• The latest Public Health Scotland figures show a further 5,810 people have tested positive for Covid-19, 10.8% of the 57,128 new tests carried out yesterday
• There are 883 people in hospital with a recently-confirmed case of Covid, of which 82 are in intensive care
• There have been 17 more deaths reported in the past 24 hours of people who tested positive in the last 28 days, bringing the total by that measurement to 8,198
• Nicola Sturgeon says there is "cautious optimism" despite high levels of positivity
• The first minister says a decision on vaccination for 12 to 15-year-olds will be made within days
• The Scottish government is also still awaiting further advice from the JCVI on a booster programme of vaccinations for people with certain health conditions
• MSPs will debate and vote on the "limited, targeted and proportionate" system of vaccine certification tomorrow
• Opposition party leaders criticised the Test and Protect system saying it was "approaching meltdown"

That's all from us here on the Live Page team. Please stay safe and take care.

Jillian Evans, head of health intelligence at NHS Grampian, tells BBC Scotland that the underlying trend in the past week suggests we are starting to see a reduction in the rate of increase of cases, despite overall numbers still going up.

That is vaccinations having an effect, she says, but warns that with “significant events” coming up – such as students returning, people going back to work and various festivals happening, there are likely to be “peaks and troughs” in numbers in the weeks to come.

Ms Evans says that with case rates so high at the moment, we are starting to see a “worrying pressure” being put on health and care services and hospitals.

About 2 to 4% of case numbers end up in hospital admissions, she adds but she expects that to get “significantly worse”.

“We are getting close to numbers beginning to peak, but we are not there yet,” she adds.

Image source, Getty Images

Alex Cole-Hamilton says: "The contact tracing system is broken."

The Scottish Lib Dem leader warns the system is "approaching meltdown".

The first minister reiterates her defence of Test and Protect and argues the system is "working well".

Image source, AFP

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar says any 12 to 15-year-old who wants a Covid jab should be entitled to get one.

Test and Protect is still “far from meeting its standard”, he says - a criticism of “those running the system, not those working in the system”.

He says statistics for the spread of the virus among 10 to 13-year-olds virus shows the “devastating impact” of not using Test and Protect in schools.

The fact that nearly 200,000 Scots who have had the first vaccine are now past the eight-week period for eligibility for their second vaccine is a “colossal failure” on the government’s part, he says.

Image source, Getty Images

The first minister says all those who haven’t had the vaccine yet have been written to, and will be encouraged to come forward, but this is a voluntary - not a mandatory - vaccination programme, she says.

Uptake rates are incredibly high, the first minister says, and with regard to 12 to 15-year-olds, it is important all policy decisions "are rooted in evidence".

The Test and Protect system is "working extremely well, under significant pressure", she adds, with contact tracing in schools being done "appropriately and in a proportionate way".

Douglas Ross says it is vital that Test and Protect is operating at the top of its game.

The Scottish Conservative leader says the system is overwhelmed at the moment.

He warns the NHS is struggling to cope, as he cites "dire" waiting times statistics.

Mr Ross calls for specific detail about how the vaccination certification scheme will work.

"This is clearly a last-minute rush job," says Mr Ross, calling the plans an "absolute shambles".

Image source, PA Media

The first minister also defends the performance of Test and Protect.

Ms Sturgeon accepts the organisation is under pressure but stresses it is working well.

She insists the government is supporting the NHS through its recovery plan.

The first minister says the government will set out detail of vaccine certification tomorrow. Join us for extensive coverage.

Image source, Getty Images

The first minister says the Scottish parliament will debate and vote tomorrow on the principle of a "limited, targeted and proportionate" system of vaccine certification.

The government will publish a paper setting out in broad terms how the scheme will operate, she says.

Scotland is far from alone in considering such a scheme, Ms Sturgeon says, and similar schemes have already been introduced in several countries across Europe.

In the Scottish government's view, Covid certification "is a reasonable response to a very difficult situation, and much more proportionate than any likely alternatives", she says.

It will help reduce the overall harms caused by the pandemic, reduce transmission in some higher-risk settings, and maximise protection against serious illness, the FM adds.

Image source, Getty Images

The Scottish government is also still awaiting further advice from the JCVI on a booster programme of vaccinations for people with certain health conditions, the first minister says.

Two doses may not be sufficient to enable those with compromised immune systems to mount a full immune response to Covid, she says.

"We are now moving to implement this advice over the next few weeks and we will provide further advice to those affected by it shortly," Ms Sturgeon adds.

The same applies for a more general booster programme, she says.

Image source, Getty Images

The first minister addresses the issue of vaccination for 12 to 15-year-olds, pointing to updated analysis from the JCVI last Friday.

She says the JCVI concluded that the health benefit of vaccinating that group does marginally outweigh any risks.

But because it considers children to be at relatively lower risk of serious health harm from the virus, at this stage it has decided not to recommend vaccination is offered all 12 to 15-year-olds.

But in considering the likelihood of reducing disruption to education, the chief medical officers of the four UK governments will undertake a "rapid assessment of the latest evidence", the FM says.

She expects that "within days", she adds, and the Scottish government will then act in accordance with any recommendations received.

We must not let up in our efforts to stem new cases, argues the first minister.

She calls for help from every business and every individual in complying with mitigations.

The first minister says this is reducing the likelihood of restrictions having to be introduced.

Warning from the front linepublished at 14:45 British Summer Time 8 September 2021

14:45 BST 8 September 2021

Lisa Summers
BBC Scotland Health Correspondent

Even if there are early signs that case numbers are plateauing, and that the rate of increase is slowing; we have yet to see the full effect of this wave on the numbers of Covid patients in hospital. Almost 900 patients are now in hospital with Covid, figures we've not seen since February.

It is still less than half the number we saw in the January peak, and demonstrates that vaccines are working. But it is enough to force health boards to make difficult decisions on the care they can provide. Many are cancelling routine operations and having to close wards treating other patients to divert staff back to Covid care. The warning from those working on the front line is that the disruption could get worse in the next few weeks.

Image source, Getty Images

Vaccination has significantly reduced the link between cases of Covid and serious health harms, says the first minister.

She adds the proportion of those with the virus in hospital is much lower now.

The Delta variant is significantly more transmissable and is a game-changer in a bad way.

The first minister says there is more cause for cautious optimism now.

However, Ms Sturgeon tells the chamber that cases are currently at their highest level since the start of the pandemic.

She points out the levels of infection across the country remain far too high.

Ms Sturgeon tells the chamber there is still a "surge in cases" and adds there are tentative indications of a slowing down in the rate of increase.

The first minister says: "It appears that the rate of increase has slowed."

She says the call for all of us to be more cautious may be working.

Image source, bbc

Nicola Sturgeon gets to her feet and begins with the customary Covid-19 daily and weekly statistics.

The first minister then moves on to discuss the progress with vaccination and the possible vaccination of 12 to 15-year-olds.

She will also address booster vaccinations for the immunosuppressed and vaccine certification.

The latest Public Health Scotland figures published by the Scottish government show a further 5,810 people have tested positive for Covid-19, 10.8% of the 57,128 new tests carried out yesterday.

There are 883 people in hospital with a recently-confirmed case of Covid, of which 82 are in intensive care.

There have been 17 more deaths reported in the past 24 hours of people who tested positive in the last 28 days, bringing the total by that measurement to 8,198.

The vaccine programme in Scotland now shows that 4,130,841 people have received their first dose, with 3,749,767 having received their second dose.

Image source, PA Media

We'll bring you live coverage of Nicola Sturgeon's coronavirus update in the chamber.

• 2.00-2.25pm: Portfolio Questions Health and Social Care
• 2.25-3.25pm: First Minister’s Statement: COVID-19 Update (20mins statement, 40mins questions)
• 3.25-5.25pm: Scottish Government Debate: Programme for Government 2021-22

As at 5 September, 10,612 deaths have been registered in Scotland where the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) was mentioned on the death certificate, according to statistics published today by National Records of Scotland (NRS).

In the week 30 August – 5 September, 58 deaths were registered that mentioned COVID-19 on the death certificate, an increase of 10 deaths from the previous week.

17 people who died were aged under 65, 12 were of people aged 65-74 and 29 were over 75. 34 people who died were male and 24 were female.

There were 10 deaths in Glasgow City and six each in North Lanarkshire and City of Edinburgh. 42 people died in hospital, eight in care homes and seven at home.

Good afternoon and welcome to BBC Scotland's Live Page coverage of Nicola Sturgeon's latest Covid-19 update.