From Wednesday 15 July:

• Indoor hospitality in pubs and restaurants will return on "a limited basis" and subject to several conditions
• It is essential that the guidance on health and safety is followed rigorously including customer contact details
• Where mitigating measures are in place the exemption from the 2m rule is allowed

• All holiday accommodation permitted (following relevant guidance)

• Museums, galleries, cinemas, monuments, libraries can reopen - with physical distancing and other measures
• All childcare providers can open subject to individual provider arrangements
• Hairdressers and barbers will be able to reopen - with enhanced hygiene measures - guidance will be published later this week

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

From Monday 13 July:

• Non-essential shops inside shopping centres will be able to reopen
• Children and young people will also be allowed to play organised outdoor contact sports
• Dentists will be able to see patients for some routine treatments, and optometrists can begin to scale up work
• A woman can have a designated person accompany them to ante and post natal appointments
• In addition to their birth partner, they can designate one other person to attend the birth and make ante and post natal ward vists

The risk of transmitting the virus indoors is significantly higher than it is outdoors.

The first minister says for that reason: "It is essential that we all take great care and strictly follow all of the public health advice.

"That means keeping two metres distant from people in other households; being very careful to clean surfaces after you touch them; and washing your hands regularly, especially when you first enter someone’s house.

"At all times try to avoid creating bridges that allow the virus to spread from one household to another.

"We are also advising that, between indoors and outdoors activity, adults don’t meet with people from any more than four different households in any single day

"Finally, from tomorrow, we will change the guidance so that people who are part of a non-cohabiting couple - regardless of their living arrangements - no longer need to stay physically distant from each other, indoors or outdoors."

Ms Sturgeon moves on to other changes that do not apply to those who are shielding.

Children under 12 no longer have to physically distance when outdoors. From tomorrow, that will apply indoors too.

However, for adults and - for the time being - older children, the advice to keep a two metre physical distance from people in other households will remain.

Image source, Getty Images

The general rules on household gatherings will, from tomorrow, be as follows:

• A maximum of 15 people from up to five different households can meet together outdoors
• The advice is to remain two metres distant from people in households other than your own.
• Limited indoor gatherings will also be permitted.
• A maximum of eight people, from up to three different households can meet indoors
• To be clear, that is the household whose house the gathering is in and people from up to two additional households.
• As long as physical distancing between different households is maintained, this can include overnight stays.

She says this is one of the most high risk changes made so far so it is essential all public health advice is followed.

The first minister tells the chamber: "We intend to take the same staggered approach to phase three as we did to phase two.

The first changes - relating to the ability of different households to meet up together - will take effect from tomorrow

Ms Sturgeon reminds us of the important changes for people who are shielding from tomorrow.

People shielding will no longer be asked to physically distance from people they live with

They will be able to form an extended household if they live on their own or with children under the age of 18.

Today’s routemap includes a link to the additional changes the government hopes to make to the shielding advice up to the end of July.

Image source, PA Media

The first minister says the wearing of face coverings in shops should not need to be enforced it, but the police can issue fines for anyone not complying.

Ms Sturgeon stresses: "The virus has not gone away. It is still out there. And it is just as infectious and just as dangerous as it ever was."

She highlights the necessity of everyone following the rules in the public health campaign FACTS:

• Face coverings in enclosed spaces
• Avoid crowded places
• Clean hands and surfaces regularly
• Two metre distancing; and
• Self-isolate and book a test if you have symptoms.

For public transport and the retail sector, the exception to the 2m rule will be permissible from tomorrow, with required mitigations in place.

The first minister tells the chamber: "I also want to remind everyone that face coverings - already mandatory on public transport - will from tomorrow be mandatory in shops as well.

"There will be some exemptions – for young children, people with certain health conditions and for staff in some circumstances.

"For the vast majority of us, however, it will be the law that we wear face coverings in shops.

"Wearing a face covering on a bus, train or in a shop should, for the foreseeable future, become as automatic as putting on a seatbelt in a car."

Image source, Getty Images

The latest modelling suggests that the R number remains below 1, confirms the first minister.

It has been between 0.6 and 0.8 for most of the last month.

The estimate for the number of people who are infectious in Scotland for last week is 1,000.

Ms Sturgeon says prevalence of the virus in Scotland is at this stage several times lower than it is across the UK as a whole.

She says: "I can confirm that it is the judgment of the government that we can now move from phase 2 to phase 3 of the routemap.

"I can also confirm that we will allow – in a limited number of sectors – an exception to be made to the requirement for two metre physical distancing. However, this will be subject to strict conditions tailored to the circumstances of each sector.

"And let me stress the term ‘exception’ - the general rule remains two metres."

Ms Sturgeon says: "The statistical trends are clear. In Scotland, Covid has now been suppressed to a low level."

The daily average number of cases is just around seven a day now

Three weeks ago, there were more than 540 people in hospital with confirmed COVID. The figure today is 342.

And there are now just thre patients with confirmed COVID in intensive care.

The number of people dying has also fallen week on week – as is shown in our daily statistics, and also in the weekly reports from National Records of Scotland.

Nicola Sturgeon confirms the move to "phase three" of her government's route map out of lockdown.

Since yesterday, an additional six cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed, which takes the total number to 18,315.

A total of 646 patients are currently in hospital with suspected or confirmed COVID-19, which is a decrease of 121 since yesterday.

That includes a decrease of 16 in the number of confirmed cases.

As of last night, nine people were in intensive care with confirmed or suspected COVID-19, which is a decrease of two of on the number reported yesterday.

In the past 24 hours, no deaths have been registered of patients who had been confirmed as having the virus.

The total number of deaths in Scotland under that measurement therefore remains at 2,490.

The first minister begins: "The Scottish government is required by law to review lockdown restrictions at least every three weeks.

"The latest review falls due today, and so I will set out our decisions and the next steps in our careful and cautious exit from lockdown."

Image source, PA Media

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon will address parliament at 12:20 BST to outline plans for phase three in the government's "route map" out of the coronavirus lockdown.

You can watch or listen to the Holyrood session here and we will bring you updates on all of the key points.

Image source, PA Media

Nicola Sturgeon will shortly confirm Scotland will formally enter the next phase of the government's "route map" out of the coronavirus lockdown.

The first minister will update Holyrood from 12.20pm.

From Friday 10 July:

• The wearing of face coverings in shops will become mandatory from Friday
• Measures to protect people shielding in Scotland because of a pre-existing medical condition are to be eased
• People will be able to meet in extended groups outdoors, and meet a maximum of two other households indoors, from Friday 10 July

• While the government's advice remains that people should continue to follow the two metre physical distancing rules, some exemptions will be possible for shops, pubs, restaurants and public transport
• The distance could be reduced to one metre if other steps are taken, such as installing perspex screens and enhanced ventilation

Coronavirus (COVID-19): Scotland's route map - indicative dates for the remainder of Phase 2 and early Phase 3, external

Easing lockdown rules in Scotland: BBC Scotland article: What will change next - and when?

Mornings with Kaye Adams
BBC Radio Scotland

Image source, PA Media

How do you stop your glasses steaming up when you're wearing a mask?

That was the question to Jillian Evans, divisional general manager of public health at NHS Grampian, ahead of tomorrow's introduction of mandatory face coverings in Scotland's shops.

"There are a few things you can do and one tip is to put your glasses in soapy water and let them dry out by themselves and that creates this thin anti-fog layer on the lens," she tells BBC Radio Scotland.

"The other thing is anti-mist wipes - you can get wipes from opticians and chemists."

Ms Evans also suggests finding a mask that fits tightly, particularly tightly around the bridge of the nose, or manipulating your glasses to sit on top of the mask.

There also various forms of wiring that can be fitted under the cloth to lightly pinch the nose.

Image source, Moyra Gray/Deeside Camera Club

Aboyne Highland Games has moved three of its piping competitions online.

Organisers announced in May that this year’s games were being cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Now, in an effort to provide a platform for solo pipers to play competitively this year, organisers have taken the decision to run a trio of live piping competitions online on Saturday 1 August.

Mornings with Kaye Adams
BBC Radio Scotland

Image source, PA Media

The lockdown has put a strain on good relationships but even more on those that were already under massive stress, relationship psychotherapist Rachel Morris says.

"Basically, when you pile on more, it is either going to topple over or it pushes you to say what do we have to do to stabilise the situation?" she tells BBC Radio Scotland.

"We don't like change. We don't want to be shoved off our spot, but inevitably when we are, it is always for the best.

"If a relationship has not been right for years and you've been in denial about that or you've been hiding from it by being busy at work or avoiding one another or been too tired to talk or be intimate then it is easy to drag that on for years.

"But, in the lockdown situation, you might find that all those things that you usually use to hide from the situation weren't there and you were rudely confronted by them.

"In that case, arguments are going to increase, stress is going to increase and ultimately, hopefully, you find yourself in a situation where you say are we doing this or are we going to stop doing this?"

Mornings with Kaye Adams
BBC Radio Scotland

Image source, PA Media

Businesses in more remote areas of Scotland are conscious of the responsibility they have in preventing an influx of infections as well as welcoming back visitors, hotelier Gary Curley suggests.

With the tourism trade opening up again this month, the Sligachan Hotel general manager says most bookings have so far come from the UK but expects more from the rest of the world after yesterday's relaxation of quarantine rules with 57 countries.

"Obviously on the Isle of Skye and some of the Highland communities where we are, there is a worry about a breakout of infections being brought to the island just because our resources and infrastructure are not there to cope with an outbreak," he says.

"So I know that all the businesses that are opening up are doing everything they can to take full responsibility and keep their customers and staff safe, but ultimately it is down to those visiting to stay safe and heed the advice."

Mr Curley, whose hotel sometimes has up to 70% of customers from Europe and the United States, admits that it is a difficult balance between public health and the economic impact of the virus but thinks the Scottish government has so far got it right.

Andrew Black
BBC Scotland Business Presenter

Help to save the hospitality industry from the effects of coronavirus, like a VAT cut and discount meals, have been welcomed by the sector - but there's still concern.

Greig Anderson who owns Moyra Jane’s bistro in Pollokshields, Glasgow, and MJs brasserie, in Williamwood, says it still depends on whether customers are confident enough to come back.

"The straw polls I've been taking recently from friends and takeaway customers aren't good," he told the BBC's Good Morning Scotland programme.

"People aren't keen to sit in an enclosed space, no matter the distancing or mitigation we take."

Scottish restaurants are expected to be allowed to re-open next week, but Greig is planning to hold off a few weeks longer to see how the industry copes.

He added: "People have got to listen to (the chancellor) and think, 'the government are saying it's safe to go, so it's safe to go'."