• Eligibility for a £500 self-isolation support grant is to be widened from Monday 7 December
• Scotland is ready to vaccinate "as soon as possible", says health secretary

• Residents in five coronavirus hotspots are being targeted as part of a trial mass testing programme
• The first minister highlights the five areas are Alloa, Dalmarnock, Pollokshields, Stewarton and in Girvan
• Experts say the community testing could cut the chain of transmission by identifying asymptomatic cases of coronavirus

• Testing of Scotland's university students is beginning in an effort to make sure they are safe to return home for Christmas
• The number of positive cases in a coronavirus outbreak at an "extra care" housing development in Peebles has risen to 28
• 49 deaths have been registered with Covid-19 on the death certificate since Friday
• The first minister will update MSPs tomorrow on the Covid alert levels for each council area in Scotland

Image source, Getty Images

Douglas Ross says he would like to see restrictions reduced at the weekly review on Tuesday, but “only if the science ensures that we have got on top of the virus” and people will not contract it and need hospital care.

He says following the news about vaccines we can “look forward with hope to the spring and an opportunity to get away from these tough restrictions that are affecting our daily lives”.

Douglas Ross, who is leader of the Scottish Conservatives, tells BBC One Scotland's Coronavirus Update programme that the mass testing programme being piloted this week is an important tool to get on top of the virus.

“There are still far too many people being infected by Covid-19 and sadly far too many in Scotland and across the country still losing their lives as a result of the virus,” he says.

They are rapid turnaround tests, where samples are processed on-site with no lab required and results are available in under half an hour.

They have allowed the introduction of mass testing but they are not as accurate as the PCR tests that are carried out at NHS test centres.

Health Secretary Jeane Freeman told parliament last week that the lateral flow tests had an overall sensitivity of 76.8% - meaning the test will identify more than seven in 10 positive cases of Covid.

Students are encouraged to take two tests to increase the chances of the virus being picked up.

Prof Sian Griffiths says it is perfectly reasonable to try mass testing in Scotland as there will be an evaluation of the lateral flow tests.

The academic says testing is part of what is necessary and the other rules must also continue to be observed.

She argues the test is not a panacea, but that it's another tool that can be used.

A PCR test follows if you have a positive result from the lateral flow test.

Professor Sian Griffiths, who is Emeritus Professor of Public Health at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, tells BBC Scotland the number of positive cases is falling across the UK.

"Numbers do appear to be going down, which means the greater restrictions of lockdown in the different countries have had an impact.

"But obviously with Christmas coming up we need to ensure that the numbers continue to go down."

Prof Griffiths points out the best advice is to keep stricter restrictions for longer and bring the R number down further.

There is more optimistic vaccine news today with Moderna being submitted to the regulators, she adds.

Image source, Getty Images

Health Secretary Jeane Freeman says the full vaccination programme will start as soon as they have enough supplies to do so.

She says “we are ready to go as soon as those approvals come through”.

Any dates are “entirely speculative”, she adds, but once the independent decisions on the vaccines are ready they will make sure the public know in what order the adult population will be vaccinated, and why that order is the one Scotland will follow.

Image source, BBC Scotland

The number of positive cases in a coronavirus outbreak at an "extra care" housing development in Peebles has risen to 28.

The first minister is asked if she thinks there is a potential problem with the running of the home by the Scottish Borders Council's arms-length company SB Cares.

Ms Sturgeon says she can't give a definitive answer to that, but says the government looks carefully at all outbreaks.

The Care Inspectorate has the responsibility for monitoring standards in care homes, she explains.

Professor Leitch says 94 staff and residents have been tested and visiting has had to be pulled back except for essential visits.

Trying to find a provider to blame is not very helpful he says, adding the government will try and help get the care home become Covid-free as fast as it can.

Image source, Reuters

Nicola Sturgeon is asked why testing is not compulsory for all students wanting to go home for Christmas.

The first minister says there are ethical issues about forcing anyone to take any test, but the strong advice is for students to get tested twice before travelling home.

National clinical director, Prof Jason Leitch, adds they think the best thing is to educate students about why it is important to get tested.

Image source, Scottish government

Ms Sturgeon closes by highlighting the other guidance and advice that remains so crucial.

You can find details below:

• Scottish government: Coronavirus (COVID-19): what you can and cannot do, external
• View guidance for the festive period, external. Full guidance and latest figures on the main Coronavirus page, external.
• Guidance for students returning home, external
• Postcode checker, external for COVID restrictions by protection level in areas of Scotland
• NHS Inform, external
• The latest from NHS Scotland and the Scottish government, including social distancing, face covering and stay at home advice

Image source, Reuters

BBC Scotland’s Andrew Kerr asks whether the government was concerned about the accuracy of the new lateral flow tests, and whether they could offer false assurance.

Professor Jason Leitch, Scotland's clinical director, says the lateral flow test is “one of the building blocks” to help track the disease.

He says one of the toughest things with Covid-19 is the long incubation period, which can be up to 10 days after infection, and no test detects it until the virus starts shedding.

He explains that the lateral flow tests are not as effective as the lab-analysed PCR tests, but participants are tested more than once and PCR tests are used to check all positive results to reduce the risk of false positives.

Image source, Getty Images

The first minister turns to the eligibility for the self-isolation support grant of £500.

Ms Sturgeon explains that from next Monday 7 December, the range of people who can claim will be widened.

After 7 December, people will be able to claim the grant if one of their children has to self-isolate.

After that date you will also be eligible even if you don't get Universal Credit but your local authority thinks you would qualify if you applied for it, helping more people to get the grant.

The firsts minister says these changes are important because self-isolating is so important.

If you have symptoms of Covid, you should self-isolate immediately and get tested.

Image source, Reuters

The first minister points out that this mass testing does not mean people who test negative should stop the other safety measures, as the virus could be incubating.

Ms Sturgeon also points out you could pick up the virus after having a test.

She hopes that identifying more people who are positive will help arrest the spreading of the virus.

She encourages people who live in the five areas to come forward for testing.

If you have the symptoms of Covid, you should come forward for testing.

Image source, PA Media

Ms Sturgeon turns to the further expansion of testing in Scotland.

Mass testing programmes for Covid-19 are under way in a bid to drive down infection rates before Christmas.

Residents in five coronavirus hotspots are being targeted as part of a trial mass testing programme.

They include communities in areas of Alloa, Dalmarnock, Pollokshields, Stewarton and in Girvan.

The first site to use lateral flow tests will open in Johnstone in Renfrewshire on Wednesday.

Experts say the community testing could cut the chain of transmission by identifying asymptomatic cases of coronavirus.

Read more here.

The first minister says she will update parliament tomorrow on the levels of restriction which will apply in different local authority areas.

Ms Sturgeon says the government is considering any changes to Covid alert levels.

The 11 local authorities in level four will remain there until 11 December.

Nicola Sturgeon begins by saying there has been a technical issue with the reporting systems overnight, meaning today's figures will be slightly lower than expected.

The first minister confirms a further 369 people have tested positive for Covid-19. That is 6.1% of the total number of tests carried out.

This takes the total number of positive cases in Scotland to 95,058.

Health board breakdown:

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

• NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde: 133
• NHS Lanarkshire: 49
• NHS Lothian: 48

The remaining caes are spread across the other health boards.

1,041 patients are in hospital with a confirmed case (down eight), with 75 being treated in intensive care (down one).

A further three people who tested positive have had their deaths registered.

The first minister reminds us that the statistics on Monday are usually lower than you might expect, as many of the registration offices are closed on a Sunday.

In total, since Friday, 49 deaths have been registered with Covid-19 on the death certificate - taking the total by that measure to 3,725.

Image source, Getty Images

Nicola Sturgeon will begin the government’s daily briefing shortly, with Health Secretary Jeane Freeman and National Clinical Director Professor Jason Leitch alongside her.

How to watch and listen:

• On BBC One Scotland the programme will have the main part of the daily briefing. There will also be reaction from Professor Sian Griffiths, who is Emeritus Professor of Public Health at the Chinese University of Hong Kong and a visiting professor at Imperial College London. And Douglas Ross, leader of the Scottish Conservatives, will be interviewed

• Meanwhile, if you prefer, you can watch the whole of the briefing with all the questions from journalists on the BBC Scotland Channel
• Or you can listen to the briefing on Lunchtime Live on BBC Radio Scotland

All three are available here at the top of this live page.

• Testing of Scotland's university students is beginning in an effort to make sure they are safe to return home for Christmas
• Residents in five coronavirus hotspots are being targeted as part of a trial mass testing programme
• They include communities in areas of Glasgow, Ayrshire, Clackmannanshire and Renfrewshire
• The number of positive cases in a coronavirus outbreak at an "extra care" housing development in Peebles has risen to 28

• Low income families will receive payments of £100 before Christmas, under a new scheme to be announced by Nicola Sturgeon
• Patients needing urgent but not live-saving care will be encouraged to call 111 rather than turn up at A&E
• Nicola Sturgeon has defended her government's handling of the pandemic as statistics show Scotland's Covid death rate rose higher than England's in recent weeks

1. Scottish government: Coronavirus (COVID-19): what you can and cannot do, external

View guidance for the festive period, external. Full guidance and latest figures on the main Coronavirus page, external.

Guidance for students returning home, external

2. Postcode checker, external for COVID restrictions by protection level in areas of Scotland

3. NHS Inform, external

The latest from NHS Scotland and the Scottish government, including social distancing, face covering and stay at home advice.

4. Test and Protect, external

If you have Covid-19 symptoms go immediately to NHS Inform online or phone 0800 028 2816 to book a test

5. The ready.scot, external website

It has been updated with the latest help and advice and how you can help others. The helpline number remains: 0800 111 4000

6. The Clear Your Head website, external

It's ok to not feel yourself right now, here are some tips to help get you through the pandemic.