A weekly update on Covid-19 cases, hospital admissions and deaths in Scotland.

• More than four million people in Scotland have now received their first dose of the vaccine.
• On top of that, 3,108,928 have received their second dose, an increase of 16,826 on yesterday.
• 90% of adults have had their first jab and 70% have also had their second
• A further 1,044 people have tested positive for Covid
• The daily test positivity rate of 5.6% is the lowest since 19 June
• 472 people are in hospital with recently-confirmed Covid-19, and 63 in intensive care
• There have been seven more deaths recorded in the past 24 hours of people who tested positive in the previous 28 days
• That brings the total number of deaths by that measurement to 7,866
• Daily case numbers have halved in the past three weeks
• The Scottish government "strongly recommends" that pregnant women get the jab as soon as they are asked to do so
• The first minister will update parliament on any easing of restrictions next Tuesday
• Ms Sturgeon says everything is being done to encourage younger people to get jabbed

That's all from the live page team today. Join us again for the next Scottish government update next week.

Liberal Democrat MSP Liam McArthur says the vaccination programme continues to be a "remarkable success" but concedes there are also "areas of concern".

He tells BBC Scotland's Coronavirus Update programme that simply sending out appointment letters was never going to be enough and calls for more "proactive engagement" with young people.

Mr McArthur says this could involve phoning young people to speak to them directly.

He adds: "It is more likely to be successful if the information that is out there is being reinforced with calls that allow questions to be answered."

And ahead of the levels system being scrapped on 9 August, Mr McArthur describes the latest virus figures as "promising".

With Scotland now having administered four million first Covid vaccinations, the BBC Scotland news website spoke to some of those who have helped make the programme work.

'The ladies had their hair done to get the vaccine'

An army of healthcare staff from across the NHS, as well as volunteers and retired professionals, stepped up to facilitate the biggest mass vaccination rollout the country has ever seen - and Sharon Smith is one of them.

The 51-year-old is a health visitor who normally takes care of babies and new mums in Busby and Clarkston. When the vaccination programme was announced she signed up immediately to help give the jabs.

Her team from East Renfrewshire health and social care partnership started to vaccinate the most vulnerable citizens living in care homes. The first jabs she gave are something she will never forget.

Read more

Greens MSP Gillian Mackay says we should be concerned about the vaccine uptake rates among young people but we also need to understand why it is lower.

She tells BBC Scotland's Coronavirus Update programme factors may include young people being unable to get time off work or to get to a drop-in centre.

Ms Mackay says: "It is the perfect storm for young people to think it is over and they are at less risk.

"We need them to come forward for their vaccines."

Asked if more could be done to encourage take-up rates, she expresses concerns about Covid passports.

She adds: "Where do you stop once you have those documents in place?"

The first minister wraps up today's briefing by reiterating that she believes great strides continue to be made in dealing with the pandemic.

Prof Sian Griffiths, of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, tells BBC Scotland's Coronavirus Update programme that if 90% of the population are protected via the vaccination programme then it will stop the transmission of the virus.

Overall, she highlights the positive impact of the school holidays, warmer weather and the increasing uptake of vaccinations.

She says: "Within England, when they relaxed the rules it was not the 'Freedom Day' concept.

"By the time the day came everybody was talking in much more cautious language".

She adds: "The data today was very reassuring as you look to move beyond level zero."

Alistair Grant from the Herald asks why some people in the 40-49 age group have come forward for their first jab but not for their second.

National clinical director Prof Jason Leitch says he does not see anything in the data to suggest this is a particular problem.

There may be some hold-ups because, for example, people are on holiday.

But, he says: "I think that number will increase and get very, very close to the first dose number."

Analysis: Scotland 'now looks in a good place'published at 15:04 British Summer Time 27 July 2021

15:04 BST 27 July 2021

Lisa Summers
BBC Scotland Health Correspondent

Scotland was first into this third wave and looks to be leading the way out.

Case rates have fallen significantly over the past three weeks, as has the percentage of positive tests being carried out.

From having the highest Covid cases in Europe, the country now looks in a good place.

It may seem strange given the easing of restrictions, and experts say while the data is positive, a cautious optimism is required.

The big surge of cases here came towards the end of June.

At that time schools were still open and the Euros were on, with many more people gathering in large groups at one time.

Since then we have had good weather, the summer holidays and more jags in arms.

This is all helping to drive cases down from that steep peak, but it is still unclear how low these numbers will go and there has also been less testing here over the past few weeks.

By 9 August, when the vast majority of restrictions are due to end, there will be even higher vaccination uptake and enough data to understand how the Delta variant is impacting on those becoming seriously unwell.

But with schools going back here in Scotland before other parts of the UK, eyes may be on Scotland once again.

Connor Matchett from The Scotsman asks how many people in the three youngest vaccination age groups have not turned up for their appointments.

Ms Sturgeon repeats her opening point that all adults have been offered the first dose, and will be offered a second dose within eight weeks.

"Those were the targets we set and those targets have been met."

She says she does not know "off the top of my head" how many no-shows there have been in the younger age groups.

"However, the idea that the vaccination process has been anything other than a resounding success has no basis in reality whatsoever," the FM concludes.

Tom Eden from PA asks the first minister about her forecast last month that second doses would have been administered to all 40-49-year-olds by 26 July.

To date, 90% have had a first dose and just under 77% have had their second.

He adds that Ms Sturgeon yesterday described accusations that the target had been missed as "downright inaccurate".

The first minister says she assumes when she communicates that people will attach "context and common sense" to what she is saying.

She adds that her words have been interpreted by some as not just that 100% would have been offered the vaccine but that 100% would have had the vaccine.

Image source, PA Media

With just over three weeks until most pupils go back to school after the holidays, Jack Foster from Global asks if any thought was given to vaccinating teenagers over the summer. And, if so, why hasn't it happened?

Ms Sturgeon says the government has never departed from the recommendations of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).

Vaccinating teenagers over the summer would have been going against the advice of the JCVI and that would have been "to say this quite mildly, a very controversial thing for us to have done", the FM adds.

Alan Smith from Bauer asks Ms Sturgeon about the plans to vaccinate vulnerable teenagers and highlights the case of one family who feel "frustrated" about the lack of information since last week's announcement.

The first minister says she understands the desire to get the jab as quickly as possible.

Ms Sturgeon says the decision was only made a few days ago and the Scottish government is in the process of "operationalising" the advice.

She confirms that more information will be put out as quickly as possible.

She adds: "It is absolutely the case that vulnerable children are being treated as priority and will be treated as a priority."

Six months after graduating Heather Campbell was in her dream job working as a nurse.

Based in the orthopaedic ward at University Hospital Wishaw, her role involved washing and caring for patients.

It was hard work and the PPE was a constant reminder that her career had started during a global pandemic.

Lanarkshire was one of the first parts of Scotland to feel the impact of the second wave of coronavirus.

And soon the high prevalence of cases in the community began to translate into hospital admissions.

Read more

Lynsey Bewes from BBC Scotland asks Ms Sturgeon why it might be that some young people in particular appear more reluctant to come forward for their vaccination.

She also asks if the level of take-up in the 18 to 29-year-old age group will affect government decision-making on further easing of restrictions.

The FM says vaccination levels "are an increasingly important factor" to be taken into account when moving beyond level zero.

She will not be drawn on announcements to be made next week but says she is at the "optimistic end of the scale" in terms of the progress being made.

Ms Sturgeon says everything is being done to encourage younger people to get jabbed, but adds: "We should not lose sight of the fact about how extraordinarily high uptake rates already are."

Gordon Chree from STV asks the first minister asks if she thinks people who have not been vaccinated are "guilty of anti-social behaviour".

Ms Sturgeon says she does not think that it is helpful and that it may be counterproductive to treat everyone who is eligible for the vaccine, but has not yet been vaccinated, as "one homogenous group".

She says: "But it is undoubtedly the case that everyone who is eligible to be vaccinated but who is not vaccinated then that is one step that we could be taking back toward normality that we are not taking."

The first minister adds that it is part of "our collective civic duty" to each other to get the jab.

Ms Sturgeon says anti-vaxers who "deliberately spread misinformation" are guilty of anti-social behaviour as they are putting people at risk

The first minister concludes her opening statement by highlighting the positive fact that daily case numbers have halved in the past three weeks.

The average test positivity rate is also down from more than 10% at the start of the months to just over 7% now.

Ms Sturgeon says, thanks to vaccination, the very high number of positive cases in the past few months have not resulted in the same levels of hospitalisation as in previous waves.

But she reiterates that "every single death and every case of someone needing hospital treatment matters, and that is not something we should ever be complacent about".

Ms Sturgeon says several relevant scientific factors give "really strong grounds for hope - and that is positive".

"Although, others remind us for the need for caution," she adds.

Ms Sturgeon highlights that "we are in a much better place than we were last March at the start of the pandemic, or at the beginning of this year - or even at the start of this month".

The progress of the vaccination programme is very important in considering the current state of the pandemic, Ms Sturgeon says.

The Scottish government hopes to lift restrictions to beyond level zero from Monday 9 August and the first minister says she will make a statement to the Scottish Parliament next Tuesday "setting out whether and to what extent we think we are able to go ahead with that".