The first minister explains that anyone arriving in Scotland will need to present evidence that they have received a negative result, from a Covid test taken in the previous three days.

The tests required will almost certainly be PCR ones, the first minister says.

There are some limited exemptions for the requirement for a test – for example for younger children – and details of these will be set out on the Scottish government website.

Testing will reinforce, rather than replace, all of our current travel restrictions.

For example anyone travelling to Scotland from a country which is not on the exemption list, still has to self-isolate for 10 days on arrival.

Ms Sturgeon insists very few people should be travelling to Scotland from overseas in any case.

"It is only legal to travel to or from Scotland if you are doing so for an essential purpose."

Image source, PA Media

The first minister turns to pre-departure testing for people who are travelling into Scotland.

The Scottish government confirmed last week that it would introduce a requirement for pre-departure testing for anybody travelling to Scotland from overseas.

Ms Sturgeon confirms this requirement will now come into effect on Friday morning at 4am.

Ms Sturgeon says she chaired the weekly meeting of the Scottish cabinet this morning and one of the things discussed was whether there were any areas – for example click and collect services - where tighter restrictions are needed.

"We are continuing to consider these options a little bit further, and I can tell you that I will update parliament on any decisions we reach over the course of the day," she says.

The first minister tells the briefing 54 additional deaths have been registered in the last 24 hours, of a patient who first tested positive over the previous 28 days.

That means that the total number of deaths, under this measurement, is now 5,023.

Ms Sturgeon says this figure is particularly distressing as it takes the total number of deaths with Covid over 5000 deaths and is another reminder of the heartbreaking toll that this virus has taken.

Nicola Sturgeon confirms a further 1,875 people have tested positive for Covid-19. That is 12% of total number of tests carried out.

This takes the total number of positive cases in Scotland to 153,423.

As of yesterday, 175,942 people in Scotland had received their first vaccine dose.

1,717 patients are in hospital with a confirmed case (up 53), that compares to a peak of just over 1500 in the first wave back in April.

133 people are in intensive care, which is an increase of 7 from yesterday

Image source, Getty Images

• The Scottish cabinet has met to consider if any new measures are needed to tackle covid
• Nicola Sturgeon has already said services like click and collect shopping, takeaways and the construction industry could be restricted
• It comes as the number of people in hospital with COVID-19 is higher than at the height of the pandemic last spring
• A shortage of NHS staff could prevent the opening of the NHS Louisa Jordan to Covid patients if capacity is exceeded elsewhere, a leading doctor has said
• The first minister will be joined by National Clinical Director Professor Jason Leitch from 12.15pm for today's briefing
• Provisional figures show that last year in the UK saw the largest increase in deaths in a single year since 1940. In 2020 nearly 697,000 deaths were registered
• Morrisons and Sainsbury's say they'll step-up the enforcement of wearing face-coverings in their stores

The wider rollout of the Oxford Covid vaccine began yesterday at more than 1,100 locations across Scotland.

Here's what you need to know about the vaccines:

• When will I be vaccinated against the virus?
• Where will I get my vaccine?
• How does a vaccine get approved?
• What is the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine?

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

From Tuesday 5 January, mainland Scotland moved from Level 4 to a temporary lockdown, with new guidance to stay at home, external except for essential purposes. Some islands remain at Level 3, external.

The cabinet considered this morning whether these restrictions need tightened.

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

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

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.

Image source, PA Media

The Covid pandemic has caused excess deaths to rise to their highest level since World War Two.

There were close to 697,000 deaths in the UK - nearly 91,000 more than the average in the previous five years.

This represents an increase of 15% - making it the largest rise in excess deaths for more than 75 years.

When the age and size of the population is taken into account 2020 saw the worst overall death rates since the mid 2000s.

This measure - known as age-standardised mortality - takes into account population growth and age.

Read more here.

Image source, PA Media

Welcome to the BBC's rolling coverage of the coronavirus pandemic in Scotland on Tuesday 12 January 2021.

We'll bring you extensive coverage of today's Scottish government Covid-19 briefing which is expected to begin at 12.15pm.

Scotland's cabinet has been considering this morning whether tougher restrictions need to be introduced.

You can watch the briefing live here with us, with the coverage on BBC One Scotland beginning at 12pm.

On the programme today are Prof Sian Griffiths, of the Chinese University of Hong Kong and later Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross and Scottish Labour's Anas Sarwar.

You can also watch the entire briefing with all the questions from journalists on the BBC Scotland channel, or listen to Radio Scotland's Lunchtime Live.