• All pubs and restaurants across central Scotland are to be closed under new measures aimed at tackling a surge in coronavirus cases
• National 5 exams are to be cancelled in Scotland in 2021 and replaced with teacher assessments and coursework

• Scotland records more than 1,000 cases of Covid-19 in the last 24 hours
• The number of people in hospital with the virus has risen by 54 to 319
• The number of weekly deaths linked to Covid-19 doubled to 20 according to NRS figures
• Holyrood's presiding officer has called for MSPs to be given more of a role in choosing Scotland's Covid restrictions

• Stuart Armstrong, Kieran Tierney and Ryan Christie will all miss Scotland's Euro 2020 play-off semi-final against Israel on Thursday after the former tested positive for Covid-19

That's all from the live page team today. Please take care and stay safe.

Image source, Getty Images

The Scottish government has published the evidence of its senior clinical advisers, external that guided strict new restrictions, especially on pubs and restaurants.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon told the Scottish Parliament that the estimated total number of cases in Scotland is currently just 13% of the peak level back in March. But she warned that cases are rising quickly.

The evidence paper states that "at the current rate of growth (7% increase per day), the number of infections would be at the level of the March peak by the end of October".

Although the increase is across Scotland, certain areas across the central belt were giving particular concern.

Read more here.

Drivetime with John Beattie
BBC Radio Scotland

Doctor of Science at the University of Edinburgh Christine Tait-Burkard, tells Drivetime she thinks that the latest measures announced sound like a "trial" which could be reintroduced before Christmas to enable people to visit families.

However she says she takes issue with the timing of the measures, in that there have only been 10 days of restricting people visiting each other's homes.

"The very simple thing to mention is two week restriction is not going to be the end of restrictions," she adds. "It’s a good trial period possibly viewing towards Christmas to see whether we could dampen down the virus and let people meet families."

National 5 exams are to be cancelled in Scotland in 2021 and replaced with teacher assessments and coursework.

Education Secretary John Swinney said going ahead with all exams during the continuing Covid pandemic was "too big a risk".

Higher and Advanced Higher exams will go ahead as usual - but will start on 13 May, two weeks later than planned.

The move came as new restrictions were imposed across Scotland in response to a sharp rise in new coronavirus cases.

Robert Cuffe
BBC head of statistics

The evidence shows that the current measures are not controlling the virus.

The number of people going into hospital with coronavirus is doubling roughly every fortnight and, if that pattern continues, the pressure would surely mount.

But the evidence cited by the first minister in support of the effectiveness of the measures announced today is not watertight.

The first minister listed all of the reasons why indoor hospitality is a place where it is easy for the virus to spread and some data that support, but do not prove, that point.

The R value did rise above 1 about three weeks after pubs opened and just over 20% of people recently infected report having been to a pub, restaurant or café in the preceding week.

This doesn’t prove that closing licensed venues after 6pm will turn the tide, or be more effective than doing so after 10pm.

But there is no single dataset or number that will map out a precise path through this epidemic.

Image source, Google

The Labour MSP Neil Findlay tells the chamber of apparent problems with the testing regime at the Redmill care home in West Lothian, where a coronavirus outbreak was made public yesterday.

He said the home's operator's, HC One, say it took six days from the first case being identified for the whole home to be tested by health officials.

28 staff and 20 residents are still waiting on results, and six members of staff have still not been tested.

He said one member of staff received three sets of results, and another received someone else's results 20 results were returned negative but with no information as to whose results they were.

The health secretary said Mr Findlay had raised "serious issues" and that this did not tie up with the information she had received, but said she would urgently investigate the matter.

Jeane Freeman added that at the Redmill care home she had been told 37 staff and 18 residents had tested positive. At another care home, Renaissance Care's Milford House, she said 18 staff and 13 residents had tested positive.

Drivetime with John Beattie
BBC Radio Scotland

Drivetime speaks to two men in Scotland who have been acutely affected by the virus.

Tony, whose 84-year-old mother died in a nursing home after three days of symptoms says he's found the last six months "incredibly difficult" because he couldn't bring family together for a proper memorial.

"I'm heart sorry for businesses affected," he said. "But we have to bite the bullet and find a way to reverse the acceleration of the virus. I fully support the new rules."

Similarly, 28-year-old Calum - who is still suffering symptoms after catching Covid in March - said there should be support for businesses "but that shouldn't run counter to the interest of preventing people from catching this disease".

Calum, a former runner, has says he is "50% of who I was" before becoming unwell and has suffered heart, lung, stomach, skin and brain problems in the last six months.

Image source, SNS

Three players are ruled out of Scotland's match against Israel on Thursday after Stuart Armstrong tested positive for Covid-19

Armstrong must self-isolate for 10 days, while close contacts Kieran Tierney and Ryan Christie must self-isolate for 14 days, starting from Tuesday.

A team masseur and a physiotherapist have also been identified as close contacts.

Read more

Businesses have been taking to social media to react to the new hospitality rules.

A popular Glasgow burger bar describes the news as "gutting but not unexpected".

One restaurant in the borders says the government is "penalising" hospitality venues.

"A massive blow" for hospitality and affiliated businesses - that's how one brewer describes the new restrictions.

If you are just joining us here are the headlines:

• All pubs and restaurants across central Scotland are to be closed under new measures aimed at tackling a surge in coronavirus cases
• National 5 exams are to be cancelled in Scotland in 2021 and replaced with teacher assessments and coursework

• Scotland records more than 1,000 cases of Covid-19 in the last 24 hours
• The number of people in hospital with the virus has risen by 54 to 319
• The number of weekly deaths linked to Covid-19 doubled to 20 according to NRS figures
• Holyrood's presiding officer has called for MSPs to be given more of a role in choosing Scotland's Covid restrictions

• Stuart Armstrong, Kieran Tierney and Ryan Christie will all miss Scotland's Euro 2020 play-off semi-final against Israel on Thursday after the former tested positive for Covid-19

Drivetime with John Beattie
BBC Radio Scotland

Restaurant owner Giovanna McDonald tells Drivetime she disagrees with measures based on the number of people who tested positive and had also visited bars and restaurants.

"We're not talking huge numbers," she says. "What will happen is you're driving people into each other's homes with alcohol they've bought in the off sales - and they're not allowed to do that."

Entrepreneur and bar owner in Inverness Scott Murray adds that hospitality businesses will become less "viable" given the new restrictions even outside the central belt.

He says there needs to be a mix of both food and drink served for businesses to be successful and there is a need to operate in "key trading hours".

Image source, Getty Images

Giovanna McDonald, owner of the Taphouse in Glasgow, tells Drivetime it has been "really difficult" to respond to the change in rules.

"It's getting really tiresome to have to work to these deadlines when you don't know what's coming," she said.

"We heard rumours of earlier closing times so we started to get geared up for that and get sorted for breakfasts - but we have to shut up shop with very little notice.

"That has a huge knock-on effect for suppliers - think of all the food that's going to go to waste."

Gino Stornaiuolo, who owns Paolozzi in Edinburgh, adds that while rates have been on pause for businesses landlords can be "case to case".

Some are sympathetic but some have not given a damn," he said.

Image source, Chester Hotel

The general manager of an Aberdeen hotel has said it is "good that we finally know" what is happening.

Stephen Gow, general manager of The Chester Hotel, said: "We can plan operationally for today's modifications and rules.

"We will be able to continue to operate within the newly altered set of regulations."

He said it was "another big blow for the hospitality sector", but added: "A further lockdown following the national and local Aberdeen ones would have been catastrophic."

Image source, bbc

Image source, PA Media

National 5 exams are to be cancelled in 2021 and replaced with teacher assessments and coursework.

Education Secretary John Swinney said a full exam diet during the continuing Covid pandemic was "too big a risk".

The Scottish Greens education spokesperson welcomed the "responsible decision" to suspend Nat 5 exams.

Ross Greer said he can't understand why the same decision was not taken for Highers and Advanced Highers and expresses concerns about an increase in teacher workload.

Beatrice Wishart, speaking for the Lib Dems, asks if two weeks is sufficient for young people to make up for time lost, in terms of the Higher and Advanced Highers.

Drivetime with John Beattie
BBC Radio Scotland

Image source, BO SAUNDERS

Anna Christopherson, owner of the Swedish bar and restaurant group Boda Bars in Edinburgh, tells Drivetime she fears for "bigger consequences" for jobs and mental health if bars and restaurants close.

She believes Nicola Sturgeon has "got it wrong" in terms of the action taken and that hospitality venues are not the cause of the rise in Covid cases.

Ms Christopherson has closed two out of seven of her Edinburgh venues and has made "many" employees redundant.

"We are constantly talking about health. But what is the effect on mental health and people losing their jobs?"

Drivetime with John Beattie
BBC Radio Scotland

Image source, BBC Sport

Scottish celebrity chef and restaurateur Nick Nairn told Drivetime that the latest news for hospitality businesses is "pretty devastating" and will likely result in permanent closures.

He said he believed that schools being open was the "clear area" causing the number of Covid cases to rise in Scotland and from "kids going to see grandparents".

"I think what’s going to happen is 16 days will go by, it'll get reviewed and the numbers won’t have gone down," he said. "Another week will go after that and the numbers will go down because the schools have gone on holiday.

"The hospitality industry is going to pay the price for this."

He added that the £40million support for businesses may cover the employer contribution to wages, but it "ain't going to pay the bills for sure".

A Highlands hotel boss has said the new restrictions would be "devastating" for his sector.

Tony Story's Kingsmills and Ness Bank hotels are fully booked for October, but he now anticipates cancellations.

He said it was important the spread of Covid-19 was tackled, but the restrictions had left his business in "no man's land".

"Should we just close or not?" he said.

"Are people really going to want to travel and stay in hotels when they cannot take a drink past six o'clock in the evening? I really don't know?"

Mr Story said hotels were already operating under tight regulations, adding: "We were hoping to get through October - our last gasp to reserving some funds to take us through winter.

"I think that has just been taken away."