Image source, Getty Images

Closing the UK government scheme which is paying furloughed workers' wages is a "mistake", according to research.

The National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR) suggests it could push unemployment up to 10% this year.

The latest furlough figures show 9.5 million people are using the scheme, external, the same as a week ago, and at a total cost of £31.7bn to the Treasury.

The scheme will come to an end in October but Garry Young, NIESR deputy director, said that ending it could be a mistake.

"The scheme was intended by the chancellor to be a bridge through the crisis and there is a risk that it is coming to an end prematurely," he said.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak has apologised for not being able to save every job and said that eight months "is a generous and long period of time".

Image source, Scottish government

Nicola Sturgeon is "increasingly concerned" about the risk from coronavirus after a "worrying resurgence" in several other countries.

The Scottish first minister said people should be "very cautious" about foreign travel amid outbreaks in Spain, Belgium, Germany and France.

She said a "sharp increase in cases" in any country could see travellers forced to quarantine on arrival in Scotland.

Spain was struck from the UK's list of "air bridge" destinations on Saturday.

It came just days after the Scottish government had added Spain to the list of countries exempt from quarantine rules, which Ms Sturgeon said illustrated the "inherent uncertainty in everything we are dealing with right now".

She added: "I wouldn't be booking a foreign holiday right now."

Read more here.

In case you missed it, here are the main points from today's Scottish government coronavirus briefing:

• There have been no Covid-19 deaths in Scotland for the 12th day in a row
• The education secretary is confident schools in Scotland can reopen safely from 11 August, with the final decision being made tomorrow
• The first minister will set out the decision on schools on Thursday 30 July from 12.20pm
• Nicola Sturgeon warns there will be a “very cautious approach” to Thursday’s review of lockdown measures
• Hospitality venues and public warned not leaving contact details may risk lives
• NHS Pharmacy First Scotland launched to replace minor ailments service in our community pharmacies
• However if you have Covid symptoms the first minister says do not use that service, rather self-isolate immediately and book a test through NHS Inform, external or phoning 0800 028 2816
• Volunteers are needed for a new NHS vaccine research registry, to help treat Covid-19, says the deputy chief medical officer
• In response to questions about quarantine arrangements for those returning from foreign trips, Nicola Sturgeon says 'I wouldn’t be booking a foreign holiday right now'

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Andrew Learmonth from The National asks about concerns about the disproportionate impact Covid-19 has on BAME communities, pupils and staff.

Earlier this month we reported deaths among the South Asian ethnic group in Scotland were almost twice as likely to involve Covid-19 as those of white people.

Mr Learmonth asks if the Scottish government's expert group has considered the impact on pupils and staff from BAME communities when schools reopen.

Education Secretary John Swinney replies that the issues around the BAME community are a very "significant element" of the risk assessment work being carried out ahead of schools returning.

He explains that guidance will include the various steps that schools must take to ensure they are safe for all pupils and staff.

In response to a question from The Scotsman, Nicola Sturgeon says there has been consideration over a possible four nations joint statement about the strategy for the virus.

She says work is under way to explore whether it's possible.

Ms Sturgeon said: “To be frank, my objective was to see if we could align the four nations around a strategy to eliminate the virus.

“What we have sought to look at is whether we can come to a joint approach that makes very clear that we are all trying to drive this virus to the lowest possible level... and keep it here as opposed to an approach that allows the virus to hover around at a certain level and then hope it doesn’t overwhelm you.

“Given the geography of the UK, if we could all align around an approach I think that would be a good step forward.”

• Ministers to make UK-wide virus co-operation pledge

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With some schools returning earlier than planned because of the Scottish government's plan to reopen them from 11 August, some teachers and pupils will miss out on holiday entitlement.

Will they be able to take those holidays at a later date? PA asks.

Education Secretary John Swinney says that in local authorities where schools are coming back earlier as a result of the post-Covid arrangements, "there should be compensatory days taken at other stages during the school year".

Negotiations in individual authorities "will take their course" he says.

To ensure staff and pupils are able to return to schools safely, some local authorities will implement reopening on a "phased basis", he adds.

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Gina Davidson from The Scotsman asks John Swinney about a study from Israel that showed there was a major outbreak of coronavirus in a high school.

She explains how none of the children or staff were wearing masks and 153 pupils and 25 staff later tested positive for Covid-19.

Is this science being fed into the education secretary's decision making process and will secondary school pupils have to wear masks in Scotland?

Mr Swinney responds by saying the Scottish government's expert advisory group is constantly looking at emerging evidence about the virus from around the world.

He adds the Israel study has been considered by the group and that they concluded the outbreak was widely influenced by community transmission, which has been suppressed significantly in Scotland.

Some of the guidance to be published next week may have to be changed as evidence changes, he concludes.

Is there any prospect of a compensation scheme for people who suffer loss of earnings as a result of having to quarantine on their return from a holiday to a country which was exempt from the list when they booked?

"It is not something I want to give people expectations around," says Nicola Sturgeon in response to a question from Bauer.

The first minister acknowledges the situation is "really tough" for people who have to bear the consequences of these "tough decisions" but says there is an “inherent uncertainty and unpredictability in everything right now".

She reiterates that people should be "very cautious about booking foreign travel that is not essential.”

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ITV Border asks when guidance will be given for dance and fitness studios to reopen.

The first minister says “as soon as” the Scottish government is in a position to do that it will.

“That's my answer to any sector that has not yet been given the go-ahead to reopen.”

She continued that Scotland is in a phase right now where a lot of changes have been made and we don’t yet have certainty about the impact of those changes in the incidence and prevalence of the virus in the country.

Ms Sturgeon added that Scotland had “very clear objectives for the next few weeks” – to allow those who had been shielding to live their lives more normally again, and a “central objective” of getting schools back full time.

She said these are “absolute priorities” and therefore there would be a “very cautious approach to any further opening up”.

Image source, AFP

Louise Scott from STV asks for an update on enforcement of quarantine and about Gibraltar, which remains on the exempt list.

The first minister replies she will provide up-to-date quarantine statistics when she has them in front of her.

Ms Sturgeon does say all the information she has makes her believe compliance with quarantine measures is high.

She says you can't circumvent regulations by taking circuitous journeys through third countries.

The quarantine rules are not set in stone as the situation with the virus can change very quickly, Ms Sturgeon warns.

Again she says don't assume that quarantine rules may change when you are visiting a country.

Image source, Getty Images

Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Nicola Steedman shares "some promising news" on a potential coronavirus vaccine, developed by a team at Oxford University.

Results from research on more than 500 people given the trial vaccine appeared safe and had no serious side effects, she reports.

People also showed a good immune response, but much more work needs to be done with larger numbers of people to see how well it works "in the real word", says Dr Steedman.

“It is still early days but it is definitely good news,” she says.

She says the "world-class" research community in Scotland has supported over 60 Covid studies involving over 6700 people, including the Oxford vaccine work, which has led to advances in understanding of the virus and success in identifying treatment options.

A new Covid-19 Vaccine Research Registry has been launched across the four nations, she adds.

There were nearly 200 warnings about staff shortages in care homes in Scotland during lockdown, according to the Care Inspectorate.

Their figures have been published for the first time, following a BBC Freedom of Information request.

Care homes had to flag up red and amber staffing alerts to inspectors for eleven weeks from the start of April.

Thirty red warnings were issued - this meant homes didn’t have enough staff to properly care for their residents.

You can hear more on that story on Disclosure: The Care Home Scandal, tonight at 10:45 on BBC One Scotland, and on the BBC iPlayerDuring the coronavirus pandemic more people died with the virus in Scotland's care homes than in its hospitals.

You can read more about this story here.

Catriona Renton refers to an expert who has told BBC Scotland’s Disclosure that he does not understand why the Scottish government waited until June to make mask wearing in homes mandatory.

The first minister says as the Disclosure programme does not air until tonight, she will wait until seeing it before commenting in detail on it.

Ms Sturgeon points out visiting to care homes has been under extreme constraint and highlights infection control and risk assessments carried out.

Deputy First Minister John Swinney says that following advice from the Education Recovery Group, he is confident that schools in Scotland can reopen safely from 11 August, with pupils returning on a full-time basis, subject to mitigation measures being put in pace.

The education secretary confirms a final decision will be taken by cabinet ministers tomorrow.

The first minister will set out the decision on Thursday, 30 July, as part of the statutory three-week review process, at which point the guidance for schools will be published.

Mr Swinney says schools should prioritise the wellbeing of children when they do reopen, which will be "a big change" for everyone after home schooling since late March.

Specific advice for parents and carers has been published on the Parent Club coronavirus hub, external, he adds.

The first minister warns: "When we announce our review of the remaining Covid restrictions on Thursday, we are likely to adopt a very cautious approach at this stage."

She reiterates as always the need to follow 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.

The first minister says progress against coronavirus remains "very fragile" and adds she is "increasingly concerned about the Covid risk".

She points out that several countries across Europe are seeing a worrying increase in cases, such as Spain, Germany and France.

"We must guard against the risk of cases coming into the country from outside."

People planning for overseas countries need to be aware of that, she explains, warning the rules could change during a trip.

Be very cautious about foreign travel at this time. The safest way to holiday is to stay at home in Scotland she adds.