Summary

  • First minister says 101 cases now linked to Aberdeen cluster

  • Nicola Sturgeon says she is "pretty furious" over Aberdeen players' bar visit

  • A further 27 cases confirmed in the NHS Grampian area in the past 24 hours

  • 313 close contacts of confirmed cases in Aberdeen traced so far

  • Across Scotland there have been 43 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 since Thursday

  • Eight Aberdeen FC players are self isolating after two tested positive for Covid-19

  • Nicola Sturgeon says it will be mandatory for hospitality venues to collect customer’s information

  • Chancellor Rishi Sunak says the furlough scheme cannot last indefinitely

  1. That's all for todaypublished at 14:03 British Summer Time 7 August 2020

    Thank you for joining us.

    We'll be back with more live coverage of how the coronavirus pandemic is affecting Scotland on Monday, including the first minister's next briefing.

    Bye for now.

  2. New guidance on face covering and face visorspublished at 14:02 British Summer Time 7 August 2020

    Face coverings are currently mandatory in shops and on public transport.

    The first minister said she was very satisfied that the vast majority of people were complying with those requirements.

    As a precautionary measure, she has now announced that more indoor premises will be included such as libraries, museums, and places of worship.

    The guidance on face visors has also been updated.

    "Based on the latest scientific evidence, we are not convinced that a face visor on its own provides sufficient protection – to the wearer or to others," Ms Sturgeon said.

    "So again from tomorrow, if a visor is worn it must be accompanied by another type of face covering.

    "These changes will help to reduce some of the risks that people face, and they are not any of them being made lightly."

  3. Tighter guidance for pubs and restaurantspublished at 13:50 British Summer Time 7 August 2020

    The first minister announced that, from next Friday, it would be mandatory for hospitality businesses to collect customer details.

    She also said there would be new new statutory guidance to ensure compliance with other public health measures.

    She said indoor hospitality should already be doing the following:

    • Premises should be collecting and keeping contact details.
    • Wherever possible, people should pre-book tables in advance.
    • There should be no queuing.
    • People should be seated, with table service.
    • Customers should not be standing together to watch football, dancing, or queuing at the bar.
    • There should be no queuing outside either.
    • If it is unavoidable for any reason, those in queues should be physically distanced.
    • And there should be no background music – or volume from the TV.

  4. Headlines from today's briefingpublished at 13:45 British Summer Time 7 August 2020

    • Across Scotland there were an additional 43 positive cases
    • No deaths were registered of patients who had tested positive for Covid-19
    • A total of 101 cases have been confirmed as part of the Aberdeen cluster
    • Eight Aberdeen FC players visited a bar in Aberdeen on Saturday night and two have tested positive
    • The first minister says they 'blatantly broke the rules' for professional footballers
    • It will be mandatory from Friday next week for a range of settings, including hospitality businesses, to collect customer details
    • From tomorrow, face coverings will be mandatory in more places such as libraries, museums, and places of worship
    • Also from tomorrow, if a face visor is worn it must be accompanied by another type of face covering
  5. Hospitality venue compliance checks to be taken "very seriously"published at 13:44 British Summer Time 7 August 2020

    Alistair Grant of The Herald asks about hospitality venues and what checks might be carried out over compliance with rules?

    The first minister says the government will be liaising with Police Scotland and environmental health officers about exactly how enforcement will happen.

    She says it will be taken “very seriously” because the consequences are serious.

    Interim chief medical officer Dr Gregor Smith says pubs, cafes and restaurants are higher risk areas and if he walked into a crowded, noisy environment he would "take one look" and "turn around".

  6. Why did SQA employ private firm in grading?published at 13:36 British Summer Time 7 August 2020

    Tom Martin from the Daily Express asks why a private firm was involved in the SQA regrading of school results.

    Ms Sturgeon says: "The SQA will set out, and have set out, how they went about the process including the support they had to do that."

    She again reiterates how important the appeals process will be in making sure people get the grade they deserve.

  7. Scottish government will continue to 'work constructively' with UK governmentpublished at 13:34 British Summer Time 7 August 2020

    Mark McLaughlin of The Times asks if the UK government deserves more credit for its economic interventions in Scotland.

    The first minister says she has done that from day one.

    “They hold the borrowing powers that the Scottish government doesn’t hold which is why we do rely on them to do so much of this," she says.

    She adds that the two governments will continue to try to “work constructively” with one another.

  8. 'We expected a significant number of appeals'published at 13:33 British Summer Time 7 August 2020

    Dan Sanderson from the Daily Telegraph asks if pupils who had their grades downgraded by the SQA should not have an automatic appeal where it is reviewed?

    "Every young person has the ability to talk to their teacher about putting in an appeal," Ms Sturgeon says.

    "I would encourage anybody to do that," she says.

    Ms Sturgeon says the SQA are resourced to deal with a significant number of appeals.

    "We always expected that given the circumstances this year," she says.

  9. Businesses must collect contact detailspublished at 13:33 British Summer Time 7 August 2020

    Derek Healey from The Courier asks what pubs and restaurants will do if people refuse to give contact details.

    Ms Sturgeon says she will set out the details next week.

    "The obligation will be on the businesses to collect the details," she says.

    "That is what they are advised to do now but anecdotally I have certainly heard varied reports.

    "Some businesses do it assiduously, some don't do it at all and some leave it as a voluntary thing.

    "This will mandate the collection of that information because it is so important we have it."

  10. Exam results 'shambles' raised againpublished at 13:30 British Summer Time 7 August 2020

    John Swinney
    Image caption,

    There have been calls for John Swinney to resign

    The Scotsman’s Conor Matchett flags up a letter from the chairperson of a parents forum in Edinburgh calling the exams situation a “shambles” and seeking the education secretary’s resignation.

    “Everybody is trying to deal with a difficult situation here of awarding results to young people when there’s been no exams," the first minister says.

    “Whatever method of doing that had been chosen would have caused controversy and probably have left some people thinking that the process wasn’t fair.”

    She stresses again that the process is ongoing through appeals to ensure every individual’s circumstances are looked at properly.

  11. Did the Scottish government order Aberdeen game to postponed?published at 13:18 British Summer Time 7 August 2020

    Nicola Sturgeon

    The first minister is asked if the Scottish government ordered the game between Aberdeen and St Johnstone to be called off.

    Christine Lavelle from The Sun asks if, given the self-isolation period, if three of Aberdeen's games will need to be postponed.

    Ms Sturgeon said she was not going to speculate on the fixtures.

    She says there was a meeting between the Scottish government and football's governing bodies, the SFA and the SPFL, and the government was clear about its position.

    Ms Sturgeon says the football authorities took the decision to postpone the match.

  12. First minister takes concerns over exam results "very seriously"published at 13:10 British Summer Time 7 August 2020

    Jack Foster from Global asks about a school pupil protest over exam results and their claims they are “being punished” for growing up in poor areas.

    The first minister says: "I do take the young people’s concerns seriously, very seriously."

    She says the government was working hard to overcome the attainment gap and adds: "The system that we have had to put in place because we haven’t had exams this year has not created that gap."

    Ms Sturgeon also stresses the importance of the appeals process and says that hopefully by the end of this young people will not feel they have been "treated unfairly".

  13. Will fans still get back in football grounds?published at 13:09 British Summer Time 7 August 2020

    Aberdeen flagImage source, SNS

    The first minister is asked if the situation with Aberdeen football club puts the return of fans on 14 September in doubt.

    Ms Sturgeon says: "I don't want this to get in the way of fans, in good time and in due course, being able to watch and support their teams."

    The first minister again says footballers are role models and have a responsibility to behave properly.

    She says clubs also have a responsibility to make sure players stay in line.

  14. Borrowing arrangements and sporting bubble guidancepublished at 12:58 British Summer Time 7 August 2020

    BBC Scotland's Lynsey Bews highlights a commitment to review borrowing arrangements from chancellor Rishi Sunak and also asks about the observance of "sporting bubbles".

    The first minister says the Scottish government wants increased flexibility in borrowing and would welcome anything suggesting that.

    She adds that sporting bubble guidance is clear and the Aberdeen case highlighted "irresponsible behaviour".

    "Hopefully this will be a lesson that is learned," she says.

  15. Should there be sanctions on football clubs that break the rules?published at 12:58 British Summer Time 7 August 2020

    The first minister is asked if there should be sanctions on football clubs that break the rules on Covid-10 restrictions.

    She says it is up to the football authorities to consider that.

    "I would encourage them to think about how they approach that if we see a repeat of this situation, which I very much hope we don't."

    Ms Sturgeon repeats that she is "furious" about the situation with Aberdeen players.

    She said a lot of work went into agreeing the guidance so professional football could begin again.

    "If that guidance is not adhered to then all bets are off," she says.

  16. Increase in seasonal flu jabspublished at 12:50 British Summer Time 7 August 2020

    Dr Smith says the Scottish government was aiming to offer the seasonal flu vaccination to two million people, an increase of 800,000 from last year's programme.

    He says the first phase of vaccinations will begin in October and will take in those most at risk.

  17. Seasonal flu jabs offered to more peoplepublished at 12:47 British Summer Time 7 August 2020

    Gregor Smith

    Chief Medical Officer Gregor Smith tells the briefing the Scottish government is extending the number of people eligible for the seasonal flu vaccination this year.

    It is being extended to:

    • Social care workers who provide direct care
    • To household members of individuals who are shielding
    • and to all those who are 55 and over who are not already eligible

    The government will look to vaccinate those aged 50 to 54 if vaccine supplies allow.

  18. No 'silver bullet' in rebuilding the economypublished at 12:47 British Summer Time 7 August 2020

    Economy Secretary Fiona Hyslop promises a “green recovery” and outlines a range of measures being taken to achieve it.

    It includes doubling support for a "digital boost" programme.

    “We know we are facing the biggest economic challenge of our lifetimes,” she says.

    “There is no silver bullet and we are at the very start of our journey.”

  19. Economy secretary says she understands impact on business in Aberdeenpublished at 12:39 British Summer Time 7 August 2020

    Fiona Hyslop

    Fiona Hyslop says: “While I know how devastating the lockdown will be for hospitality businesses that have only just reopened, our priority remains public health and eliminating the virus."

    She commends the response in the city and the information given out.

    Ms Hyslop adds that the lessons being learned in Aberdeen could enhance support in future in other parts of Scotland.

    She says it also highlighted challenges they would face if, in future, businesses could not re-furlough staff.

  20. Face visors not enough on their ownpublished at 12:37 British Summer Time 7 August 2020

    Face visor

    Ms Sturgeon says the latest advice is that face visors are not, on their own, enough to offer protection.

    From tomorrow, if a visor is worn it must be accompanied by another type of face covering.