At the height of the coronavirus pandemic in April, the BBC reported on the devastating effect the crisis was having on organ transplants in the UK.

A shortage of donors and space in intensive care units meant the transplant programme was struggling to continue. Only the most urgent cases were going ahead and even they were under threat.

In April, the BBC spoke to Ana-Rose Thorpe who desperately needed a liver transplant. As a baby she had been infected with two strains of hepatitis which attacked her liver function. A few weeks after the report, Ana fell seriously ill but then received some good news and a life-changing operation.

The BBC's health correspondent, Dominic Hughes, has been catching up with Ana-Rose’s story.

Image source, Reuters

A petition has been launched in Peterhead amid fears that plans for shoppers to socially distance in town centres could be detrimental to retailers.

Aberdeenshire is following other local authorities around Scotland by pedestrianising streets and widening pavements in preparation for the country easing out of lockdown.

The petition is from some businesses in Peterhead who say the measures will make it too hard for customers to get to them. Aberdeenshire Council says the temporary measures are designed to help protect public health

Meanwhile, Stonehaven Business Association is urging businesses there to get in touch with any concerns.

Mornings with Kaye Adams
BBC Radio Scotland

Image source, PA Media

A children's shoe shop owner has had plastic screens made to measure that allow kids to stay apart from their fitter by sticking their feet through for sizing.

But Elaine Robertson, manager of Ruby Ruby in Dunblane, has been left "frustrated" that she cannot open sooner despite going to such expense and believing she is providing an "essential" service.

She explains that, during lockdown, she has continued to provide a "front door" service, at a social distance, despite it not being cost effective.

"We are desperate to open up," Ms Robertson tells BBC Radio Scotland. "We have full PPE in place and have dividers down the middle of the shop - and dividers between the child sitting on the seat and ourselves, measuring and fitting the shoes.

"We can only accommodate two families at a time, so we have put full-height screens down the centre of the shop so each family is fully protected from each other. It is by appointment only and there is no need for queuing."

Holyrood Live
BBC Parliaments

Image source, PERTH PICTURE AGENCY

Rank-and-file police have demanded that anyone who commits a "Covid-19 assault" should be automatically held in custody until they appear in court.

But James Wolffe explains to the Justice Committee it is not possible to put a blanket rule in place for individuals to be detained under the current statutory framework.

However Scotland's Lord Advocate agrees such offences are "absolutely reprehensible" and commits to dealing with them robustly and rigorously.

Giancarlo Rinaldi
South Scotland reporter, BBC news website

Image source, Ian Findlay

Many people have turned to local firms to deliver essentials during lockdown, but are they likely to stay loyal as restrictions ease?

In Dumfries and Galloway, a study is being carried out to see if Covid-19 is likely to lead to longer-lasting changes in shopping habits.

Local food and drink organisation Savour the Flavours plans to use the information to help small firms - some of which have grown or adapted their business during the pandemic.

In a rural area like Dumfries and Galloway local businesses are now who people can rely on.

Find out more about how a fishmonger, a baker and a dairy farmer have adapted their working and if their new business models can endure.

Mornings with Kaye Adams
BBC Radio Scotland

Image source, PA Media

Fears have been expressed that some retailers are bending "fuzzy" social distancing guidelines as they prepare for a reopening of non-essential shops in Scotland.

KJ Mills, owner of Wedding Planner Bridal Shop in Helensburgh, tells BBC Radio Scotland that a rival has announced on its website that it will be opening on 19 June, hinting that it intends "to see clients".

"Most important to me is that my clients and staff are safe and I really feel we have to follow the regulations," she says. "I do think that the guidelines are very fuzzy and the larger retailers, particularly in my sector, seem to be the ones who are bending it slightly and are making it up.

"As far as I can see, my changing rooms cannot be open until phase three. I could certainly open the shop to speak to people, as appointment only, all socially distanced, we would put in sanitising units and be wearing masks. I certainly will not be allowing people to try on anything.

"I have been slightly concerned that a lot of businesses are kind of bending the rules to suit themselves and it is a bit unfair and I've written to Nicola Sturgeon in this regard."

1. Coronavirus (COVID-) Phase 1: staying at home and away from others (physical distancing), external

This is the guidance for the first phase of easing the lockdown. We are still currently in phase one..

Here's the Scottish government's route map out of lockdown, including the crucial phase two details., external

2. Test and Protect, external

If you have Covid-19 symptoms go immediately to NHS Inform online or phone 0800 028 2816 to book a test

3. NHS Inform, external

The latest from NHS Scotland and the Scottish government, including social distancing, face covering and stay at home advice.

4. Coronavirus (COVID-19): shielding support and contacts, external

5. Support for those at high COVID-19 risk:, external

The helpline is 0800 111 4000

7. Clear Your Head, external: It's ok to not feel yourself right now, here's some great tips to help get you through it.people through the pandemic.

Mornings with Kaye Adams
BBC Radio Scotland

Image source, SNS

The Scottish government is expected to announce on Thursday that more shops will be allowed to open during phase two of its route map out of lockdown, but will the public return to their consumerist ways or will they have had time to reassess?

The first stage is likely to reopen shops up to 800 square metres - and larger shops that can open 800 square metres of their premises.

Scottish Retail Consortium head of policy and external affairs Ewan MacDonald-Russell is most concerned about the damage to the economy as he anticipates being given the green light from First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.

"What we have been saying is that, just like they did for tourism last week, let us know when shops should be ready to open," he tells BBC Scotland. "It lets all the changes to be made in store - and gives customers something to look forward to.

"Alongside the ethical considerations, I think we are all feeling a bit nervous about the economy. We're really concerned that shoppers are going to come back and not really want to spend because they are worried about unemployment and what the future might hold and that might make the economic problems worse."

Image source, Callum O'Dwyer

Twelve weeks after his first Covid-19 symptoms, 28-year-old Callum O'Dwyer is still not better.

A fit and healthy young man, he had no underlying health conditions before he caught the virus.

But after five weeks of fighting of the main symptoms, he could no longer look after himself and had to move in with his parents.

Recovery has taken much longer than he imagined and his ongoing symptoms mean he still can't live on his own or work.

Doctors have told Callum he has post-viral fatigue, a hangover from coronavirus which is affecting many survivors.

Read Callum's story and how Scottish doctor Geraldine McGroarty is still wiped out after being treated in ICU in late March.

Read more here.

Holyrood Live
BBC Parliaments

The backlog of cases awaiting trial will continue to increase until courts can return to pre-Covid capacity, Scotland's lord advocate warns.

James Wolffe QC tells Holyrood's Justice Committee this is despite efforts to harness technology to allow some trials to sit remotely.

Chief executive of COPFS David Harvie confirms that as at 10 June:

• 717 cases were awaiting trial at High Court, up from 390 at the end of March;
• 1,584 cases were awaiting trial at the sheriff and jury courts, up from 460 at the end of March.

The number of outstanding cases at the end of March was already 14% higher than the same time in 2019, while the pandemic has seen a further 11% increase.

On summary trials, Mr Harvie confirms 17,900 were awaiting trial at the end of March. Since then, 21,000 summary complaints have been served - though he adds not all of these will go to trial.

The outstanding summary cases include:

• 49 homicides
• 465 sexual offences
• 182 major crimes

Douglas Fraser
Scotland business & economy editor

Image source, bbc

There’s no obvious reason why Scottish unemployment should have risen faster than other parts of the UK, the rate up by 1.1 percentage points to 4.6% of working age adults.

It could have to do with exposure to the oil and gas downturn, or a bigger dependence on tourism jobs.

That gap doesn’t make it a trend. More notable is how closely Scottish employment and unemployment figures have tracked UK averages in recent months and years.

As unemployment is expected to rise everywhere, to more than double that 4.6% rate, don’t be surprised if the Scotland/UK difference is erased or reversed in the coming months.

So far, the job numbers give us a limited insight into the start of lockdown. Even the claimant count, up by 20,000 to 218,000 in early May, fails to differentiate between those who are out of work and those who are working on reduced hours and low income. Some won’t be claimants for Universal Credit while out of work if their savings are too high to qualify.

None of the numbers tell us what is happening to young people as the academic year ends, but we can be sure this is a very difficult time to be leaving school, college or university and seeking work, or seeking summer jobs. That will be reflected in figures across future months.

The one firm conclusion that can be drawn from today’s figures is that the furlough scheme has worked well in avoiding a sharp surge in unemployment.

That’s at very high cost to the government, and it is probably postponing a reckoning with redundancies as it’s withdrawn - under current plans - and ended by the start of November.

Image source, Getty Images

Scotland's unemployment rate is now the highest among all the UK nations, according to official figures.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said unemployment in Scotland for people over 16 was 4.6%, compared with a UK rate of 3.9%.

Unemployment rose by rose by 30,000 to 127,000 between February and April as lockdown hit the labour market.

Ministers said the figures were a clear indication of the challenge facing Scotland as a result of the pandemic.

Scotland's unemployment rate has gone up from 3.5% in the previous quarter.

Read more here.

Mornings with Kaye Adams
BBC Radio Scotland

One newspaper headline this morning suggests people in Scotland looked on jealously as non-essential shops were allowed to open for the first time in three months in England. But is that true - and for all?

Comedian Jojo Sutherland certainly falls into that camp.

"I was even jealous of the queuing," she tells BBC Radio Scotland. "If all the shops were open, I would have queued at all of them I think.

"I'm in the camp that thinks, if this virus is going to kill me, I'd rather not spend the last weeks of it locked up - I would rather spend all my money before I pop my clogs."

Image source, PA Media

Climate change and environment specialist Zarina Ahmad says: "I'm on the opposite end of that. It just fills me with anxiety with all these people craving to get into the shops and queuing. It's been so nice during lockdown not to have all that hustle and bustle.

"I hate shopping anyway. It bores me, I dread it. On top of that, I've had Covid and that's why it fills me with anxiety to see all these people just dying to get out there and be in close proximity to one another.

"Spreading the disease is as much about how the NHS is able to cope with the number of infected people. It is unfair if you are a doctor or nurse having to make a choice about whether you live or die just because we decided to put ourselves at risk."

Good Morning Scotland
BBC Radio Scotland

Shoppers rushed to the High Street in England as stores re-opened yesterday.

However there's no date for Scotland to do the same.

On Thursday Nicola Sturgeon is expected to give more details on moving to phase two of lockdown easing, which could include small shops opening up.

Larger shops won't be able to re-open until Phase three.

The chairman of Dumfries Retailers Association, says he doesn't think shops in his area are as well prepared for reopening as they should be.

Image source, BILLY MCCRORIE

Image source, SCOTTISH COURTS AND TRIBUNAL SERVICE

MSPs will be considering the re-opening the courts and the prosecution of crime during the Covid-19 pandemic this morning.

The Justice Committee will take evidence from:

• Lord Advocate James Wolffe QC, Lord Advocate
• David Harvie, chief executive of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service

High Court jury trials in Scotland are set to resume next month, with some social distancing measures in place which could see juries watch proceedings from another room.

But the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service has warned this could still leave a backlog of 3,000 cases by next March.

• Read the committee papers, external