If you are just joining us, here are the headlines that emerged from today's coronavirus briefing:

• Tomorrow's lockdown review is likely to take a "very cautious approach" warns the first minister
• Ms Sturgeon explains she cannot rule out changes to the rules about the number of people gathering together
• The government is also considering what new steps may be necessary to keep Covid-19 under control

• She gives a strong hint the return of fans to sports stadia may be delayed
• The FM warns "don't assume this is an illness you don't have to worry about if you are young"

Image source, Getty Images

• Ms Sturgeon highlights the average daily case number has roughly trebled since three weeks ago
• The Public Health Scotland (PHS) daily stats show 159 people have tested positive for Covid-19, 1.9% of those newly tested yesterday
• The National Record of Scotland (NRS) stats show the total deaths in Scotland between April and June rose by a third
• The NRS weekly stats show two deaths linked to Covid in the last seven days
• For the first time there were no coronavirus deaths in care homes in the last week
• There were no deaths with a positive test in the last 24 hours according to the PHS daily stats

That's all from us here on the live page, join us tomorrow for extensive coverage of the first minister's statement on the three weekly review of lockdown.

Ms Sturgeon will get to her feet at 12:20. Take care and stay safe.

Tom Gordon of The Herald asks whether there will be return to simpler, national messages as we head into winter and whether a national lockdown is likely.

Ms Sturgeon says she does not want to say whether one scenario is more likely than the other, but adds it would not be credible to rule anything out.

The simple measure at the start of the pandemic meant there was a simple message to stay at home, she adds, but says she does not want to go back to that being the message.

The first minister says the government is considering how to simplify the measures and regulations, and therefore the messages that flow from them.

But by definition it is not as straightforward as the messaging was at the start of the pandemic because the situation is more nuanced, she says.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Nicola Sturgeon has said she may consider changes to the rules about the number of people gathering together, like those announced for England.

Social gatherings of more than six people will be illegal south of the border from Monday - with some exemptions - amid a steep rise in coronavirus cases.

In Scotland, the SNP government's Phase 3 guidelines over social gatherings remain in place in most areas: They are:

• Eight people from a maximum of three households can meet up indoors. This can include overnight stays, as long as physical distancing between different households is maintained.
• No more than 15 people from five households can gather socially outdoors. You should not meet people from more than four other households in total each day.
• You can meet up to eight people from two other households at a time in an indoor area of a pub, restaurant, cafe or other hospitality venue with social distancing.

Coronavirus restrictions have been reintroduced in five of Scotland's biggest council areas - meaning residents in Glasgow, East and West Dunbartonshire, Renfrewshire and East Renfrewshire are unable to make indoor visits to other households.

Conor Matchett from The Scotsman asks about plans on furlough, given there is "no clear movement" from the UK government following calls to extend the job retention scheme.

Ms Sturgeon replies: "I don't have an alternative to furlough."

Image source, Getty Images

She explains this is because Scotland does not have the borrowing powers which are being used by the UK government to fund the scheme.

If the UK government doesn't want to extend furlough, then my appeal would be to give extra borrowing powers to the Scottish government she adds.

Ms Sturgeon insists it would be unacceptable to "leave us with no options" but believes the UK government will not do nothing to prevent a "tsunami" of redundancies.

Image source, SNS group

Shona Duthie from Original 106 asks if Aberdeen Football Club should be allowed to host a match with 300 people being allowed into the ground.

Spectators will be allowed to watch Aberdeen play Kilmarnock and Ross County's clash with Celtic in the Scottish Premiership on Saturday.

Ms Duthie also asks that given this test event is only two days before the indicative date for the reopening of stadia, is this a clear signal we won't be seeing the return of fans for some time to come.

The first minister declines to pre-empt tomorrow's announcement, but points out she has used terms like "putting the brakes on" due to the evidence she has seen.

People can draw the direction of travel from that, she says.

Alan Smith from Bauer asks how many people are dealing with the long-term effects of Covid-19 and whether information is being gathered in this.

He points to 28-year-old Callum O'Dwyer, who became ill near the start of the pandemic and is still suffering long-term impacts today.

Ms Sturgeon says Callum's story highlights young people are not immune from the virus, including the long-term, chronic effects of it which had led him to have to move back in with his parents.

"Don't assume this is an illness you don't have to worry about if you are young," she adds.

Dr Gregor Smith explains many viruses have an impact on the immune system which can lead to the long-term effects being felt by Callum and others. He adds there is research happening on how to support people who are suffering from this.

Peter MacMahon from ITV Border highlights the different public health guidance in England and Scotland.

He asks if the first minister should not just pick up the phone to Matt Hancock and create the same rules and guidance on either side of the border.

Ms Sturgeon replies: "Look, we'll make the decisions we think are right for Scotland."

The first minister points out the change in England announced last night did not lead to the difference between countries as the guidelines were already different.

She explains in England 30 people were allowed to gather in a house, now it's six.

In Scotland only eight people can gather in a house from a maximum of three households, she points out.

She warns against creating confusion pointing out "people are no daft" and most people know which part of the UK they live in.

BBC Scotland's Graham Stewart asks about evidence people are abiding by the new restrictions and what would trigger more drastic measures.

He also asks whether the data on local authorities cases per 100,000 could be published every day.

Image source, Getty Images

Ms Sturgeon says the government is happy to publish more data to help people understand the situation, but she adds the case number per 100,000 is not the only piece of data which is considered.

Regarding adherence to restrictions, she highlights the difficulty of policing this but surveys suggest people are, in the main, following them. The decision on further restrictions will depend on data and the judgements of scientific advisers, she adds.

Any changes to restrictions which might be made off the back of the announcement south of the border will be announced tomorrow, the first minister says.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson is holding a press conference at 16:00 today on restrictions in England.

Ms Sturgeon tells the briefing the best way to keep the economy open, getting more normality and preventing the virus running out of control is to ensure everyone sticks to the public health guidelines.

The first minister asks people to think carefully about things they value in their lives as some could be put in jeopardy if the virus continues to spread.

"Letting our guard down does allow the virus to spread."

Nicola Sturgeon stresses again people must follow the five pieces of advice in FACTS: They are:

• 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

Image source, Getty Images

Ms Sturgeon explains she cannot rule out changes to the rules about the number of people gathering together, like those that were announced for England last night which restricted groups to no more than six.

The first minister says the government is carefully reviewing the guidance and regulations, as well as considering what new steps may be necessary to keep Covid under control.

She inists: "All of us have a part to play in this."

Ms Sturgeon says Scotland is currently at a very dangerous point in tackling the pandemic.

The first minister warns that the current level of cases could translate into deaths if we are not very careful.

She warns that students coming back may be a welcome step, but it is also a risky development.

"That is why tomorrow's review of the lockdown regulations is likely, based on all of the recent data, to take a very cautious approach to any further changes."

Nicola Sturgeon turns to the economy and says the RBS publication on the jobs market in Scotland revealed recruitment declined last month, even after the steeper falls earlier in the pandemic.

Demand for permanent staff continues to decline in every sector of the economy apart from IT.

The first minister explains the report again underlines the extent of the economic crisis caused by Covid and the need for exceptional support for businesses.

She calls again for the UK job extension scheme to continue, because if it ends in October it will put many jobs at risk.

Ms Sturgeon highlights the average daily case number of the last seven days is 155.

Three weeks ago, this number was 52 - so there has been roughly a trebling of daily cases in this time.

Ms Sturgeon says the provisional data indicates the breakdown of new cases is as follows:

• NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde: 63
• NHS Lothian: 29
• NHS Lanarkshire: 19
• NHS Forth Valley: 10

The remaining are spread across the other mainland health boards, meaning there has been a case in every mainland area for the second day in a row.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon confirms a further 159 people have tested positive for Covid-19, 1.9% of those newly tested yesterday. She highlights this positively rate is now consistently around 2%, compared to 1% a few weeks ago.

This takes the total number of positive cases in Scotland to 21,878.

A total of 274 patients are in hospital with a confirmed case (up seven), with six being treated in intensive care (no change).

No deaths were registered in the last 24 hours of people who tested positive, meaning the total remains at 2,499.

This is lower than the 4,231 deaths confirmed by NRS earlier as that figure includes all cases where Covid-19 is mentioned on a death certificate, even if the patient had not been tested.

Image source, Reuters

Nicola Sturgeon will lead the Scottish government daily briefing from 12.15pm.

The interim Chief Medical Officer Dr Gregor Smith will join the first minister today.

The briefing is likely be dominated by grim statistics, with the revelation that the total number of deaths in Scotland rose by a third between April and June.

A total of 4,231 Scots deaths have been linked to Covid-19, official figures show.

The National Records of Scotland (NRS) figures indicate two people died in the week ending 6 September, a decrease of five from the previous week. Both of these deaths took place in hospital, meaning for the first time in months no deaths from Covid-19 have been recorded in a care home.

These figures include all cases where Covid-19 is mentioned on a death certificate, even if the patient had not been tested.

If you're just joining us here are the headlines from around Scotland:

• The total number of deaths in Scotland rose by a third between April and June 2020
• Covid-19 was the underlying cause in 3,739 of the deaths, accounting for 83% of them
• Yesterday saw new coronavirus cases detected in every mainland health board area in Scotland

Image source, PA Media

• There were three deaths with a positive test in the preceding 24 hours
• Scotland will lose its outdoor education sector forever without Scottish government funding, the industry has warned
• Primary one pupils at St Geradine School in Lossiemouth return to class after it was confirmed a pupil thought to have contracted Covid-19 did not have it