Image source, PA Media

Now the pandemic has led to a surge in the popularity of cycling, leading Mornings With Jackie Brambles to ask if you are back on your bike.

Back in April we reported that the coronavirus lockdown had prompted a big increase in cycling across Scotland, with the number of cyclists more than doubling in some places.

Cyclists are urged to practice social distancing by staying at least two metres away from others.

Transport Scotland says free cycle rentals or repairs are available for key workers in Scotland.

In addition to the £30 million Spaces for People initiative, the government agency will continue to explore new schemes to build on the positive increases in cycling we have seen in recent months.

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The UK government has signed a fourth coronavirus vaccine deal, securing up to 60 million doses of an experimental treatment being developed by drug giants GSK and Sanofi.

Regulatory approval could be achieved by the first half of 2021 if trials are successful, according to Sanofi, which is leading the vaccine's clinical development.

The government has already signed up for 100 million doses of the Oxford University vaccine being developed by AstraZeneca.

It has also secured another 90 million doses of two other promising vaccines.

However, it is still uncertain which - if any - of the vaccines will work.

Global airlines are warning it could take until 2024 for passenger traffic to return to pre-crisis levels.

That's a year longer than previously expected.

The International Air Transport Association also forecasts that by the end of the year air traffic will be at 45 per cent of where it was in 2019 - whereas two months ago they thought it would be between 50 and 60 percent.

Image source, PA Media

The Scottish cabinet will meet today and are likely to approve plans that will see pupils back from 11 August, although an official announcement is expected on Thursday.

Nicola Sturgeon has indicated she hopes to prioritise a full-time return for primary and secondary education.

The first minister has also warned she’s “likely to adopt a very cautious approach” at tomorrow’s review of lockdown restrictions.

This could mean facilities such as gyms, theatres and non-essential offices waiting longer for a reopening date.

This is despite 12 consecutive days with no deaths in Scotland of anyone testing positive for Covid.

Image source, Getty Images

The Scottish Retail Consortium analysis, based on its own and Scottish government data, shows four successive months of double-digit decline between March and June.

Figures from 2018 estimate sales over that four-month period were £7.65bn and there has been a drop worth more than £1.9bn in 2020.

Director David Lonsdale said the pressure on retailers was "particularly acute" in city centres where stores were suffering huge drops in footfall.

Image source, Getty Images

We've been asking you to send us your coronavirus questions - and you've responded in your thousands.

But now it's your turn to be tested on how well you know Scotland's lockdown rules.

What has been eased and what has not? So, go on - try out our Covid-19 quiz.

Read more here

Good Morning Scotland
BBC Radio Scotland

Scotland continues to be in a “good place” when it comes to containing coronavirus, a leading academic has said.

But Linda Bauld, professor of public health at Edinburgh University, said localised lockdowns around the UK showed just “how fragile things are”.

Prof Bauld told Good Morning Scotland: “At the moment we’re in a really good place and this is key to getting schools up and running again."

Scotland's test and protect tracing system has worked well so far, according to Prof Bauld, who also said the overseas travel quarantine rules will make a “big difference” to keeping on top of case numbers.

Angie Brown
Edinburgh and East reporter

Image source, Lynda Dalgleish

When Lynda and Steve Dalgleish set off to sail around the world, little did they know they would find themselves trying to escape hurricanes amid Caribbean islands in lockdown.

The 18-month adventure to kickstart their retirement became a quick learning curve in survival and relying on the friendship of others.

A £6,000 machine to turn salt water into fresh water, which they had bought in Italy, and a huge stash of emergency dried foods and tins onboard became their lifeline.

Read the full story

The Madeleine McCann investigation and virus cases rising in Europe are two stories making the front pages.

Good Morning Scotland
BBC Radio Scotland

Image source, PA Media

The majority of parents think blended or part-time learning has had a negative impact on their children, a new survey has found.

A survey of 8,000 people by parent group Connect found three quarters of respondents felt the learning model has negatively affected family finances and their children's education.

Eileen Prior, Connect's executive director, told Good Morning Scotland: "Those schools where they didn’t have a picture of how they were going to deliver this online learning really struggled, many children fell off the grid."

A decision on whether schools will open full-time next month will be announced on Thursday.

Image source, PA Media

The reopening dates for three of Scotland's major museums have been confirmed.

The National Museum of Scotland, the National Museum of Flight and the National Museum of Rural Life will open their doors again in August.

The museums have been closed for five months because of the Covid pandemic.

The reopening of the National War Museum, which is located inside Edinburgh Castle, will be announced at a later date.

Read more here.

Image source, Getty Images

Nicola Sturgeon has indicated she hopes to prioritise a full-time return for primary and secondary education.

The cabinet will meet and are likely to approve plans that will see pupils back from 11 August, although an official announcement is expected on Thursday.

The first minister has also warned she’s “likely to adopt a very cautious approach” at tomorrow’s review of lockdown restrictions.

This could mean facilities such as gyms, theatres and non-essential offices waiting longer for a reopening date.

This is despite 12 consecutive days with no deaths in Scotland of anyone testing positive for covid.

Ex-Dragon's Den star Duncan Bannatyne says he could be forced to close his health clubs in Scotland if they cannot reopen by the end of August.

The businessman's Bannatyne Group has 11 clubs north of the border which employ 600 people.

Mr Bannatyne told BBC Scotland's The Nine they are currently being subsidised by his gyms in England.

He has warned every job is under threat unless lockdown restrictions are further eased.

Image source, Getty Images

The number of rail services operating in Scotland is to be increased from next week, ScotRail has said.

From Monday 3 August, more than 90% of normal services will be operating.

All routes will once again have normal early morning, late night, and peak services.

Scotland's principle rail operator said 100% of normal capacity will be provided at peak times, however many seats will need to stay empty to allow for social distancing.

Read more here.

• Nicola Sturgeon gives her first coronavirus briefing since Spain was removed from the list of countries exempt from quarantine measures
• The first minister urges people in Scotland to stay at home as she voices worries about the rise of positive cases internationally
• She adds that "as a citizen", and not first minister, she would not be personally booking a foreign holiday at this time
• For the 12th day there are no new deaths linked to Covid-19
• During the last 24 hours, four positive tests were registered and two patients were in ICU having been confirmed as having the virus
• The BBC learns Scotland's care watchdog was warned multiple times about staff shortages at care homes

Image source, PA Media

Welcome to live coverage of the coronavirus pandemic in Scotland.

We will bring you the latest developments throughout the day, from the reopening of three of Scotland's major museums to the fall out from BBC Disclosure's The Care Home Scandal.

We will also have the latest from First Minister Nicola Sturgeon's daily coronavirus briefing at 12:15.