Image source, Getty Images

The first minister denies claims in today's press that some health boards across Scotland do not have the contact tracers they need to get the test, trace and protect system fully operational.

It comes after the head of NHS Tayside said the authority only had half the contact tracers it needed.

Nicola Sturgeon says this position is based on analysis that is now two weeks old and that the area now has 70 contact tracers.

She adds that Scotland now has a "pool of more than 2,000".

Image source, PA Media

The Scotsman's Scott Macnab points out that members of the Scottish government's advisory group on economic recovery told MSPs today that the emerging group of Scottish teenagers could have their lives and careers scarred by the crisis and wonders what will be done to help them.

Economy Secretary Fiona Hyslop recalls that she said earlier this week that young people and women will suffer most in the jobs market because of Covid-19 and hopes that particular emphasis on a digital future and a green economy will be particularly helpful for those people.

"We are determined that this generation will not lose out," she adds but points out that the onus is on companies as well as government to ensure that.

Image source, Getty Images

Nicola Sturgeon is asked about the possibility of fraudsters trying to exploit the cold call system used by contact tracers in the new 'test and protect' scheme.

The first minister says Health Protection Scotland have been looking very carefully at the issue. Some of the types of steps being built in may include identifiable numbers, the ability to call tracers back, and receiving a text message in advance so you know you will be called, she says.

Pro Jason Leitch points out that you also get a bar code when you get a test, so it would be a "fairly random act" for fraudsters to phone thousands of people.

Ms Sturgeon adds that the security, privacy and confidentiality of the system is vital to people having confidence in it and therefore it being "as effective as we need it to be".

Image source, Getty Images

Christine Lavelle from The Sun highlights comments from Glasgow GP, Dr Margaret McCartney, who has warned that the test, trace and isolate programme could cause "more harm than good".

It comes after the GP warned that the false postiive rate from coronavirus testing may be up to 30%.

The first minister responds that the government's testing regime should never been seen in isolation and that it will run in tandem with other policies such as social distancing.

Image source, Getty Images

Daniel Sanderson, from the Daily Telegraph, points out that the first minister had warned about giving the public mixed messages and wonders if the Scottish government is in danger of giving mixed messages by standing behind a "Stay At Home" podium but telling people to enjoy a bit more freedom.

Nicola Sturgeon does not think so, stressing that the fundamental message is "stay at home as much as you can".

She says the changes announced yesterday simply extended some of the exceptions to that.

Ms Sturgeon says that nothing she has heard from Transport Scotland this morning so far "justifies the nerves" she has talked about in making the changes.

Scotland chief clinical director, Prof Jason Leitch, says it is for each person individually to take responsibility for their actions as lockdown restrictions are eased.

He likens the spread of the virus to a family tree and how each branch can connect and spread.

He says if people flout the guidelines on an individual basis, it can have a widespread impact.

Image source, Reuters

Fraser Knight, from Global, suggests that the UK chancellor will not extend help to the self-employed in his announcement later today and wonders how the Scottish government will respond.

Scotland's Economy Secretary, Fiona Hyslop, says the job retention scheme was welcomed but admits that the changes likely to be announced "could cause some difficulties" and says she will be writing to Rishi Sunak making sure he understands the needs of the Scottish economy and particularly those in the tourism and oil and gas sectors, which she suggests will take longer to recover.

She points out that the UK self-employed scheme "has just opened" and, just as the job retention scheme has been extended until October, that should be the same for the self-employed scheme.

Ms Hyslop says that, since the UK self-employed scheme did not cover everyone, that was why the Scottish government stepped in to cover the newly self-employed to fill that gap.

Image source, Getty Images

Prof Jason Leitch underlines the five things have not changed as lockdown easing begins.

You must still:

• regularly and thoroughly wash your hands
• keep at least 2m from people outside your own household - this is the only sure way of not being a contact when a tracer phones you
• avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth
• cough into your elbow or a tissue; then discard it and wash your hands
• clean surfaces regularly and thoroughly

The first minister re-emphasises her nervousness at easing lockdown restrictions.

She admits she is not overly concerned about people flagrantly ignoring the advice to stay apart, but at the uncertainty individuals may have in using their own judgement.

Scotland's national clinical director says today "feels like a more hopeful day" as phase one of lockdown easing begins.

But Prof Jason Leitch warns he is also anxious and the timing of phase two is "in no way guaranteed".

He reminds us there are 800 people in hospital with Covid-19, and there are 40 families living with the trauma of a loved one in intensive care with the disease.

And today, care teams will have to tell families that their loved one has died.

"Please do not take phase one lightly," he warns.

Image source, Getty Images

The first minister acknowledges that people may find it difficult to maintain social distancing this weekend when they have not seen loved ones for weeks.

In response to a question from BBC Scotland's David Henderson, she says: "I am not somehow apart from these instincts...It has been hard staying away from my family and not seeing my mum and dad.

However, Nicola Sturgeon insists that by failing to adhere to the guidance and being tempted to hug a loved one, "You will be putting the person you are desperate to hug potentially at risk."

Image source, Getty Images

Nicola Sturgeon says the Scottish government is launching 12 new projects to help small and medium sized businesses and the cabinet secretary will set out more detail shortly.

The first minister announces an additional £20m of government funding for Scotland's new manufacturing institute, bringing total investment to £75m.

The contract for building the new national manufacturing institute has been awarded, she says, and will be operated by the University of Strathclyde.

It will allow businesses to access research and development to "ensure Scotland will remain at the forefront of advanced manufacturing", Ms Sturgeon adds.

Image source, Getty Images

The first minister points out that "manufacturing is vital to Scotland" and thanks the sector for helping the battle against Covid-19.

"Manufacturers have stepped forward to help our response to the crisis," says Nicola Sturgeon.

"Many have stepped up production to help meet demand for things like hand sanitiser and PPE."

She points out that most manufacturers will not be able to start back until phase two of Scotland's route map but will be able to start preparations.

Image source, Getty Images

Nicola Sturgeon reiterates that the new rules, especially about meeting people indoors, are "there for a reason".

"If you go indoors or touch surfaces in another person's house, it creates opportunities for the virus to spread," says the first minister.

She says she doesn't want to see large numbers of people gathering at tourist hotspots this weekend.

"If you go somewhere and find an area crowded, change your plans and go somewhere else instead," Ms Sturgeon adds.

She urges the public to visit the Scottish government website and read the rules, if they are not sure.

Image source, PA Media

Nicola Sturgeon says: "If you are in doubt about whether your plans are within the rules, err for now on the side of caution."

She adds that abiding by the rules will never be as harsh as grieving the loss of a loved one.

Image source, Getty Images

Nicola Sturgeon points out that yesterday she admitted being nervous about the changes and says that it is still the case.

"The reason for that is this - if too many of us change our behaviour a bit more than these changes are designed to allow then we could see the virus spread quickly again and take us back to square one," the first minister says.

"The consequences of that are not just more time spent in lockdown but also measured in lost lives."

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon starts by recapping the changes to social interaction and leisure announced yesterday ahead of "the first weekend for quite some time that people will be able to meet up".

• You and your household can meet another household out of doors, but to a maximum of eight people.
• You must not meet with more than one household at a time - and not more than one household per day.
• Need to stay two metres away and avoid touching the same surfaces.
• If the distance travelled is so far you need to use someone else's bathroom, "don't go".

Nicola Sturgeon confirms 15,327 people have now tested positive for Covid-19, an increase of 39 from yesterday.

In all, 1,216 patients are in hospital with a suspected or confirmed case (down 22), with 40 patients being treated in intensive care (an increase of three).

She said 3,640 people have been discharged from hospital after receiving treatment for the virus since 5 March.

A further 15 people who tested positive have died, taking the total to 2,331 deaths in Scotland by that measure.

Image source, AFP

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon will deliver the latest developments around coronavirus in Scotland shortly.

Joining her at the daily briefing will be Economy, Fair Work and Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop and National Clinical Director Jason Leitch.

You can watch it on the BBC Scotland channel or by clicking on the link above.

Image source, Getty Images

Research led by Glasgow University suggests that black and South Asian people are at higher risk of developing Covid-19.

The findings are based on information about patients in England.

Being male, older and having pre-existing medical conditions have already been established as making you more likely to get Covid-19 more seriously.

Ethnicity was less well understood, but the Glasgow University research shows that not only were black and South Asian people in England more likely to get Covid-19 but they were more likely to get it more severely, needing hospital treatment. That was even taking into account deprivation, which only partly explained the differences.

Black people in England were at highest risk of having a confirmed infection - more than three times more likely than white people.

Read report here., external