England records 12 deaths, Wales two, and Scotland and NI none

A further 12 people who tested positive for coronavirus have died in hospitals in England, NHS England says.

The patients were aged between 40 and 96 years old and all had known underlying health conditions.

Wales recorded another two deaths. There were no coronavirus deaths recorded in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Separate UK-wide figures, which include deaths in all settings, will be released later.

So schools can reopen full-time on 11 August with the government expecting all schools to have reopened by 18 August

Guidance on preparing for the start of the new school term, external says children should "return to school as quickly and as safely as possible".

Nicola Sturgeon said she expected all pupils to be back in class full time from 18 August "at the very latest".

The first minister also announced an end to shielding, but said "minimal" other changes would be made.

Nicola Sturgeon has made two big announcements today - the reopening of schools next month and a pause to shielding on Saturday.

But the first minister said Scotland's progress against coronavirus - though substantial - is fragile and the country will remain in Phase Three of the routemap out of lockdown for the time being.

Here are the headlines from her statement:

• Scotland's schools have been given the go-ahead to reopen from 11 August
• Coronavirus shielding in Scotland will be paused from 1 August

• Gyms and swimming pools in Scotland could be allowed to reopen on 14 September, among other indicative dates for businesses still closed
• The first minister confirmed people who test positive for coronavirus or show symptoms in the UK must now self-isolate for at least 10 days, rather than seven.

Image source, PA MEDIA

• Ms Sturgeon said there were now eight cases confirmed in the Glasgow cluster as the pharmacy at centre of outbreak is named
• No deaths have been registered in Scotland under the daily PHS measurement for the past two weeksThe first minister has been rebuked by the UK statistics watchdog
• The first minister has been rebuked by the UK statistics watchdog over repeated claims that coronavirus rates in England are five times higher than Scotland - this led to a clash with Jackson Carlaw in the chamber

Drivetime with John Beattie
BBC Radio Scotland

New data out today suggests Scotland is the third worst in Europe for excess deaths for the first half of this year.

Drivetime will speak to one of the UK's top statisticians about where things went wrong, and also National Clinical Director Jason Leitch.

With confirmation today that schools will return from 11 August, are teachers safe and are parents relieved to get their children back in the classroom?

The programme will be speaking to Education Secretary John Swinney.

It will also be looking at the row that has broken out in the Scottish parliament over the first minister's claim that the prevalence of the virus is five times lower in Scotland compared to England.

Plus Scotland's gym owners tell Drivetime they feel ignored after being told they can't re-open until mid-September.

Tune in from 16:00.

Image source, Google

A Port Glasgow pharmacy and an Amazon depot in Gourock are being linked to the cluster of cases in Inverclyde.

M&D Green managing director Martin Green said "some staff" at its John Wood Street branch had tested positive for Covid-19.

He said: "We have been working with Health Protection Scotland and environmental health officers, who are satisfied with the infection control measures we have in place and have immediately implemented the minor additional actions recommended."

Mr Green added: "We have been reassured by the local outbreak management team that these measures allow us to continue to provide the full range of pharmaceutical services without any risk to the public."

Phil Shepka
BBC News

Taking a Covid-19 test is not as easy as it looks - as I've been finding out.

I'm in a pod, outside, ready for lift-off:

Then the gagging reflex kicks in ..

Next it's up the nose ..

And done! Bagged and secure. And fingers crossed for the result! That should come in 24 hours.

If you're just joining us Nicola Sturgeon has made two big announcements today - the reopening of schools next month and a pause to shielding on Saturday.

But the first minister said Scotland's progress against coronavirus - though substantial - is fragile and the country will remain in Phase Three of the routemap out of lockdown for the time being.

Here are the headlines from her statement:

• Scotland's schools have been given the go-ahead to reopen from 11 August
• Coronavirus shielding in Scotland will be paused from 1 August

• Gyms and swimming pools in Scotland could be allowed to reopen on 14 September, among other indicative dates for businesses still closed
• The first minister confirmed people who test positive for coronavirus or show symptoms in the UK must now self-isolate for at least 10 days, rather than seven.
• Ms Sturgeon said there were now eight cases confirmed in the Glasgow cluster as the pharmacy at centre of outbreak is named
• No deaths have been registered in Scotland under the daily PHS measurement for the past two weeksThe first minister has been rebuked by the UK statistics watchdog
• The first minister has been rebuked by the UK statistics watchdog over repeated claims that coronavirus rates in England are five times higher than Scotland - this led to a clash with Jackson Carlaw in the chamber

The Scottish Labour politician Sarah Boyak asks the first minister to clarify her earlier remarks on face coverings and social distancing in Scotland's high schools when they return in August.

What does it actually mean in practice, asks Ms Boyak, for schools to maintain social distancing when capacity may be an issue.

Nicola Sturgeon says that the advice the Scottish government got was that physical distancing in schools in general was "not required".

But the "balance of judgement was different in secondary schools from primary schools, particularly for students in the senior phase."

"So we have said that where it is possible, distance should be maintained in secondary schools, particularly for senior pupils and that means that they should utilise available space."

However, she added that this should not be at the expense of getting students back to school full-time.

Image source, AFP

Ross Greer of the Scottish Greens says that following the new guidance published today about returning to school next month, most teachers are taking it as a recommendation they should wear a face covering most of the day in school.

Nicola Sturgeon says she wouldn’t necessarily come to the same conclusion based on the guidance, and there is no general requirement in schools to wear face coverings.

But like the recommendation for physical distancing for older pupils, there will be "different considerations in different environments", says the first minister.

Teachers will be advised to wear face coverings if they can’t maintain physical distancing, or will be within 2m of pupils for 15 minutes or more, she adds.

Stuart McMillan turns to the cluster of cases in the Glasgow area and says he is aware the health board will make a statement later today, but says the lack of information has caused concern.

The SNP MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde points out the number of cases in his constituency and asks for assurances that M&D Green Pharmacy followed all the correct Covid procedures and if additional testing will be put in place.

The first minister explains these outbreaks are often complex and it takes time to understand the links and possible routes of transmission and she calls for patience as the experts do their job.

Ms Sturgeon says the pharmacy in Port Glasgow and Amazon have been visited by environmental health and she is assured both locations have co-operated fully and followed the advice given.

She adds further testing will be considered and if it is required it will be provided.

Image source, Getty Images

Scottish Lib Dem leader Willie Rennie says up to 50,000 international students will be travelling to Scottish universities over the next few weeks, many of them from "virus hot-spots" including the United States.

He asks whether Nicola Sturgeon agrees with one of her advisers, Prof Devi Sridhar, who recommends mass testing of students on arrival, and again five days later.

The first minister says the government remains in discussions with universities about the risk of importation of the virus - "probably the biggest risk we face over the medium term" - and Prof Sridhar's recommendations are being considered "very carefully".

The government has not reached a final conclusion with universities yet, but she hopes to provide an update in the next few days.

Ms Sturgeon says the requirement to quarantine is the most important thing, and while the UK government is exploring alternatives, testing "is not a magical solution" because of the incubation period of the virus.

Patrick Harvie, co-convenor of the Scottish Greens, asks whether enhanced surveillance testing for schools will be fully operational by 11 August.

Nicola Sturgeon says there will be priority access for any young person or teacher who has symptoms via the Test and Protect system.

There are different aspects to an enchanced surveillance approach, the first minister says.

Some aspects will be in place when schools go back, others - including testing on sampling basis - will come into effect over the coming weeks, she says.

Mr Harvie says it would be unacceptable for teachers and other school staff not be offered routine regular testing, when Scottish Premiership footballers are currently being tested twice a week.

Labour leader Richard Leonard raises the BBC's Disclosure programme on what went wrong in Scotland's care homes during the pandemic.

He quotes a care worker, June, who told him: "There was no testing of frontline staff in our care home until the middle of June. What chance did we really have of keeping Covid out?"

June said dozens became ill in the care home and more than 30 residents died.

The first minister said protecting care homes was exactly what the government has sought to do during the crisis. Decisions, she said, were clinically driven.

In the early days of the outbreak, a number of steps were taken to reduce the risk of transmission to care homes.

Clinical risk assessments were carried out before patients were discharged from hospital to care homes, she adds.

But the first minister accepts: "If we were to go back now, we would do things differently based on what we know."

Earlier this week, ex-Dragon's Den star Duncan Bannatyne told the BBC's Nine programme he could be forced to close his health clubs in Scotland if they cannot reopen by the end of August.

This is what he tweeted after the first minister said gym goers are set to wait another six weeks before they can work out or swim. In England, such fitness facilities opened on 25 July.