Summary

  • Nicola Sturgeon confirms that her "route map" to lifting lockdown will be published on Thursday with restrictions likely to be eased from 28 May

  • The first minister has also confirmed that testing will be available to anyone with symptoms over the age of five

  • Loss of smell or taste are added to the UK's list of coronavirus symptoms that people should look out for and self-isolate with

  • NHS Fife, NHS Lanarkshire and NHS Highland begin trials of a contact tracing system in Scotland

  • Health Secretary Jeane Freeman promises that 2,000 test and trace workers will be "ready to be deployed" on 1 June

  • Latest figures show 2,105 patients in Scotland have died after testing positive for Covid-19.

  • About 41% of care homes have Covid-19 cases, Ms Freeman confirms

Live Reporting

BBC Scotland News

  1. "NHS tracing app will be useful as lockdown is eased"

    Good Morning Scotland
    BBC Radio Scotland

    Public health expert Linda Bauld tells GMS that people could be put into self-isolation over and over again if they are notified through the contact tracing service that they have been in contact with someone who has tested positive for Covid-19.

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  2. Scotland's papers: Coronavirus care home testing and vaccine hopes

    Front pages

    Several of Scotland's front pages focus on the situation in care homes. There are calls for testing to be rolled out to all homes - even if there are no suspected cases of coronavirus.

    Others focus on the claim that if researchers in Oxford are successful in developing a vaccine then 30 million Britons could receive it in the autumn.

  3. Contact tracing pilot to begin - but how does it work?

    Good Morning Scotland
    BBC Radio Scotland

    woman holding phoneGetty Images

    Contact tracing technology is to be piloted by three health boards as part of the Scottish government's test, trace and isolate policy to contain the coronavirus.

    The trial, which is expected to last two weeks, will be carried out by NHS Fife, NHS Lanarkshire and NHS Highland.

    Ministers have faced criticism for the recruitment process for the roles, but the health secretary says she's confident they will take on the 2,000 staff needed.

    Public health expert Prof Linda Bauld, told Good Morning Scotland how it will work.

    If you've got symptoms and you have been tested, for example, if you are a key worker, if you are positive you will be asked through a secure layer that protects your data who you've been in contact with. Those people will be sent a text or will be phoned to invite them for a test or to track their symptoms.

    Linda Bauld, Professor i canin Public Health, Edinburgh University

  4. Coronavirus is hitting women hardest in the workplace

    Good Morning Scotland
    BBC Radio Scotland

    Women will be harder hit by disruptions to the labour market as a result of Covid-19, according to a report by the charity, "Close the Gap" which works to address women's inequality at work.

    It says Scotland must have an economic recovery plan that recognises the disproportionate effects on women’s employment.

    Close the Gap's executive director, Anna Ritchie Allan, tells the BBC women are more likely to work in sectors that have been shut down.

    woman in an officeGetty Images

    Men and women tend to do different types of work with women more likely to be working in a sector that's been shut down, for example, hospitality or retail, and this means they are at greater risk of unemployment and to date across the UK we have seen more women lose their jobs. But because many of these service sector jobs are low paid and often precarious women are particularly hurt by having their hours cut or being furloughed on 80% of their pay and this will push many women into poverty.

    Anna Ritchie Allan, Evecutive Director, Close The Gap

  5. Who is behind Glasgow's Covid street art?

    nurse graffitiThe Rebel Bear

    While Scotland has been under lockdown, Glasgow's street artists have been trying to reflect the mood of the nation.

    Using city centre buildings as their canvas, painted murals pay tribute to the NHS while others urge fellow citizens to stay safe.

    But who are the artists responsible for the images that have brightened up the city's deserted streets?

    Read more here.

  6. Women will be 'harder hit' by labour market disruptions

    woman cutting hairGetty Images

    Women will be harder hit by disruptions to the labour market as a result of Covid-19, according to a report.

    The analysis is by the charity, "Close the Gap" -- which works to address women's inequality at work.

    It says Scotland must have an economic recovery plan that recognises the disproportionate effects on women’s employment.

    Close the Gap's executive director, Anna Ritchie Allan, said women were more likely to work in sectors that have been shut down:

  7. Deaths at Peterhead care home

    Kirkburn care homeGoogle

    A number of residents at an Aberdeenshire care home have died with coronavirus, it has been confirmed.

    However, it's not known how many of the residents at Kirkburn in Peterhead have died.

    The home looks after private residents and those placed there by the local authority, and offers specialist nursing and dementia care.

    In a statement, its operator Barchester said that it has had individuals confirmed with Covid-19 and that some had died. It said it was in regular contact with Health Protection Scotland and the local authority.

  8. Coronavirus in Scotland - how many cases are there?

    A graph of Scotland's coronavirus deaths

    Public Health Scotland figures show that 2,103 patients in Scotland have died after a positive test for Covid-19, although the actual number of deaths is known to be far higher.

    Weekly data published by the National Records of Scotland (NRS) shows that up until 10 May, there were 3,213 deaths registered in Scotland.

    The NRS figures are higher because they include all cases where Covid-19 is mentioned on a death certificate, even if the patient had not been tested. The PHS figures are based on the deaths of those who had tested positive for the virus.

    The first coronavirus death in Scotland was reported by NHS Lothian on 13 March.

    Read more here.

  9. Contact tracing technology trialled at three health boards

    An NHS workerGetty Images

    Existing NHS staff are being redeployed in readiness for the test and tracing rollout

    A contact tracing system to suppress coronavirus is to be trialled at three health boards across Scotland from today.

    The software will be tested in NHS Fife, NHS Lanarkshire and NHS Highland.

    Earlier this month, the government said testing and tracing would be "key" to the battle against the virus.

    However, it has been revealed that despite 8,000 applications for 2,000 jobs as contact tracers, no-one has yet been hired.

    The Scottish government has opted for a system of alerting people by a telephone call initially, rather than using a smartphone "proximity" app of the kind being trialled elsewhere in the UK.

    But it has not ruled out making use of such proximity technology in future.

    Read more here.

  10. Good morning

    A pedestrian walks past a shuttered restaurant in Glasgow with a mural that reads "Stay Safe"Getty Images

    Good morning and welcome to BBC Scotland's live coverage of the latest news surrounding coronavirus as we enter a ninth week of lockdown.

    Here is a reminder of some recent developments:

    • Latest figures show 2,103 patients in Scotland have died after testing positive for Covid-19.
    • Testing and tracing technology to suppress coronavirus is to be trialled in three health boards from today.
    • Author Neil Gaiman has admitted breaking Scotland's lockdown rules by travelling 11,000 miles from New Zealand to his holiday home on Skye.