what is required and is three weeks behind an announcement by UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock.

Nicola Sturgeon points out that testing has previously covered residents being admitted to care homes and it has been extended to all staff because, with limited visiting allowed, that is one of the major causes of bringing infection into homes.

Health Secretary Jeane Freeman points out that it is a particularly invasive test and the swabbing is particularly distressing for frail residents and those suffering from dementia. She says that, given the absence of symptoms in a care home, there is no good clinical or ethical reason for testing where there are no residents with symptoms.

WATCH AGAIN: Scottish government media briefing

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Derek Healey from The Courier says the Press & Journal has reported this morning about multiple deaths at a care home in Peterhead. He says the operator of the care home has refused to make public how many people have died from the virus and wonders what steps can be taken to make those operating care homes be as transparent as possible.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon says that local public health teams are working with care homes and will look to ensure there is transparency with local communities.

She points out that care home deaths are reported through the National Records for Scotland figures published every week and the next report is due on Wednesday.

Health Secretary Jeane Freeman promises to look into the incidence in Peterhead this afternoon.

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Chris Musson from The Sun seeks a response to GMB Scotland secretary Gary Smith telling BBC Good Morning Scotland the Scottish government had been “fiddling while the care home sector burns”.

“I just don’t think that is remotely the case,” replies the first minister.

We have taken various steps in care homes, driven by clinical and expert advice, and we will continue to take all appropriate steps to deal with the situation she adds.

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Simon Johnson from the Telegraph queries possible changes in messaging as the Scottish government looks to alleviate restrictions.

The first minister reiterates the message remains the same at the moment.

As we go forward, the definition of ‘essential purposes’ will widen but the stay at home message is expected to remain. “The clarity of the stay at home message is really important,” she adds.

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Vivienne Aitken from the Daily Record asks about the reliability of the test.

Ms Sturgeon explains reliability increases when a person has symptoms. She accepts there are issues around it not being the easiest test to undertake.

Dr Gregor Smith adds the test is over 91% sensitive for people who have symptoms, which is high for this type of test. He also says the test is 100% specific to Covid-19.

Severin Carrell from The Guardian highlights concerns raised by the Scottish Human Rights Commission about breaches of human rights of prison inmates, external during the pandemic.

Ms Sturgeon says respecting and human rights generally is important.

She points to the early release of some prisoners and adds efforts will be made to relieve extra restrictions on those in custody as soon as possible.

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Neil Pooran at PA asks if the first minister has a message for Neil Gaiman or anyone seeking a rural lockdown, after police spoke to the author for breaking Scotland's lockdown rules.

The Good Omens and American Gods writer left his wife and son in Auckland so he could "isolate" at his island retreat on Skye.

It is for the police to decide on their actions and it seems they were right to have that conversation with him, replies the first minister.

Ms Sturgeon says she does not want to personalise this, but says “people should obey the rules” as they are in place to protect public health and suppress the virus.

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Alan Smith from Bauer highlights Mental Health Awareness Week and asks what help is being offered to those who need specialist help.

The first minister says: “I think it is important that we all mark Mental Health Awareness Week, today is the start of that."

My message to people is “that it’s OK not to feel OK right now”, she reiterates.

Ms Sturgeon accepts: “It’s a very, very difficult time.”

"Possibly the most difficult time any of us have ever lived through."

You are not on your own, with many people feeling the same, she adds.

The first minister says the most important thing is to find that route map back to some kind of normal.

The health secretary highlights mental health advice and resources at NHS Inform , externaland at the Clear Your Head campaign website, external.

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Health Secretary Jeane Freeman says she does not think a care home worker should be afraid of a loss of income if they test positive.

Ms Freeman says the 3.3% uplift from the 1 April was in part to allow the real living wage to be paid, but it was also to cover the additional sick pay cost for staff in the independent or third sector sick, or those looking after others.

She says local authorities have their own clear terms and conditions in terms of sick pay, which is more than statutory sick pay.

The health secretary calls on unions and providers of care to come to her and discuss how this situation can be improved.

Peter McMahon, from ITV Border, points out that there are relatively few people from Dumfries and Galloway in the Scottish Borders in hospital or intensive care because of Covid-19 and wonders if that will allow for different restrictions being lifted at different times in different parts of Scotland.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon says she has not ruled anything out but also has not yet decided to take a regional approach.

She stresses that she hopes to have a phased approach to take the whole country out of lockdown in the coming weeks.

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Fraser Knight from Global says the addition of the new symptom of loss of smell or taste will lead to a lot more people having to stay at home.

He warns self-isolating and staying on sick pay really isn't sustainable for some families.

Will the Scottish government help pay their wages, particularly if facing repeated self-isolation?

Yes replies the first minister, pledging her government will be looking at all of that.

She says that is why "Support" has been added to the "Test, Trace, Isolate and Support" strategy.

James Matthews, from Sky, asks about the Nike conference in Edinburgh in late February and its aftermath. He says a number of people in Glasgow suffered symptoms of Covid-19, they were not contact traced and they learned about the outbreak in the media. Mr Matthews asks the first minister if she failed in her duty of care to them and whether she failed in her effort to suppress the virus?

Nicola Sturgeon rejects both charges. She says there were a very small number of people from Scotland at that event and all of these were "reported in our figures in the normal way".

Had the Scottish government revealed that somebody had caught the virus at that event, it would have been breaching patient confidentiality by identifying those people.

She adds that "contact tracing was done rigorously in this situation" and an "instant management team" was set up to manage the situation.

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Ewan Petrie, from STV, asks for more detail on the clinical advice that has changed on the levels of testing in care homes and wonders why it has taken so long considering there have been calls for this for several weeks.

Health Secretary Jeane Freeman does not accept that it has taken "so long". She says the Scottish government has taken the right clinical advice and taken the decision at the right time.

The evidence she has relied on to make the latest decision is that the route for the virus into a care home is primarily through those who work there.

She says it therefore makes sense that, even in a home that does not have a case, the staff are regularly tested. Steps would then be taken to test residents if they consented.

Health Secretary Jeane Freeman announces all care home staff will be offered testing regardless of symptoms and regardless of whether there is an ongoing outbreak at their place they work.

This testing will need to be ongoing and repeated, she adds.

Further details will be set out by the health secretary in Parliament tomorrow.

Ms Freeman also confirms free parking at three car parks for hospital staff has been extended to the end of September.

The BBC's Lisa Summers asks the first minister, since the key to easing lockdown is widespread testing and tracing, how low levels of the virus need to be for the Scottish government to be confident that contact tracing will work sufficiently and efficiently and whether it will have to adopt other measures like the mobile app being trialled in England.

Nicola Sturgeon says the Scottish government needs a test, trace, isolate system that is flexible enough to adapt if there is spike in transmissions.

Health boards already have 600 contact tracers "ready to go" and the Scottish government intends to have that workforce up to 2,000 by the end of May. It might be that not all will be needed if the virus has been sufficiently suppressed.

Ms Sturgeon adds that it is building a system that is not dependent on the app but based on traditional methods of testing and tracing. However, she says that, if satisfied that it can be integrated sufficiently with the Scottish system, it could enhance it in the future.

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Interim chief medical officer Dr Gregor Smith explains anosmia is the loss of a normal sense of smell. It can also affect sense of taste because the two senses are so closely linked, he says.

Dr Smith highlights that for many a change to taste and smell has been the earliest symptom and therefore may allow those with Covid-19 to be identified earlier.

He adds anosmia may not always be caused by coronavirus but on balance it has been agreed it will help early identification.

The interim CMO says people must stay home for seven days and, if symptoms persist, call NHS 24 on 111.