Good Morning Scotland
BBC Radio Scotland

Asked about the enforcement of new rules on face coverings in shops, the justice secretary said the police would only use enforcement powers as a "last resort".

"But we're really looking at people complying for their own health and the good health of the nation," he said.

The feedback from public transport - where face coverings are already mandatory - is that there is a "positive trend" in terms of compliance, he added.

Good Morning Scotland
BBC Radio Scotland

Humza Yousaf says the actions of Westminster on Friday night - hours after last week's multiple stabbing made his "blood boil".

He tells Good Morning Scotland the UK government told Scottish ministers they were going to make an announcement on Saturday - and they would be able to read it in the weekend papers.

"You can imagine that that made my blood boil," he says.

"That we were dealing with the aftermath of that terrible incident, had been asking for a call that entire week yet had just been told we'd read about it in Saturday's press.

"It made me deeply, deeply angry. At that point, if I was playing politics, I could have gone out to the media and spoken of my deep frustration but I didn't."

He added: "The only reason this has been played out in public is because the UK government has decided to lay the blame on Scotland in a way that characterises much of their handling around some of this pandemic. Instead of looking at public health, they're happy to politicise the issue."

Good Morning Scotland
BBC Radio Scotland

The justice secretary said he was initially given 40 countries to consider for "air bridges" with the UK - but that was increased to just over 70 half an hour before a crucial meeting on Wednesday night.

He told Good Morning Scotland that a number of them had a prevalence point - the proportion of the population that is currently infectious - higher than Scotland.

"It would be only be fair and i think my duty to examine the data behind those countries to see what impact it would have in Scotland," he said.

Mr Yousaf said Scotland's prevalence point was 0.037 - but England's was "five times higher".

"There are some countries on that list that may not be a high risk to England but clearly coming into Scotland, if they're a higher risk then clearly it's going to have a different impact," he said.

Good Morning Scotland
BBC Radio Scotland

Image source, Getty Images

A row has broken out between Westminster and Holyrood over the so-called "air bridges" to countries which are safe enough to avoid quarantine.

The UK government is expected to publish a list of 75 countries later today which will be exempt from the current restrictions - but the changes will not apply to the whole of Britain.

Scottish Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf told Good Morning Scotland that he was "to put it politely, fairly frustrated" by the UK government approach to the issue.

He is in favour of a four-nations approach but he criticised the role of Westminster.

"It's been so frustrating that the information that the UK has wanted us to consider is either being given to us the night before they intend to make an announcement, including last night when I was told they were going to make this announcement," he said.

"Or indeed given to us 30 minutes before a meeting - with substantial changes. And of course that is no way to get any kind of agreement."

He said more than 30 of the 75 countries were "of moderate risk" and the Scottish government wanted time to consider the public health impact before reaching a "quick and swift" decision.

"It's quite disappointing that we haven't been given the courtesy of working together in that four nations approach," he said.

Image source, getty images

The departure boards at Scotland's airports are beginning to fill up again as airlines restart the services stopped during lockdown.

At the height of the coronavirus crisis, daily airline passenger numbers were in the hundreds.

But now dozens of overseas routes are being reconnected at the country's main airports.

This includes a number of major European cities and popular tourism destinations.

Read more.

Good Morning Scotland
BBC Radio Scotland

From today people can not only travel more than five miles from home, but can then stay overnight when they get there if accommodation is self contained.

It means the country's self catering properties will be able to welcome visitors back once again after months of coronavirus enforced lockdown.

Fiona Campbell, chief executive of the Association of Scotland's Self-Caterers, told Good Morning Scotland they have seen a huge spike in bookings.

Good Morning Scotland
BBC Radio Scotland

People who do not wear face coverings in shops from 10 July could be hit with a £60 fine - but Nicola Sturgeon has said policing of the new rules will be proportionate and sensible.

Dr Nick McKerrell, a senior law lecturer from Glasgow Caledonian University, told Good Morning Scotland that only Police Scotland - which is already over-stretched - could be expected to enforce the rule.

"There's obviously a thought in the government when they make something mandatory, it changes behaviour," he said.

"People will act in a way when they know there's a legal enforcement behind it, even if the policing of it is difficult. Behavioural science tells us that if you say this is mandatory, people are more likely to do it."

Scotland's papers feature new rules over mandatory face coverings in shops, and the fallout from the arrest of Ghislaine Maxwell.

See our full review here

Image source, SNS

People arriving in England from countries including France, Spain, Germany and Italy will no longer need to quarantine from 10 July, the Department for Transport has confirmed.

A full list of exempt countries posing "a reduced risk" from coronavirus will be published on Friday.

Most travellers to the UK currently have to self-isolate for two weeks.

The Foreign Office is also changing its advice against all but essential travel to a number of countries from Saturday.

However, each UK nation sets its own quarantine rules, so they may be relaxed for some parts of the UK but not others.

Where will I be able to go without quarantining?

Read more here.

Good Morning Scotland
BBC Radio Scotland

Image source, PA Media

After Nicola Sturgeon announced yesterday that it will be mandatory to wear face coverings in shops from next week, a public health specialist has been explaining the science behind the decision.

Dr Poppy Lamberton, of Glasgow University, told Good Morning Scotland that scientists have found that 45% of transmission of the virus happens in the two days before someone becomes symptomatic.

"When you cough and sneeze or laugh and talk, little droplets will be expelled from your mouth and they will travel and land on anything they have contact with - that's another person, or a clothing rail in a shop, or a handle on a bus, for example," she said.

"If you're wearing a mask, then the distance that anything travels or amount that comes out is greatly reduced."

She added that the test and trace system would not be able to pick up these contacts - so face coverings were an extra layer of protection.

Image source, Getty Images

Bill Porteous, a Fife councillor, told Good Morning Scotland that many young people in the region would lose their jobs in the hospitality sector if the tourism sector did not open up to visitors.

He said the region was "open and welcoming" to tourists but urged them to follow guidelines on restricting the spread of coronavirus.

"We will certainly welcome visitors of all types... but we hope that they will maintain social distance, stay alert and they keep safe - for themselves and us," he added.

Good Morning Scotland
BBC Radio Scotland

Image source, Getty Images

From today people are going to be able to travel more than five miles from home and be able to stay in accommodation that is completely contained.

It means people will be able to escape the cities for second homes in some of Scotland's more rural areas, like the Isle of Skye.

Fiona Thomson, from Portree and Braes Community Trust, told Good Morning Scotland that the island would give visitors a cautious welcome.

Image source, SNS

The five-mile travel limit has been lifted and self-contained holiday accommodation can now reopen as virus restrictions in Scotland are eased.

Visits to care homes can also now resume and physical distancing rules for young people have been relaxed.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon urged Scots to "behave responsibly" and be "sensitive" to rural communities.

The changes to the travel rules do not apply in parts of Dumfries and Galloway due to a local outbreak of Covid-19.

Read more here

• The use of face coverings will become mandatory in shops in Scotland from 10 July
• The 2m physical distancing rule will be eased for some premises from 10 July - but the general advice on physical distancing remains unchanged
• However, exemptions for specific sectors like hospitality, retail and public transport will be made where a 1m distance could be used if other safety measures are introduced
• Guidance not to travel more than five miles for leisure purposes is to be kept in place around the cross-border coronavirus cluster of 11 case in southern Scotland and north west England

Image source, Reuters

Welcome to our live coverage of how Covid-19 is affecting Scotland.

The first minister has confirmed a number of measures to help ease lockdown in Scotland that come into effect today:

• People will be able to travel for more than five miles for leisure or recreation - although that restriction will remain in force in parts of south west Scotland, where a cluster of cases has been identified
• The use of self-contained holiday accommodation - such as cottages, lodges and caravans with no shared services - will also be allowed, along with second homes
• Children under the age of 12 will no longer have to follow distancing rules when meeting other children or adults outdoors
• Those aged 12 to 17 will still need to obey distancing rules, but there will no longer be a limit on the number of different groups they can meet during a day
• Children in both age groups will still be restricted to meeting outside in groups of up to eight people from no more than three households.