Summary

  • Scotland's first minister gives evidence to Holyrood's Covid-19 Committee which is examining the government's handling of the pandemic

  • MSPs question Nicola Sturgeon and the country's Chief Medical Officer Dr Gregor Smith

  • In a minor relaxation of rules, four adults from up to two households will be able to meet outdoors, including in private gardens. The change will take place from Friday

  • Communal worship will resume from 26 March. Social distancing needs to be applied but groups of 50 will be able to gather

  • Next week the first minister will give indicative dates for the opening of shops, hairdressers, gyms and hospitality

  • In the week ending 7 March, 141 additional deaths linked to Covid-19 have been registered. According to National Records of Scotland that is a fall of 89 fatalities from the previous week

Live Reporting

BBC Scotland News

  1. Almost 20,000 vaccinations carried out on Tuesday

    The first minister confirms that as of 08:30 this morning, 1,809,158 people in Scotland have now had their first vaccination dose.

    Ms Sturgeon says the figure represents an increase of 19,781 on Monday.

    As she said yesterday, a dip in supply has caused the daily number to fall of late, but she expects this to pick up again from mid-March as supply increases again.

    She tells the committee "virtually everybody" in the over-65 age group has now received their first dose.

    For other age groups the latest figures are:

    • 60-64: 44%
    • 55-59: 37%
    • 50-54: 30%

  2. FM confirms a further 20 Covid deaths recorded in Scotland
    Breaking

    Committee convenor Donald Cameron MSP invites the first minister to make an opening statement.

    Nicola Sturgeon begins by confirming 691 people tested positive for Covid-19 on Tuesday, which amounts to 3.1 % of all tests.

    She adds a further 20 people who tested positive in the previous 28 days have had their deaths registered, bringing the total under that daily measurement to 7,461.

  3. Teachers say return to school for S1-3 'counterproductive'

    Pupils in face masks gather in a schoolPA Media

    All secondary pupils will be able to get some in-class time before the Easter holidays

    The planned return for pupils in S1-S3 will involve less than two hours per week in school for some children.

    Nicola Sturgeon announced last week that all secondary pupils in Scotland would have some in-school time from 15 March.

    But teachers' groups have criticised the plan as "counterproductive" with workload disproportionate to benefits.

    The first minister has said giving pupils even a small amount of time in school would have benefits.

    Read more here.

  4. Covid in Scotland: Latest headlines

    • Teachers' groups have criticised the planned return for pupils in S1-S3 as "counterproductive" with workload disproportionate to benefits
    • Some secondary pupils in Scotland will have less than two hours per week in school when they return from next Monday, 15 March
    • Up to four adults from two different households will be able to meet outdoors in Scotland from Friday of this week, after Nicola Sturgeon announced a "modest" easing of some restrictions yesterday
    • Four people aged between 12 and 17 will also be able to meet outside even if they are all from different households
    • Outdoor non-contact group sports for adults can also restart on Friday.
    • As of yesterday, 1,789,377 people had received the first dose of the Covid vaccination, while 123,686 have received their second dose

  5. Welcome

    Nicola SturgeonReuters

    Good morning and welcome to BBC Scotland's rolling coverage of the Covid-19 pandemic in Scotland this Wednesday, 10 March 2021.

    There is no Scottish government briefing today.

    Instead, Nicola Sturgeon will be questioned by MSPs on the Scottish Parliament's Covid-19 committee about the government's handling of the pandemic.

    That is scheduled to get under way at 11:00.

    Scotland's chief medical officer Dr Gregor Smith will also be questioned by the committee.

    We'll keep you up to date with what's going on and you'll be able to follow the proceedings yourself, should you choose to do so, by clicking on the tab above.