Booster Covid-19 vaccines and jabs for all children aged 12-15 in Scotland are to begin being offered from Monday, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon says.

Key points from the Covid update:

• Scots over the age of 50, people working in frontline health care or those with specific health conditions will be offered a booster vaccination.
• Children aged between 12 and 15 will also be offered a single dose of the Covid-19 Pfizer vaccine in Scotland from next week.
• Secondary pupils in Scotland will have to wear face coverings indoors until the October holidays
• Large in-person lectures will not be held at colleges and universities in Scotland when they return for the new term
• A further 21 deaths were reported in the past 24 hours
• There are 1,064 people in hospital with Covid and 89 people in intensive care
• The level of infection in Scotland remains too high but there are continuing signs that the recent spike in cases is slowing down, Ms Sturgeon says
• Even though new cases have fallen they remain five times higher than at the start of August.

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

Over on the BBC Coronavirus update programme, Prof Sian Griffiths from the Chinese University of Hong Kong gives her reaction to today's announcements.

She says it is a focus on a broader public health perspective for the 12-15 age group.

She says there are so many "disbenefits" of closing schools and says vaccinating will enable children to stay in school.

She adds that it is about a more general health benefit rather than seeing it in terms of the clinical need for a vaccine.

Prof Griffiths says it is very important that the young people in this eligible age group have a say in deciding to have the jabs.

She is interested in the fact that the vaccines will be given at drop-in centres with a specific view to draw parents and carers in to have conversations.

Will Scotland's new vaccine passport QR code be readable in France?published at 15:25 British Summer Time 14 September 2021

15:25 BST 14 September 2021

Question from Charles in Blairgowrie

Image source, Getty Images

The original Scottish vaccination certificates could not be read by the French Tous Anti Covid app, unlike the NHS app used in England and Wales.

However, the Scottish government has confirmed the addition of 2D Barcodes (also known as QR Codes) to Scotland’s certification process adheres to EU standards.

Latest guidance, external states they have been successfully tested with a number of European nations and provide additional security features that helps ensure the validity of the certificate.

Alex Cole-Hamilton says "Covid ID cards must be ruled out for children".

The Scottish Lib Dem leader asks if the first minister will "cancel Covid ID cards for all age groups today".

Ms Sturgeon replies: "No, I won't, because I think it is really important that we don't rule out measures that many people accept."

Analysispublished at 15:18 British Summer Time 14 September 2021

15:18 BST 14 September 2021

Lisa Summers
BBC Scotland Health Correspondent

Nearly 70% of Scotland’s population has now had two jags. But almost a quarter are still completely unvaccinated. That includes around 230,000 people aged 12-15. Experts say opening up vaccination to this group will help increase population coverage and slow the spread of the virus.

But ministers still want the rest of the highly sociable 18-29 age group to get vaccinated too, with drop-in clinics for students during freshers’ weeks.

Of course, young people remain unlikely to become seriously unwell with Covid. But widespread community infection is having knock-on effects causing wider harm, for example in schools and hospitals.

Boosters will also go ahead for health and care workers, and adults over 50 and with some health conditions.

Hopefully this will head off further pressure over the winter – if the NHS can keep its head above water for the next few weeks.

Ms Sturgeon adds that Test and Protect is functioning well and says that when cases are high it is under significant pressure, but when cases reduce the pressure will reduce.

She says Test and Protect has never stopped functioning in schools and the service is functioning on a more targeted basis without undue disruption to young people's education.

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar brings up the Test and Protect service and says it is "failing to meet WHO standards".

He says it is "disappointing" that letters to 12-15-year-olds will only go out from the end of this month.

He asks the first minister to commit that every child that wants a vaccine can get it at school before the October holidays.

Ms Sturgeon says any 12-15-year-old will be able to get vaccinated from Monday. She says the government has to make sure it makes available the information that young people and parents and carers will want to read before making an informed choice.

She says it is better to use drop-in clinics and appointments to facilitate involvement of parents coming along with questions.

She says doing it this way will be quicker than putting a new programme into action in schools.

The level of infection in Scotland remains too high but there are continuing signs that the recent spike in cases is slowing down, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon says.

The average number of daily cases in Scotland has dropped to 5,506 per day in the week ending 11 September, compared with 6,290 the previous week.

Other points in Ms Sturgeon's speech:

• More than 70% of all cases last week were in the under 45s.
• The picture varies across different age groups but there are broadly positive signs in all of them.
• Children aged 12 to 15 will be offered a single dose of the Pfizer vaccine from next Monday.
• Scots over the age of 50, working in frontline health care or with specific health conditions will be offered a booster vaccination from next week.
• Secondary pupils in Scotland will have to wear face coverings indoors until the October holidays.
• Large in-person lectures will not be held at colleges and universities in Scotland when they return for the new term.

The first minister accepts there is pressure on the NHS and says she spends a considerable amount of time reminding people of it.

Ms Sturgeon calls on everyone to help alleviate the pressure with Covid mitigations.

She insists her government takes drug deaths "extremely seriously" and outlines actions being taken to address them.

The first minister says more granular information will be forthcoming on the jabs for 12 to 15-year-olds and indeed on the booster programme.

Drop-in clinics will be available from Monday for youngsters and school vaccination and appointments will also be used, she says.

Douglas Ross says: "Our NHS continues to face considerable pressure."

The Scottish Conservative leader insists: "Our NHS is in crisis and our health service needs more support."

He turns to today's drug deaths statistics which he says are "shocking".

Mr Ross says vaccines for 12 to 15-year-olds and booster jabs have the potential to be "game changing", and he calls for more detail.

He goes on to ask why the government did not begin work with businesses "weeks ago" on vaccine passports.

Scotland will adopt the JCVI's advice on boosters and the first minister says that the rollout will run alongside the flu vaccination programme. Where possible, eligible people will be offered Covid-19 and flu vaccines together.

Who will get the boosters?

• All adults over 50
• Frontline health and care workers
• Younger adults with certain health conditions
• Younger adults with health conditions that put them at higher risk
• Adult household contacts of people with suppressed immune systems.

She says the JCVI has also advised that there should be an interval of at least six months between a second dose and a booster dose.

Frontline Health and Social care workers will be able to book their booster appointment online through NHS Inform from Monday 20 September.

Also from next week, residents in care homes for older people will be offered both flu and Covid booster vaccines.

Adults aged 70 years or over, and everyone aged over 16 on the highest risk list will be contacted by letter or by their GP.

And other eligible groups - all adults over 50, all those aged 16 to 49 with underlying health conditions, adult carers, unpaid and young carers, and adult household contacts of people who are immunosuppressed - will be able to book online from October.

Image source, Getty Images

After announcing the rollout of vaccination for the 12-15 age group, Ms Sturgeon outlines the timeline for the programme:

• Monday 20 September: drop in clinics will be open for any 12-15-year-old who has read the information and - in discussion with parents and carers - decided they wish to be vaccinated.
• Monday 27 September - letters will be sent to all 12-15-year-olds inviting them to an appointment at a drop-in centre or vaccination clinic.
• After the scheduled community sessions, there will be a programme of vaccination in schools, to ensure that anyone who hasn’t been vaccinated, and who decides that they want to be, gets a further opportunity.

She emphasises that information will be made available and parents are encouraged to get involved in the decision-making.

She says: "I know that these are important decisions for young people and their parents, and that many will have questions. I would encourage everyone to read the information that will be provided, and do not hesitate to visit a drop-in clinic to ask any questions or raise any concerns."

Booster vaccines will be offered to all adults over 50, frontline health and care workers as well as people at risk, Ms Sturgeon says.

Frontline health and social care workers will be able to book their booster appointment online through NHS Inform from next Monday.

Residents in care homes for older people will be offered both flu and Covid booster vaccines from next week.

Adults aged 70 years or over, and everyone aged over 16 on the highest risk list will be contacted shortly either by letter or by their GP.

People over 50 and others at risk will be able to book online from October.

How many vaccinations will young people receive?published at 14:44 British Summer Time 14 September 2021

14:44 BST 14 September 2021

Question from Kirsty in Paisley

Image source, Getty Images

All over-18s across the UK can have two Covid vaccine doses.

But 16 and 17-year-olds are initially being offered one dose, with the intention of having a second at a later date.

Those in the 12-15 age bracket will also be offered a single jab.

Under-18s are currently being offered Pfizer, although the Moderna vaccine has also been authorised for use in children in the UK.

Image source, Getty Images

The first minister goes on to clarify contact tracing arrangements for schools.

Close contacts will continue to be advised to self-isolate until they get a negative PCR test.

For children and young people, a high-risk contact is most likely to be a household member, or someone they have stayed overnight with.

But she says letters that schools send to lower-risk contacts will now be sent on a targeted basis to those who are most likely to have had low-risk contact with someone who has tested positive.

This is to make sure parents, staff and pupils are aware of those cases.

So letters may be sent to the classmates of a pupil who has tested positive, but not to everyone in their year group.

Pupils who receive these letters will now be asked to take a lateral flow test before they return to school.

She says all these measures "reflect our commitment to prioritising the wellbeing of children and young people - and our determination to minimise disruption to education."

Image source, Getty Images

Ms Sturgeon says work will continue with councils to make schools and nurseries as safe as possible - including the use of carbon dioxide monitors and improved ventilation.

She reveals that after taking advice from the advisory sub-group on education, that face coverings will remain in secondary schools until the October holidays before being reviewed.

This is due to the still-high levels of infection.

She says: "I know how unpopular this is with many pupils and I understand why.

"But for now, it remains a prudent and necessary precaution."

One dose of a Covid-19 vaccination is to be offered to all children aged between 12 and 15 in Scotland, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has confirmed.

She told her Covid briefing she had accepted the advice of the UK's chief medical officers to offer jabs to children.

She said the Scottish government would move to implement the advice as quickly as possible.

From Monday 20 September, drop-in clinics will be open for any 12 - 15-year-old who has read the information and - in discussion with parents and carers - decided they wish to be vaccinated.

They will be offered one dose of the Pfizer vaccine.

The UK government announced earlier today that it will no longer use its Shielding Patient List.

However, the first minister points out: "In light of that - and to avoid any mistaken assumption - it is important to confirm that the Scottish government is not following suit at this stage. We will continue to use our equivalent list – the Highest Risk List.

"We have used this throughout the pandemic to communicate with all those at highest risk and ensure they have advice and support.

"We will continue to keep it under the review, but for the moment we believe it is important to retain it."

Ms Sturgeon tells the chamber vaccination has significantly weakened the link between cases of Covid and serious health harm from Covid.

"At the start of the pandemic, we constantly emphasised the need to protect our NHS," she says.