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Pupils will not have to physically distance when Scotland's schools return in August, but teachers will, new advice to ministers has suggested.

Ministers have set a target for schools to reopen in full from 11 August.

A new report from advisors, external said "no distancing" should be required between pupils in primary or secondary schools.

But it said staff should stay 2m (6ft 6in) apart from each other, and put on face coverings when coming into closer contact with children.

It is also recommended that "higher risk" group activities like assemblies, choirs and gym and drama classes should not be reintroduced immediately.

Read more here.

The report comes as Scotland's Children's Commissioner warned of a looming "children's rights emergency", citing "grave concerns" about the long-term impact of the pandemic and the lockdown on young people.

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BBC Radio Scotland

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Malita Kilgour and Deanne Todd have been shielding since lockdown began in March as both of them were diagnosed with cancer in 2016.

Malita tells BBC Scotland: "It was very difficult staying in on my own and now lockdown is easing we still need to have our guard up.

"What's going on in your head is the really difficult thing, when you have the anxiety of the illness and treatment and then on top of that you have to deal with not being able to be close to your loved ones."

Deanne says: "I felt secure at the beginning when everyone was at home but my anxiety is growing.

"My safety is dependent on what other people are doing and I can't control that.

"I can see me shielding for the rest of my life."

1. Scotland is now in Phase 3 of the route map out of lockdown, external

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

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 advice, support and contacts, external

5. 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.

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BBC Radio Scotland

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It is "inestimable" what effect the lack of human touch during lockdown will have on younger children, psychotherapist Graham Watts suggests.

"I have no idea what the long-term effects are, but it does worry me, he says.

Mr Watts reveals "how amazing" it was to receive his first cuddle the other other day from his 12-year-old grand-daughter after months of lockdown.

"What that does for us is incredible - the sense of touch," he suggests.

Mr Watts says parents must be careful at this time not to project their own anxiety on to their children.

However, he adds: "If you see a marked change in a child's behaviour then it's time to have a conversation." But "without nagging" or "creating anxiety that wasn't there in the first place".

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BBC Radio Scotland

It is no surprise that a survey by the Action for Children charity found a third of parents feel out of their depth as they are trying to navigate their family through the Covid-19 crisis, psychotherapist Graham Watts tells BBC Radio Scotland.

"This situation has left most of us feeling out of our depth," he says.

"We don't know what to do about it, we don't know how to cope with it, we've never experienced this before ... All the unknowns that are there."

Mr Watts, from the Harvest Clinic in Glasgow, points out that not only are parents feeling out of their depth but they then have to act as carer to younger people with their own anxieties.

"There is a huge upheaval in all our lives and sometimes we cope with it better than others," he says. "There is nobody that's coping with this perfectly because there's no such thing."

12.30pm Scottish government media briefing:

Education Secretary John Swinney joins the first minister at the daily briefing to give an update regarding education.

Pupils will not have to physically distance when Scotland's schools return in August, but teachers will, new advice to ministers has suggested.

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HOLYROOD Covid-19 statements

From 2pm:

• Ministerial Statement (Virtual): Response to Labour Market Statistics
• Ministerial Statement (Virtual): The Care Promise
• Ministerial Statement (Virtual): Transport

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BBC Radio Scotland

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The economic crash that followed lockdown has some winners as well as losers, explains caller Thomas.

He had previously called BBC Radio Scotland when he found himself having problems being furloughed while also being a student - and since had his summer work placement cancelled.

But the environmental health student is previously qualified in pest control and decided to start his own company, Pest Control Environmental Services.

"Once I did that back in April, I have not stood still," he says. "It's been one of the best decisions I've made.

"It was a quick decision, but once I finalised everything, we've been inundated and I've actually had to refuse services and turn customers away. Every cloud has a silver lining."

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BBC Radio Scotland

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"Don't sit and stew. Do something to fill in the gaps."

That's the advice from Brightwork Recruitment director Shan Sabba as he attempts to spread some words of hope to those who find themselves without work after the pandemic lockdown.

He admits that he himself is suffering "Covid-related anxiety" about the future but sees hope in China's economic recovery and thinks the UK will do likewise quicker than from the crash of 2007-08.

Looking at the jobs market, Mr Sabba tells BBC Radio Scotland: "It's moving and it's moving slowly, it's moving in certain sectors.

"Hospitality, culture, non-food retail has all been hit hard and post the furlough scheme there may be further redundancies coming and that's sad to see. What I do see is there is movement in education and training, the legal sector, human resources, health and mental well-being, the digital sector, certain areas of manufacturing and distribution and, of course, food retail."

The recruitment expert's advice is: "Build up your background and keep yourself busy. Don't just look at the sector you want to be in that you know has been hit hard. Look what's out there voluntary."

Yesterday Scotland began its most significant relaxation of coronavirus measures since the country went into lockdown in March.

Hairdressers and barbers, pubs and restaurants, cinemas, tourist attractions and places of worship reopened with strict social distancing rules.

It's been seven days of no deaths reported where a person is confirmed to have had COVID-19, but Nicola Sturgeon says we must still remain hyper-vigilant and follow the rules rigidly.

Read more about the easing of Scotland’s lockdown

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Scientific advice for the safe re-opening of schools and resumption of school transport, external has been published today.

The advice includes a package of measures on hygiene and contact management that must be in place to reduce the transmission of the virus and which will form part of the future guidance.

It has come from the COVID-19 Advisory Sub-Group on Education and Children’s Issues.

The advice also indicates that no physical distancing is required between children and young people in primary and secondary schools.

On school transport, it says dedicated services should be regarded as an extension of the school estate, with physical distancing measures between pupils therefore unnecessary for as long as infection rates in Scotland remain low.

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On Wednesday we reported on positive signs about the viability of a coronavirus vaccine, produced by US pharmaceutical company Moderna.

Following that news, the country's leading expert on infectious diseases has predicted the US should have a coronavirus vaccine by the end of the year.

"I feel good about the projected timetable," Dr. Anthony Fauci told Reuters news agency.

He said he was not "worried" about the idea of China getting there first.

"I think everybody's sort of on the same track," he said. "They're not going to get it particularly sooner than we get it. That's for sure."

Like other scientists, he said many questions remain about coronavirus including how long an immune response provoked by a vaccine would last.

An appeal to help the world's most vulnerable through the coronavirus pandemic was launched by the UK's Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) earlier this week.

Fourteen charities - including Oxfam, Christian Aid, Islamic Relief and the British Red Cross - will join together to ask the British public to donate.

The UK government will double the first £5m of donations.

Much of the money will go to refugee camps, where overcrowding and poor sanitation allows the virus to spread.

DEC's website, external provides more details of its coronavirus appeal and its other current appeals.

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BBC Radio Scotland

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There is light at the end of a darkened stage for Scotland's live entertainment industry, Federation of Scottish Theatre director Jude Henderson suggests while admitting it has been "a heartbreaking time" for her industry.

She believes that, although the Scottish government's recently announced £10m funding boost will initially go to physical theatres, it will filter down to freelances in the form of future commissions.

"The impact on theatre has been immediate and absolutely devastating," she explains. "It started really early for our industry because many of our members had touring work in Asia and China and that work closed instantly.

"Shows were cancelled, they were sent home, there was no insurance money and people lost an entire year's worth of income just overnight."

Venues in Scotland closed around 17 March and Ms Henderson points out that, although theatres have "been doing an enormous amount of work" helping their local communities, selling tickets are their lifeblood.

She says those in the industry have stayed connected through methods like casting workshops but adds: "A huge proportion of our industry are freelancers and they don't show up in statistics of people being made redundant but still have no work."

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UK banks fear up to 800,000 businesses could go bust in the next year if they are unable to defer repayments on government-backed loans.

So the lending industry is suggesting the government converts coronavirus loans into a tax debt repayable over a decade - but only as and when businesses can afford it.

Fergus Walsh
Medical correspondent

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Nobel laureates are among scientists calling for volunteers to be exposed to coronavirus after receiving a vaccine to see if it offers protection.

In an open letter to the head of the US National Institutes of Health, the group says so-called "challenge trials" could accelerate vaccine development.

The Oxford University Covid-19 vaccine programme's director said such studies should be "feasible and informative".

There are now 23 coronavirus vaccines in clinical trials around the world.

Read more

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Yesterday saw the biggest yet easing of lockdown as Scotland moved through Phase 3 of the route map., external

The first minister warned this comes with the biggest risks we have faced so far and called on us all to follow the public health guidelines rigidly.

Here's a reminder of the changes that came in yesterday:

• Hairdressers and barbers were able to reopen - with enhanced hygiene measures.
• Places of worship can now reopen for congregational services, communal prayer and contemplation
• Museums, galleries, cinemas, monuments, libraries can reopen - with physical distancing and other measures

• All childcare providers can open subject to individual provider arrangements
• Indoor hospitality in pubs and restaurants returns on "a limited basis" and subject to several conditions

• Easing of restrictions on attendance at funerals, marriage ceremonies and civil partnership registrations
• All holiday accommodation permitted (following relevant guidance)

What are the other changes to the lockdown rules? Find out here.

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BBC Radio Scotland

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Sophie Aziz is one of the many students to have graduated just in time for the economic crash that followed lockdown.

"I graduated in July and had a lot of work experience lined up and just about everything got cancelled," she says.

Ms Aziz graduated in theatre, film and TV studies and says that all her contacts told her that they had nothing for her, even though she offered to work from home.

She has scoured the job vacancies for anything, such as working in a supermarket, to tide her over but without success.

"I do have a wee part-time job, but all the staff hours got cut and I'm only in one day a week," Ms Aziz adds. "My passion is theatre and I've done theatre nearly all my life and obviously it is just completely shut down right now and there's no word about when it will be back to semi-normal."