That's all from the live page team on Wednesday 22 July 2020.

Here's a reminder of today's headlines:

• Nicola Sturgeon has warned she may keep current lockdown restrictions in place to ensure children can return to school full-time in August
• Deaths linked to coronavirus in Scotland have fallen to the lowest level since the start of the pandemic, with just six registered last week
• Five businesses have been identified as being linked to the Covid-19 outbreak at a call centre in Lanarkshire

Image source, bbc

• Beauty salons, tattoo parlours and tailors reopened as Scotland continued with Phase 3 of its route map out of lockdown
• Tickets for Edinburgh's Hogmanay Street Party are now on sale with organisers saying it "will be a pivotal moment for the world"

Drivetime with John Beattie
BBC Radio Scotland

More than a quarter of people in the UK are estimated to have experienced mental distress in the first month of lockdown.

A study of more than 17,000 people, published in the Lancet Psychiatry Journal, found mental health had shown a marked decline by the end of April, although the longer term impact of the pandemic remains to be seen.

Mike Staley is a radio DJ for the Stafford Centre, a community resource for people experiencing mental ill health in the Edinburgh area run by Support in Mind Scotland.

He says he started "becoming very anxious and very isolated" himself, although is "beginning to come out of it” as more things reopen.

Mr Staley says Zoom chats three times week with fellow members helps keep people in contact, and are "a stairway to bringing out things that are troubling them".

"The key is to keep moving, and keep thinking positive," he adds.

The global number of confirmed coronavirus infections has risen to over 15 million, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University, external.

More than 617,000 deaths have also been reported by the US university.

Drivetime with John Beattie
BBC Radio Scotland

Image source, PA Media

An employee at the Sitel call centre, from where a total of 20 coronavirus cases have now been linked, claims management only made staff aware of the outbreak on Saturday afternoon, despite knowing about it last Friday morning.

"They only sent us home because the media got wind of it; they were going to keep us in longer," she told BBC Radio Scotland, on condition of anonymity.

She also says staff were told they would not get sick pay if they were forced to self-isolate for 14 days.

"They are telling people we are working from home, but we haven’t been given working from home kits, so no-one is working from home."

The employee also says there was no set seating plan, and Test and Trace NHS England staff were car-sharing with workers from Virgin Media, who were on the floor upstairs, even though rules prevented them from mixing at work.

Sitel have refuted the claims. They said employees were sent home on full pay as soon as they were made aware of the outbreak, and the site will not reopen until they are cleared by environmental health.

Drivetime with John Beattie
BBC Radio Scotland

Ben Best who runs the Dalscone Farm Fun Soft Play in Dumfries tells Radio Scotland he was expecting a date for reopening when Nicola Sturgeon made her next announcement next week.

The first minister has warned she may keep current lockdown restrictions in place to ensure children can return to school full-time in August.

Mr Best warns revenue will eventually dry up and adds this is "so unbelievably frustrating for us".

He says he wants to see action not just hear a thank you from the first minister for patience being shown by businesses like his.

Drivetime with John Beattie
BBC Radio Scotland

Nicola Sturgeon has warned she may keep current lockdown restrictions in place to ensure children can return to school full-time in August.

That's bad news for soft plays, gyms, driving instructors, bingo halls and theatres among others which all remain closed.

Simon Eeles runs the gym Transformation Team Training in Hamilton and explains he is "quite disappointed" with the unexpected news.

Mr Eeles was under the impression that by 31 July there would be a go to date to get up and back running.

"It just feels like a bit of slap in the face today."

Five businesses have been identified as being linked to the Covid-19 outbreak at a call centre in Lanarkshire.

They include Owen's bar in Coatbridge; The Railway Tavern and Merlin's Bar in Motherwell, Costa Coffee in Carfin and END Clothing in Glasgow.

Environmental health officials visited the businesses after 15 workers at the Sitel call centre tested positive for the virus.

All had taken satisfactory precautions and transmission risks were "low".

The details of the pubs, coffee shop and clothing firm were highlighted by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon in her daily briefing.

Read more here.

Drivetime with John Beattie
BBC Radio Scotland

Image source, Reuters

Nail bars and beauticians across Scotland reopened today after four months of no facials, waxing, manicures or pedicures.

Julia Eels, who owns The One Lounge salon in the south side of Glasgow, told BBC Radio Scotland: "It’s been a long time coming. We were excited to finally get the go-ahead and delighted we could bring all our staff back, so nobody is on furlough anymore.

"This isn’t just my job; it is my livelihood, my hobby, my friends...clients who I’ve had for 15 years. it’s my little community."

Ms Eels explains that she and her colleagues are in full PPE – aprons, masks and visors - while all beds are fully covered with wipeable materials.

Clients have to fill out consultation forms a minimum of 48 hours before they come in, and have to come in alone, with a face mask on. The timings for appointments have also been increased in order to sanitise everything before the next customer.

"Hair removal is the thing clients miss the most," Ms Eels adds. "Waxing is not really something you can do at home, so we've been really busy with that.”

Britain's national tally of cases has risen by 560 since yesterday, bringing the national toll to 296,377, according to official figures, external.

The UK death toll has also risen by 79 to 45,501.

Here in Scotland the number of deaths in Scotland linked to Covid-19 has fallen to its lowest level since the start of the pandemic, with just six registered last week.

Data from the National Records of Scotland show deaths have fallen for the 12th week in a row.

If you are just joining us now, here's a reminder of the main points that emerged from today's Scottish government coronavirus briefing:

• There are three new cases in Lanarkshire with one linked to the Sitel call centre outbreak - that's out of a total of 10 new cases in Scotland since yesterday
• The total number of cases linked to the Sitel outbreak now stands at – 15 are Sitel staff members and five close contacts
• The first minister urges people connected to five locations linked with the Sitel outbreak to be 'extra vigilant', but says there are no plans for local lockdown

• There were no new deaths in past 24 hours – that’s the daily PHS figure
• The weekly Covid-19 death statistics from the NRS show six deaths - the 12th weekly reduction and the lowest weekly total since the pandemic began
• Nicola Sturgeon warns this phase of easing lockdown is likely to last much longer than three weeks and says the main focus is the reopening of schools and the lifting of shielding measures
• Working at home remains the default position in Scotland
• Interim chief medical officer:, Dr Gregor Smith warns 'People have become less careful'
• Nicola Sturgeon says she has no plans to meet Boris Johnson tomorrow
• The first minister warns Scots to "think very carefully" before booking a foreign holiday

Paul O'Hare
BBC Scotland News

Scotland's first jury trial since lockdown "ran smoothly" this week despite the challenges posed by coronavirus.

Jurors at the High Court in Edinburgh were located in a separate room where they were physically distanced and able to watch proceedings on screens.

An image of each them was visible in the courtroom on a video wall behind what was previously the jury box.

At one point the trial was adjourned so that defence counsel Iain McSporran QC could speak to the accused privately at a safe physical distance.

He said the proceedings worked well and any minor glitches were resolved immediately.

When addressing the jury, Mr McSporran joked: “As the saying goes ‘I wish you were here’ but I am very glad that you are there.”

Prosecutor Alex Prentice QC said: "Although it was a strange experience, the format was a success and I would like to pay tribute to the Court Service and all involved who put the package together."

A second trial is also running in the High Court in Glasgow with a different model using three courtrooms.

Nicola Sturgeon has warned she may keep current lockdown restrictions in place to ensure children can return to school full-time in August.

The rules are due to be reviewed next Thursday.

But at her daily briefing the first minister said the review may not lead to the reopening of more businesses.

She said she wants to keep the virus at a low level so schools can "fully and safely reopen" and vulnerable people can stop shielding.

Drivetime with John Beattie
BBC Radio Scotland

Despite no fatalities in the past 24 hours and the lowest weekly death toll since the crisis began, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has warned that further relaxation of lockdown measures might not happen on 31 July, the next review date.

But nail bars and beauticians did open today. Drivetime presenter John Beattie went along to one. Can you guess what treatment he had done?

The programme has also been speaking to an employee from the Sitel call centre, where 15 workers have tested positive for the virus.

With Nicola Sturgeon also urging people to book a holiday in Scotland given the uncertainty over foreign travel, Drivetime will also reveal the safest places for a 'staycation'.

And they're not necessarily where you think...

Tune in from 16:00.

Image source, Reuters

Deaths linked to coronavirus in Scotland have fallen to the lowest level since the start of the pandemic, with just six registered last week.

New figures from the National Records of Scotland showed the number of deaths falling for the twelfth week in a row.

In the week to Sunday 19 July, the virus was mentioned on six death certificates.

At the peak of the outbreak in April, more than 600 deaths were being logged each week with links to Covid-19.

Read more here.

Image source, SNS

Scottish Premiership players have recorded no positive coronavirus tests for the second week running.

With clubs now required to test once per week, 789 players and team staff were assessed from 13-20 July.

Only one player, of Aberdeen, has recorded a positive result in the three weeks of testing building up to the new top-flight season on 1 August.

Hibernian's friendly with Ross County on Saturday was postponed after test results failed to arrive on time.

Read more here.

Nicola Sturgeon has said businesses that are not open yet may have to wait a little longer before the coronavirus restrictions affecting them are eased.

The first minister said the focus of the government was on the reopening of schools and easing of restrictions on those who are shielding.