First Minister Nicola Sturgeon says it is “likely” further easing will be “paused” for three weeks beyond 28 June.

• Ms Sturgeon said she wants to buy more time for vaccination to get ahead of the rise in new Covid cases.
• She said every adult should have been offered an appointment for a first dose by the end of next week and they should have a second dose within eight weeks of the first.
• There 974 new Covid cases yesterday. There are 137 people in hospital and 17 in intensive care.
• Two further deaths were reported yesterday.
• Vaccination is weakening the link between a rise in cases and a rise in people being admitted to hospital.
• The average age of people in hospital with Covid-19 in Scotland is falling, Nicola Sturgeon has said.
• The first minister said the highest number of new admissions was among people in their 30s and 40s.
• The Scottish government will lay out how restrictions will look after level zero in the lockdown-easing route map.
• A review of rules on physical distancing will be published next week

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

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SNP MSP Gordon Macdonald raises the issue of anxiety among those shielding, as restrictions are eased.

The first minister says in levels zero and one, the government asks people at the highest clinical risk to follow the same advice as the rest of the population and continue to take care.

She says there is extra advice for those living in higher level areas.

That advice continues to be reviewed and almost 92% of people on the shielding list have received both doses of the vaccine.

Do we envisage the Covid vaccine being administered on a yearly basis like the flu jab?published at 15:34 British Summer Time 15 June 2021

15:34 BST 15 June 2021

Question from Les in Linlithgow

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We don't really know yet, but it's something that's being looked into.

Clinical trials are currently ongoing to see which Covid vaccine works best as a third "booster" jab.

This trial will help inform decisions by public health officials on any potential booster programme which could take place in the autumn.

Four Covid vaccines are currently approved for use in the UK (Oxford-Astra Zeneca, Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and Janssen), with researchers saying they will consider three more in the booster trial (Valneva, Novavax and Curevac) which the UK has ordered that may be approved later in the year.

Researchers also hope to find out if different vaccine combinations will provide increased protection.

Why are we not vaccinating 24/7 if two doses means we can fully open up?published at 15:29 British Summer Time 15 June 2021

15:29 BST 15 June 2021

Question from Irene in Rutherglen

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The Scottish government has previously said it would consider whether 24/7 vaccinations would allow the jabs to be rolled out quicker.

Earlier this year, ministers even said they were considering piloting 24/7 vaccine clinics.

But they have also said that the main thing which is holding back the rollout is supply of vaccines, rather than the ability to deliver them.

Earlier this week, there was a warning that Pfizer vaccine supplies will be "tight" over the next few weeks - and will restrict the vaccination programme.

It follows advice that an alternative to the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine should be offered where possible to the under-40s, after a link with rare blood clots was identified.

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Lib Dem leader Willie Rennie asks about the speeding up reopening of services for adults with special needs.

He also asks about universities' demands for reopening guidance and asks how certain it is that restrictions will not ease for five weeks.

Ms Sturgeon says she will ease restrictions "as quickly as I think it is safe and responsible to do that".

She says the guidance already in place allows local authorities to open up services for vulnerable adults as soon as it is safe. She will ask the relevant minister to write to Mr Rennie to confirm these measures.

The FM says international students will be offered vaccinations and she is continuing to work with universities and colleges ahead of the autumn to provide as much protection as possible in light of the issues that occurred when students returned last year.

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Scottish Greens co-leader Lorna Slater welcomes the "cautious" decision to delay further easing of restrictions.

Ms Slater asks if the first minister agrees that non-essential international leisure travel should be the last thing that returns to normal.

Ms Sturgeon says people should not travel overseas for non-essential reasons.

The first minister speaks of her "intense frustration" at the lack of more robust border controls around the UK.

She says we are paying a price for that now with the Delta variant.

Ms Sturgeon insists that limiting international travel gave us the best chance of halting new variants and getting the situation back under control.

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar says in order to maintain public trust, we need "consistent communications, consistent decision-making, adequate support for businesses and a robust vaccination programme".

He says there have been mixed messages and inconsistent decision-making and mentions the Euro fan zone being able to operate when parents cannot attend outdoor nursery graduations.

He asks about further business support in light of the three-week delay.

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Ms Sturgeon says that, as restrictions are lifted, there is a potential for genuine contradictions, which ministers are prepared to fix as they go.

She says there are other examples which have a genuine reason for going ahead, for example the Euro 2020 fan zone in Glasgow. She says it offers a safer way for some people to enjoy the games outdoors with safety measures.

the FM says she has asked the education advisory sub group to look at the issue of nursery graduations but their advice remains, due to the risks of infection running through an education setting.

She says she will continue to give all the business support she is able to within her resources.

And she says vaccinations will continue for as long as supplies allow.

Are we allowed to dance at weddings in level two?published at 15:15 British Summer Time 15 June 2021

15:15 BST 15 June 2021

Question from Kathleen in Chryston

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Unfortunately not - the Scottish government says, external that at a wedding reception there should be no singing or dancing apart from:

• the couple’s "first dance"
• a dance between the couple’s parents - provided they live in the same household

Only low-level background music is allowed at wedding receptions, in line with hospitality guidance on background music, external. That means it should not be played at a volume that would make normal conversation difficult, or encourage people to raise their voices.

Under level two restrictions, the closing time required in all indoor hospitality settings is 22:30, which applies to wedding receptions too.

Numbers are also limited to a maximum of 50 people.

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Ms Sturgeon repeats she will not lift any restrictions this week and it is likely that further easing will be paused next week for a further three-week period.

The first minister hopes that will allow Scotland to get beyond level zero later this summer.

She stresses, however, that she can't guarantee that, but through vaccination she hopes it will happen.

The first minister insists the vaccination programme is dependent on supplies and pledges to look again at weddings next week.

She says NHS remobilisation of cancer care will be set out within the first 100 days of this new parliamentary session.

The first minister replies to Douglas Ross that she did not say at any point today that she thought restrictions would be in place for a period of further months.

Ms Sturgeon insists she has tried all along not to commit to firm dates far into the future.

She says she faced "real criticism for not saying the 21st of June would be freedom day".

Ms Sturgeon did not think it was responsible to do that, adding that she won't give false guarantees.

Mr Ross asks the first minister when is the government projecting that all adults will have received both doses of vaccine.

The Scottish Conservative leader also asks about support for businesses and those planning major life events.

Will the first minister consider lifting capacity limits on weddings, he asks.

Mr Ross asks if the government is seriously delaying the move to level zero until September, as that Scotland's national clinical director had suggested a delay of 10 weeks.

He also cites a "ticking time-bomb in cancer care" and asks when a "catch-up plan for cancer care" will be published.

Scottish Conservatives leader Douglas Ross says that people all over the country will be frustrated by the news that restrictions may continue for weeks or even months.

"We had all hoped for a summer of freedom, but instead this stubborn virus is determined to keep us scunnered instead," he says

Mr Ross points out "we're all thoroughly fed up with Covid".

He also talks of out the damaging impact the pandemic is having on jobs, businesses and people's mental and physical health.

"The vaccine remains our best hope of beating Covid."

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Two pieces of work are to be published next week, according to the first minister.

They will look ahead to "the restoration of a much greater degree of normality".

Ms Sturgeon says the work will be of interest to the arts and culture sector - who still face the greatest uncertainty.

The first paper will look at life beyond level zero. She says this is important because we do still hope that vaccination will allow us, over the summer, to move beyond level zero and back to a much greater degree of normality.

The second is the outcome of a review into physical distancing.

She says this is important for businesses like hospitality, theatres and cinemas to consider how they can operate sustainably.

The FM says it is "unlikely" that any part of the country will move down a level from 28 June.

She says it is likely that current restrictions will remain for a further three weeks from that date.

This time will be used to vaccinate - with both doses - as many more people as possible.

She says doing that will give us the best chance, later in July, of getting back on track and restoring "the much greater normality that we all crave".

Ms Sturgeon also says that she will consider if any minor changes are possible.

She acknowledges "perceived anomalies" in restrictions and will consider whether any changes should be made to address such issues.

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Ms Sturgeon says that we need to buy sufficient time for vaccination to get ahead of the virus, and that is the reason for caution at this time.

She mentions the UK government's announcement yesterday of a four-week delay to its Covid unlocking and says the Scottish government will also continue to adopt a cautious approach.

She says that the next full review of levels will happen next week on changes that would take place from 28 June onwards, pointing out this was the date when she had hoped to see the whole country move down to level 0.

The main points from First Minister Nicola Sturgeon's Covid update:

• She confirms there are no changes to the current Covid levels for areas around the country
• There were 974 new cases yesterday. There are 137 people in hospital and 17 in intensive care.
• Two further deaths were reported yesterday.
• Covid cases have risen by one-fifth in the past week and are now five times higher than in early May.
• However, new cases are rising much faster than hospital admissions.
• Double-dose vaccination provides a high level of protection against hospitalisation, Ms Sturgeon says.
• Vaccination is weakening the link between a rise in cases and a rise in people being admitted to hospital.
• Younger people are making up more of the new admissions for Covid. People in their 30s and 40s are the highest number of admissions.
• The first minister says we need more time for the vaccination programme to get ahead of the virus, so we must be cautious.
• She says it is “unlikely” that there will be any loosening of restrictions which had been planned for 28 June (a decision will be made next week).
• Despite a “pause” to the roadmap out of Covid restrictions, the government will publish its plans for returning to greater normality.