• Mask wearing on public transport and in shops will remain compulsory in Scotland for a further two weeks, into early April
• Nicola Sturgeon told MSPs she needed to "ask everyone to be patient for a little while longer on face coverings"
• The first minister explained this is due to a rise in cases of Covid-19
• All other restrictions on businesses and services are to move from legal requirement to guidance from Monday 21 March
• The mask rules will be reviewed again in two weeks, and are likely to be converted to guidance by 4 April.

Image source, Getty Images

• Mass testing will be wound down in April, with routine testing and contact tracing to end by May
• The average number of new cases reported each day in Scotland is more than 12,000
• That's up from an average of 6,900 per day three weeks ago
• There has also been a rise in the number of people in hospital with Covid-19, from 1,060 three weeks ago to 1,996 today
• Douglas Ross insisted "we can't stay stuck with Covid rules forever
• Jackie Baillie pressed the FM on plans for testing health and social care workers going forward
• Vaccination and testing of Ukrainian refugees was raised by Alex Cole-Hamilton - the FM said the detail will be given tomorrow

Image source, Getty Images

Andrew McRae, the Federation of Small Businesses in Scotland’s policy chair, says the timeline to lift the remaining restrictions is slower than many would like.

He adds the impression that Scotland has a "first-in, last-out" approach to Covid restrictions frustrates many in business.

Image source, Getty Images

Dr Liz Cameron, chief executive of the Scottish Chambers of Commerce, says the decision to delay lifting all remaining Covid restrictions will come as a "bitter disappointment" to her members.

She adds: "Further delay will put Scotland’s recovery into reverse gear again, create confusion, dent business confidence, putting the buffers on economic growth.

“Businesses cannot continue to operate with the start-stop lever being pulled just weeks apart, with no clear confirmation as to what the triggers driving decision making are."

Dr Cameron also says businesses have invested millions to keep their customers and staff safe throughout the pandemic.

High numbers of Covid patients in hospitalpublished at 15:18 Greenwich Mean Time 15 March 2022

15:18 GMT 15 March 2022

Lisa Summers
BBC Scotland Health Correspondent

High rates of Covid in the community are translating into high numbers in hospital with Covid.

Medics say the good news is that high vaccination rates and better treatments mean the vast majority do not become critically ill - yet the pressure on our hospitals is greater than ever.

In the first instance, Covid patients need to be separated from others, which can limit bed capacity in some wards.

Then you have to make sure there are enough staff to safely look after patients. That can mean moving nurses or other key staff from places like outpatients or day surgery to cover gaps caused by Covid absence.

It all leads to less capacity to treat less urgent cases, which in turn, will become more serious. And for those who arrive at emergency departments, the result is people waiting hours longer than they should for a bed.

Image source, Pa

The SNP's John Mason says he is concerned about the rising number of hospital patients.

He puts it to the first minister that some of those undergoing treatment at the moment might think restrictions should be increased rather than eased.

Ms Sturgeon says she doesn't take that view.

She adds: "I think we are on a justified journey thanks to normality."

The first minister adds this is down to the success of the vaccination programme and natural immunity, which has weakened the link between the virus and serious illness.

Analysis: How are hospitals coping?published at 15:13 Greenwich Mean Time 15 March 2022

15:13 GMT 15 March 2022

So far the number of patients requiring intensive care treatment has remained relatively steady - but hospitals are seeing near record numbers of Covid patients in other wards.

On Tuesday there were 1,996 Covid-positive patients, far more than during the Omicron surge in January this year and not far short of the record figure of 2,085 in January 2021.

NHS Lothian and NHS Grampian have both said they have more Covid patients than at any time in the pandemic.

NHS Lanarkshire says its three major hospitals are operating beyond capacity and is warning of very long A&E waiting times. Glasgow says its hospitals are almost full while NHS Highland says some elective surgery is having to be cancelled.

Alex Cole-Hamilton asks about vaccines and Ukrainian refugees.

The Scottish Lib Dem leader points out vaccine roll out in Ukraine was only to 35% of adults before the invasion.

He asks what plans are in place to provide immediate vaccinations to refugees arriving in Scotland.

The first minister says there will be more details about support for Ukrainian refugees tomorrow in her statement to the chamber.

This will include testing and vaccination for people arriving here.

Mask wearing to remain for a while longerpublished at 15:06 Greenwich Mean Time 15 March 2022

15:06 GMT 15 March 2022

Lisa Summers
BBC Scotland Health Correspondent

It has become almost second nature - grab your mask alongside your keys as you dash out the front door. And in Scotland, unlike any other part of the UK, you will be doing it for a while longer.

Many in public health think this is not a big ask, a sensible move at a time when community transmission is so high. It is a very visible reminder that Covid has not gone away, and they point to a growing body of research that suggests community mask-wearing can offer some protection against infection spread.

However, others argue the evidence is not compelling and the reality is people don’t wear masks in the places where they would make the most difference, at home with family and friends.

After all Scotland is experiencing a surge in cases despite such measures being in place.

Scottish Labour's deputy leader Jackie Baillie highlights the pressures facing the NHS and asks the first minister what her plans are for testing health and social care workers from May onwards.

She also expresses concerns over the availability of anti-viral medication.

Ms Sturgeon says it is her intention to advise health and care workers to continue testing after the end of April.

She adds that is likely be on a twice weekly basis although that will be kept under regular clinical review.

Ms Sturgeon says the NHS is working hard to ensure that those who are eligible for anti-viral treatment get access to it.

"Scotland is not stuck," argues the first minister.

She points to the spike in cases right now and says the temporary extension of face mask rules helps offer protection to the most vulnerable in Scotland.

Ms Sturgeon says many people will welcome this precautionary move.

She says she will update parliament in two weeks when she hopes the face mask regulation will be converted to guidance.

The Scottish government will have to fund all of the testing requirement for Scotland, she explains.

It will remain free of charge for the public, adds the first minister.

Douglas Ross says: "Covid has not gone away, but we have learned to live with it."

The Scottish Conservative leader concedes that case rates are higher than anyone would like, but he stresses "we have to move forward".

"We can't stay stuck with Covid rules forever."

Mr Ross says it will be a blow for households and businesses that face mask rules will remain until April.

Why won't the first minister trust the Scottish public to take the steps required to keep their families safe, asks the Scottish Tory leader.

He also asks how much the extension of free testing in Scotland will cost.

The first minister ends by asking everyone to be patient for a "little while longer" on face coverings and to continue following all advice on hygiene, ventilation, testing and vaccination.

Image source, Getty Images

Analysis: Where are the highest case rates?published at 14:49 Greenwich Mean Time 15 March 2022

14:49 GMT 15 March 2022

Scotland's island communities have been particularly badly hit in recent weeks but case rates are very high across the whole country.

Public Health Scotland figures for the seven days to 8 March show Orkney was seeing 2,321 case per 100,000 population, followed by the Western Isles with 2,193 cases /100k

East and North Ayrshire, East Dunbartonshire, Clackmannanshire, Falkirk, Highland and East Renfrewshire all had case rates above 1,500 /100k population

Every area of Scotland was seeing more than 1,000 cases per 100K

To put that into context, back in the spring of 2021, the threshold for an area being under the top "level four" lockdown restrictions was a case rate of 150 per 100,000 population.

These case rates are based on positive tests. The ONS weekly sampling which includes asymptomatic people suggests as many as one in 18 Scots had Covid that week.

The first minister confirms contact tracing will wind up at the end of April.

Physical test sites will also close at the end of next month, although mobile testing units and lab capacity will be retained for our longer term testing purposes.

The first minister turns to testing and tells MSPs she is “severely limited” by the fact funding is determined by the decisions the UK government takes for England.

Testing for people without symptoms In England ended in mid-February, and will do so at the end of this month for those with symptoms.

Image source, Getty Images

Ms Sturgeon says she intends the transition in Scotland to last until the end of April.

She adds: “This is as far as we can go within funding constraints, but it allows us to take account of current case numbers, and better support the shift in our management of the virus.”

Ms Sturgeon says she considers the face covering guidance to be prudent given the current spike in case numbers.

She acknowledges it will be disappointing for businesses and service providers, such as day care services.

The first minister adds the guidance will be reviewed in two weeks and says she expects the regulation to be converted to guidance in early April.

Image source, Getty Images

The first minister confirms from Monday, with “one temporary, precautionary exception” - the remaining domestic legal measures will be lifted and replaced with appropriate guidance.

She adds on Monday:

• the requirement on businesses and service providers to retain customer contact details will end;
• and so too will the requirement for businesses, places of worship and service providers to have regard to Scottish government guidance on Covid, and to take reasonably practicable measures set out in the guidance.

The exception relates to the requirement to wear face coverings on public transport, and in certain indoor settings.

Ms Sturgeon says the virus continues to present a medium threat.

"However we remain optimistic that it will move from medium to low over spring."

The FM says: "We should - and will - continue the transition away from legal requirements, to advice and guidance instead."

Image source, Ge

The first minister says the increase in cases over the past three weeks has been driven by the BA.2 sub lineage of the Omicron variant.

This has been estimated to be significantly more transmissible - with a growth rate since mid-February perhaps 80% greater than original Omicron.

BA.2 is now in Scotland the most dominant strain, accounting for more than 80% of all reported cases.

The first minister says there is no evidence that BA.2 causes more severe illness than the original form of Omicron BA.1, or that it is more effective at evading natural or vaccine immunity.

She again stresses the importance of the vaccination programme.