Michelle Roberts
Health editor, BBC News online

UK experts were keen to get the good news out as soon as possible that a steroid called dexamethasone could save the lives of people seriously ill with coronavirus.

Drug trial findings are usually published in a medical journal after being evaluated or "peer-reviewed" by other experts but that takes time. The investigators behind the dexamethasone study say that as soon as it became clear that the results were so significant and of instant global importance they went public.

All of the usual checks and measures will still happen but, in the meantime, lives can be saved if doctors start giving the drug to the sickest patients who could benefit.

Dexamethasone is cheap and widely available and, according to the research, cuts the risk of death by a third for patients on ventilators. The UK already has a stockpile of 200,000 doses that are “ready to go” for National Health Service patients.

The drug is generic which means there won't be the issue of big pharmaceutical companies charging lots of money for it - something that can happen with new drugs. And it’s easy to make, meaning production can be scaled up quickly to get it out to more patients around the world.

The daily UK government press conference is due to start shortly.

It'll be led by Prime Minister Boris Johnson. He'll be joined by Sir Patrick Vallance, the UK government's chief scientific adviser, and Peter Horby, professor of emerging infectious diseases and global health at the University of Oxford.

We expect them to talk about today's announcement of successful trials of a drug to treat coronavirus and the PM can expect questions about the school meals u-turn.

You can follow live updates here, or stay here on this live page and watch the briefing with us on the BBC News channel.

The latest review of Scotland's lockdown is to be held on Thursday, with the first minister saying she would "hope and expect" that Scotland could move to the second phase of her government's "route map", external.

Image source, bbc

The Scottish government has identified four phases for easing the restrictions, external:

Phase 1: Virus not yet contained but cases are falling. From 28 May you should be able to meet another household outside in small numbers. Sunbathing is allowed, along with some outdoor activities like golf and fishing. Garden centres and drive-through takeaways can reopen, some outdoor work can resume, and childminding services can begin.

Phase 2: Virus controlled. You can meet larger groups outdoors, and meet another household indoors. Construction, factories, warehouses, laboratories and small shops can resume work. Playgrounds and sports courts can reopen, and professional sport can begin again.

Phase 3: Virus suppressed. You can meet people from more than one household indoors. Non-essential offices would reopen, along with gyms, museums, libraries, cinemas, larger shops, pubs, restaurants, hairdressers and dentists. Live events could take place with restricted numbers and physical distancing restrictions. Schools should reopen from 11 August.

Phase 4: Virus no longer a significant threat. University and college campuses can reopen in full, mass gatherings are allowed. All workplaces open and public transport is back at full capacity.

About 1.3 million children in England will be able to claim free school meal vouchers during the holidays, after a campaign by footballer Marcus Rashford.

The Manchester United forward, 22, welcomed the six-week voucher for eligible children, saying: "Look at what we can do when we come together."

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said the move was a "welcome U-turn".

Prime Minister Boris Johnson praised Mr Rashford's "contribution to the debate around poverty".

Nicola Sturgeon was leading the Scottish government briefing as Number 10 announced the change and said: "I would take the opportunity to pay tribute to Marcus Rashford for the very powerful case he has made, which I certainly read yesterday."

Image source, Lydia Bourhill

The owners of Glasgow’s Rotunda building in Finneston say they hope to open the city’s “biggest beer garden” as soon as lockdown restrictions allow.

The Cranside Kitchen will be open seven days a week with a food market and beer garden.

An area currently used for parking and private patios will be converted into a new outdoor space under the plans, which have been submitted to Glasgow City Council.

Restaurateur Toni Carbajosa said the company had been working with the local authorities and licensing board to make sure the venue would be in line with government guidelines.

"We believe that a beer garden will be a great addition for the iconic site. If the first minister stands up on Thursday and makes the announcement we’ll be ready to go – hopefully within 24 hours,” he said.

Holyrood Live
BBC Parliaments

Tory MSP Donald Cameron says: “The United Kingdom is Scotland’s insurance policy and it has paid out in full and on time.”

We accept the pandemic is a unique event and therefore a unique response is required, Mr Cameron says.

But he argues the fiscal framework is working “as it should” by protecting the Scottish budget from UK-wide shocks. Any differential impact is for the Scottish government to deal with, he adds.

Labour MSP Jackie Baillie says the immediate emphasis should be on maximising the resources being used to support Scotland’s economy and these must then be marshalled into a strategy.

She suggests demands for more borrowing would land better if there was clarity on what that cash will be used for. However, she says the fiscal framework is bad for the Scottish government and agrees more flexibility is needed.

Ms Baillie concludes by calling for more funding for local authorities so they can better support people through this crisis.

Image source, Erskine Care Home

Three residents with a combined age of 260 have turned their lockdown isolation keep-fit sessions into a 500-mile cycling challenge to raise money for their Glasgow care home.

Alistair Chambers, aged 94, 84-year-old Alexander Bremner and Charles Connor, who is 82, are spinning an average of 14 miles per day on the Dorchester Avenue Home's exercise bike and have already smashed their fundraising target of £100.

RAF veteran Alex, from Bearsden, says: “It’s really good to be doing some exercising again, especially just now when we aren’t able to be going out and about.”

Army veteran Chic, from Glasgow, says it gave him time to do some bird watching - the feathered kind - while para veteran Alistair, from Tighnabruaich, points out it has had the added benefit of increasing his appetite.

"Proud" home manager Gordon Johnston adds: “It has been difficult for them not being able to go out from the home and being separated from their loved ones, so this is so worthwhile."

Finance Secretary Kate Forbes has been outlining the details of the £230m Return to Work package at Holyrood. The initiative covers construction, low carbon projects, digitisation and business support .

It is funded by the reallocation of underspends from schemes interrupted by COVID-19.

New projects featured in the package include:

• £51 million for business support, including boosting high growth companies
• £78 million for construction, including £40 million for regeneration projects and £20 million for roads maintenance
• £66 million to kick-start our green recovery, including £7 million to equip buses for physical distancing and the return to work
• £35.5 million for digitisation, including justice and education services

Holyrood Live
BBC Parliaments

Image source, PA Media

Scotland’s finance secretary confirms the Scottish government has created a 2020-21 Return to Work package, worth £230m.

This was announced by the first minister at her daily briefing earlier this afternoon.

Ms Forbes explains some of this will be used to invest in a “digital transformation”, while £87m will go towards bolstering the pipeline of the construction industry.

Other investment will be in schemes to support the transition to a net-zero emissions economy.

“This is only phase one of our economic response as people go back to work. Larger programmes will follow,” she confirms.

Drivetime with Fiona Stalker
BBC Radio Scotland

Fiona Stalker is in the Drivetime hot seat today, here's what 's coming up on the programme:

• Researchers say that a cheap and accessible steroid drug could be a major breakthrough in the fight against the disease.
• Unemployment in Scotland has risen to 4.6%. The number of people out of work between February and April rose by 30,000. But the first minister has warned that this is probably an underestimate. The programme will be speaking to people who have lost their jobs due to Covid-19.
• Fiona will also be speaking to the pub owners preparing to re-open. What will a trip to the boozer be like this summer?

Holyrood Live
BBC Parliaments

Finance Secretary Kate Forbes says the fiscal framework – the financial arrangements underpinning tax and welfare powers given to the Scottish Parliament in 2016 – was not designed with a pandemic or economic emergency in mind.

She argues it is “not fit for the purpose of flexible budget management” which is necessary in order to invest in the economy, communities and public services after the pandemic.

Ms Forbes argues without extra cash the Scottish government will have to choose between not funding key sectors of the economy or making deep cuts elsewhere, both of which will “undermine” the economy.

The finance secretary describes that as “planning for recovery with one hand behind out back,” though she does emphasise the cash from Barnett consequentials so far has been welcome.

She argues Scotland must be able to benefit from borrowing and current low rates.

Image source, Getty Images

A cheap and widely available drug can help save the lives of patients seriously ill with Covid-19.

The low-dose steroid treatment dexamethasone is a major breakthrough in the fight against the deadly virus, UK experts say.

The drug is part of the world's biggest trial testing existing treatments , externalto see if they also work for coronavirus.

It cut the risk of death by a third for patients on ventilators. For those on oxygen, it cut deaths by a fifth.

Had the drug been used to treat patients in the UK from the start of the pandemic, up to 5,000 lives could have been saved, researchers say.

Scotland's interim chief medical officer, Dr Gregor Smith, today said he was working with colleagues in England to assess the trials and how the drug might be used here when available.

Read more here.

Holyrood Live
BBC Parliaments

Finance Secretary Kate Forbes is outlining where the £230m of support for the economy, announced by the first minister earlier, will be spent.

You can watch the proceedings at Holyrood here on the live page with us.

Climate Change Secretary Roseanne Cunninghame is answering questions at Holyrood, after the Scottish government missed its greenhouse gas emissions target.

Earlier in the Scottish government coronavirus briefing David Bol, from The Herald, wondered if the 2045 net zero target is realistic and if businesses would still be able to play their part considering the strain on the economy because of the pandemic.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon replied: "Absolutely, I believe the net zero target is realistic and it's essential we meet it because the climate crisis has not gone away because of the pandemic.

"If anything, as we come out of this, it becomes more important that we complete that transition to a net zero economy and society.

"It is also a key part of our recovery programme from the pandemic."

Image source, Getty Images

A man jailed for four months for coughing in the faces of police officers during the Covid-19 lockdown has had his sentence increased.

Iain Lindsay, 48, admitted a charge of engaging in culpable and reckless conduct and endangering the lives of the officers at Inverness Sheriff Court in May

Crown lawyers argued that the four-month term was too lenient - and judges have now increased his sentence to 10 months in prison.

Read more

Image source, CHC

Helicopter firm CHC is consulting with staff and unions over job losses.

CHC said about 47 UK posts could be affected, with about half of those based in Aberdeen.

Mark Abbey, regional director for Europe, Middle East and Africa, said: "This has been an incredibly difficult decision but it is necessary for us to respond to challenging market conditions."

The posts involved include engineering and flight personnel.

Image source, PA Media

Conservative MSP Jamie Greene says that parents are "angry" over a lack of answers to "fundamental questions" about their children's education in the new academic year.

He accused the government of showing a lack of leadership over the matter.

Mr Greene asks the Education Secretary John Swinney to explain when the "blended learning" approach - that includes a mix of home and school learning - will end and normal classroom teaching returns.

Mr Swinney could not give a date, but he promised a return to normality "as quickly as it is safe" to do so.

He added that the Scottish government was working with a whole range of interested parties, including local government, unions and schools, to produce the best solution during restrictions resulting from the coronavirus pandemic.