Coronavirus Scotland LIVE: Nicola Sturgeon set to announce changes to lockdown restrictions TODAY
NICOLA Sturgeon will hold a Covid briefing today to announce the "next easing of restrictions".
The First Minister said lockdown measures are set to be reviewed after weeks off our screens due to the Scottish election.
The Scottish Government has been gradually easing lockdown restrictions, with stay at home measures lifted at the beginning of last month.
From May 17, cinemas, bingo halls and amusement arcades are expected to reopen, with adult outdoor contact sports and indoor group exercise set to resume.
Indoor gatherings are also expected to be allowed again, with four people from two different households socialise in private or public indoor spaces.
Keep up with the latest coronavirus news here...
CHANGE OF PLAN
NICOLA Sturgeon is set to announce the easing of more lockdown restrictions including curbs on family gatherings & serving booze inside.
The First Minister will outline the latest lockdown measures to be eased during a Covid briefing today.
The Scottish Government has been gradually easing lockdown restrictions, with stay at home measures lifted at the beginning of last month.
On April 26, beer gardens, cafes, restaurants, gyms and non-essential shops were allowed to reopen.
From May 17, Scotland is expected to move from level three restrictions to level two.
Rules on foreign travel are set to be eased from May 24 as part of the latest lockdown easing.
We previously told how Ms Sturgeon is expected to relax quarantine rules, with travellers allowed to visit or return to Scotland from some overseas countries without needing to self-isolate upon arrival.
Under current rules Scots travelling abroad must quarantine for tens days when they return.
JAB WARS
BRITISH expats in Spain say they've been refused the Covid vaccine despite the Madrid government extending the rollout to all residents.
Officials have reportedly denied the jab to expats without a public health card as, under post-Brexit rules, Brits living in Spain need private health insurance.
But Spain’s Health Ministry has said all residents should have equal access to Covid vaccine jabs.
One Brit living in Tenerife said he was told "go away, we don't vaccinate foreigners" on a visit to his health centre.
TRAVEL LATEST
THE Scottish Government is set to allow people to travel to some overseas countries without needing to quarantine upon return.
It is understood the move will be introduced from May 24 and will be similar to the traffic light system which is in place in England.
In February Nicola Sturgeon extended quarantine hotels for everyone travelling to Scotland from abroad amid the South African Covid strain.
In England 12 countries have been placed on its green list of places where people are allowed to travel to from May 17.
Read more HERE
VIRUS LATEST
NO Scots Covid deaths have been registered for the third day running.
The latest figures revealed 168 cases have been identified overnight but no deaths were recorded.
However, the Scottish Government notes that Register Offices are generally closed at weekends which could mean a lag in statistics.
The update also confirmed 72 people are in hospital battling the virus, with six in intensive care.
So far, 2,909,156 people have received their first dose of the vital Covid vaccine.
INDY HOPES
INDYREF2 won't happen until the worst of Covid19 is over but that could be as soon as the end of the year, the deputy First Minister says.
The SNP's John Swinney says until the ongoing health crisis is deemed "stable" preparations for a second independence referendum are off the cards.
However he made it clear hopes of suppressing the virus by the end of the year is a key "aspiration" for the Scottish Government and Covid won't kill off plans.
The statement mirrors the view of First Minister Nicola Sturgeon who is seeking to launch a legal bid to hold a second vote on the matter as soon as the nation is in the pink again.
CURBS WARNING
A SCOTS region faces the "real risk" that lockdown easing will have to be delayed if infection fates do not fall.
Health authorities in Moray are currently dealing with "uncontrolled, sustained community transmission" of Covid-19, with current restrictions failing to contain the spread.
Latest statistics show Moray had 98.1 cases per 100,000 people in the seven days to May 6, significantly higher than the rate in the rest of the country.
First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, is set to review coronavirus restrictions across Scotland on Tuesday and will set out the final decisions for the next easing of restrictions scheduled for May 17, when the country is due to move down from Level 3 to Level 2 of restrictions.
However, Linda Bauld, professor of public health at the University of Edinburgh, warned that Moray may be in a different position from the rest of the country.
PARTY PROBE
COPS are investigating after Covid flouting revellers at an illegal Scots rave ended up in hospital.
Footage circulated online showing partygoers dancing to music in what appears to be a disused building or tunnel in Motherwell on Saturday night.
It's believed the party was in the Ravenscraig area.
The clip appears to show between 50 and 100 people - none wearing masks - in attendance in a clear mass breach of coronavirus guidelines.
Cops were not called out on the night but have since been made aware of the footage spreading on social media, and so have launched an investigation.
HUGS UP!
HUGGING people from May 17 “could be a mistake” amid the fast spread of a new Indian variant, experts say.
Dr Hilary Jones said there is a “substantial” risk in hugging other people, even if the Government allows it.
The Prime Minister Boris Johnson is expected to allow hugging for close friends and family in England from next Monday, ahead of the lift in social distancing restrictions on June 21.
It means friends and family will finally be able to embrace one another after a year.
LOCKDOWN EASING
NICOLA Sturgeon will hold a Covid briefing on Tuesday to announce the "next easing of restrictions", she confirmed today
The First Minister said lockdown measures are set to be reviewed after weeks off our screens due to the Scottish election.
The Scottish Government has been gradually easing lockdown restrictions, with stay at home measures lifted at the beginning of last month.
From May 17, cinemas, bingo halls and amusement arcades are expected to reopen, with adult outdoor contact sports and indoor group exercise set to resume.
Indoor gatherings are also expected to be allowed again, with four people from two different households socialise in private or public indoor spaces.
Speaking on The Andrew Marr Show this morning, Ms Sturgeon was asked by Mr Marr about people being permitted to hug again from May 17 in England and when the same will be allowed north of the border.
TEST ROW
BRITS holidaying in green list countries may not be able to use free NHS Covid tests because of concerns over their effectiveness, a report says.
Instead, a family-of-four travelling to one of the government's approved tourist spots could end up paying £320 for tests before their departure and on their return to the UK.
Travellers returning from green list countries - which include Portugal, Israel and Gibraltar - need to take a test at least 72 hours prior to departure.
Grant Shapps, the Transport Secretary, had previously proposed giving people holidaying abroad lateral flow tests free of charge in a bid to help them reduce costs.
But, sources say the free kits, which provide results within less than 30 minutes, may not be allowed when the travel list comes into affect on May 17
THE FUTURE
Scots deserve better than a five-year war of independence as Nicola Sturgeon has much to do with Covid pandemic recovery, says Chris Deerin.
He writes: The first thing to understand about the Holyrood election result is that the voters are never wrong.
In their wisdom, the Scottish electorate have delivered their verdict on their servants — the politicians.
Even her opponents admit that Nicola Sturgeon is the outstanding leader of her generation.
She proved her mettle with her intelligent and empathetic handling of the Covid crisis over the past 12 months, and is still widely trusted and liked.
Of course she should continue as First Minister.
The SNP deserved a fourth term, not least because Sturgeon, as she pointed out more than once, was the only party leader even asking voters to make her FM.
SHOCK BILL
A GRIEVING Scots family have been handed an £800 bill after a grandmother died from Covid while living at a care home for less than a month.
Margaret Laidlaw, 65, passed away at Drummond Grange in Lasswade, Midlothian, where she had stayed for just three weeks.
The grandmother-of-six, who had vascular dementia, had been moved there from a council-run residence.
A report on the death of Ms Laidlaw, who used to be a hairdresser, has been sent to the Crown Office as part of a review into Covid deaths at care homes.
Ms Laidlaw moved to the home on April 29 last year and her daughter was stunned when she received the pricey bill.
CRISIS EASES
SCOTLAND has recorded 200 new cases of coronavirus but no deaths in the past 24 hours.
The death toll under this daily measure - of people who first tested positive for the virus within the previous 28 days - remains at 7,661.
However, the Scottish Government noted that registry offices are generally closed at weekends.
The daily test positivity rate was 1.5 per cent, the same as the previous day, according to figures released by the Scottish Government on Saturday.
So far 2,897,975 people have received the first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine and 1,468,296 have received their second dose.
CINEMA REOPENING
Vue has announced it will be reopening all 88 of its UK venues on Monday May 17.
Tickets are available to pre-book now on myvue.com, so you can make sure you've got a seat for all the latest releases.
THIRD JAB
A third Covid jab is set to be offered to over 50s this autumn in an attempt to tackle new variants and keep Britain firmly out of lockdown.
The third shot will be given with the annual flu jab, as either a new vaccine designed to fight variants or another dose of an existing shot.
Professor Neil Ferguson said the booster jab could spell the end of lockdowns forever.
COVID CHRISTMAS WIPEOUT
COVID-19 could be wiped out by Christmas and there is almost no chance of a severe third wave, experts have claimed.
Professor Hugh Pennington, meritus professor of bacteriology at Aberdeen University said the UK's high vaccination rate was "a success story" and had "undoubtedly reduced hospital admissions and deaths".
He added: "I don't see any reason of why we should need to go into lockdown again.
"By this next winter Covid could be about the same problem as an average flu season and we can cope with it like we cope with flu.
"I think we will see Covid off in the UK. In fact Covid vaccines are more effective than flu vaccines, so flu may even turn out to be more of a problem in future."
'RIGHT TIME'
CALLS are mounting to reopen hospitality venues across Scotland as Covid figures head in the right direction.
A leading public health expert said now is the "right time" to gradually open shuttered businesses as they are no more risky than people shopping or socialising indoors.
Linda Bauld, professor of public health at the University of Edinburgh, said cases where indoor hospitality has already reopened, are at similar levels seen in early September 2020.
Commenting on the risks of indoor and outdoor dining, she told Times Radio that the risk outdoors "are really very low" and at least 20 times less than indoor hospitality.
She said: "Indoors is more risky, where households are mixing - now that doesn't mean that hospitality is more risky as a venue than a number of other indoor environments.
"But we're in a very good position now, the vaccines are assisting us and it is the right time to gradually open up, I do support doing that in stages."
COVID LATEST
SCOTLAND has recorded no deaths overnight as 224 new Covid cases have emerged.
The Scottish Government confirmed the latest coronavirus figures this afternoon as Scotland's test positivity remained at 1.2 per cent.
So far 2,883,384 people have received their first dose of a Covid vaccine and 1,450,798 have received their second dose.
Moray has the highest rate of cases in the country, with 96 per 100,000 people in the week up to May 5 - significantly higher than the rest of the country.
Scotland's death toll from the virus has reached 7,661.
ALL REVEALED
CELTIC'S full correspondence with the Scottish Government surrounding their Dubai trip has been released to the public.
The Hoops were slated over their controversial getaway to the Middle East in January, which ended with two positive Covid-19 tests and 13 players forced into self-isolation.
Chief exec Peter Lawwell admitted the club blundered by flying out for the sunshine training camp during the height of the pandemic after stinging criticism from fans, pundits and Nicola Sturgeon.
But manager Neil Lennon then defended the debacle in an astonishing press conference by going all-out attack on critics - even slamming the First Minister for calling the five-day trip "R&R".
Lennon accused the SNP government of "hypocrisy" and spoke of an "agenda" against the Parkhead giants - which prompted a furious response from Deputy FM John Swinney who branded the Northern Irishman's rant "appalling".
Now though, all communication between Celtic and Holyrood has been disclosed - including emails, letters and WhatsApp messages.
IN LIMBO
A GLASGOW woman faces not being able to see her mum before potentially life-saving chemotherapy - because she's stuck in a quarantine hotel after flying in to see her.
Heleen Bosch, 25, has a tumour growing on her windpipe after being diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma last week.
She now struggles to breathe or swallow and is preparing to undergo 'intense' chemotherapy at the Beatson Cancer Centre.
Heleen lives in Glasgow but is originally from Holland, and she arranged for mum Gerry to fly over to support her through a worrying time.
The Beatson Cancer Centre wrote to the Scottish Government urging them to exempt Gerry from quarantine rules, and Heleen claims she was told the letter would be enough.
But the mum was taken to Holiday Inn on arrival and is not permitted to leave for 14 days.
BUG SPREAD
A MORAY school has been hit with a mass Covid outbreak with almost 50 cases and more than a quarter of all pupils self-isolating.
Elgin Academy has recorded 48 positive coronavirus cases since April 14 as council bosses admit it has been the school's "toughest weeks of the pandemic".
On top of those infected, more than 250 schoolkids have been sent back home for remote learning after being identified as contacts.
The spike comes just days after Moray residents were warned they could face a local lockdown unless Covid cases are brought under control.
It has one of the highest infection rates in the country and is accounting for half of all NHS Grampian cases - despite being home to less than 17 per cent of the population.
Health officials have revealed that Elgin has had the majority of the cases but have stressed they are spread across the region.
VIRUS DEATH FALL
AS many as two thirds of Scotland's councils have recorded no Covid deaths in the last seven days.
According to the National Records of Scotland (NRS), 19 deaths related to the virus were registered between April 26 and May 2.
NRS figures reflect a decrease of four deaths from the previous week.
It brings the total number of coronavirus fatalities in Scotland up to Sunday to 10,097.
However, 20 of the country's 32 local authorities did not record a death involving in that week.
The largest numbers of deaths were recorded in Glasgow and North Lanarkshire - three each - with two in Renfrewshire, South Ayrshire and West Dunbartonshire.
VIRUS LATEST
NO Covid deaths have been reported in Scotland over the past 24 hours.
The latest Scottish Government update also revealed 85 new cases have been recorded overnight.
Out of all tests conducted, just 0.8 percent were positive.
There are currently 69 people fighting the bug in Scotland’s hospitals with 13 people in intensive care.
The latest stats also confirm 2,846,834 people have received their first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine.
HOLS ON HOLD
NICOLA Sturgeon told how overseas trips will resume for the purpose of reuniting families separated by Covid curbs before sunshine holidays are permitted for Scots.
The SNP leader said “family reunification” will be prioritised when international travel finally gets back up and running.
Speaking during a BBC leaders’ debate ahead of Thursday’s Holyrood election, she said many people have been cut off from seeing loved ones “for some time” due to tough restrictions on travel.
Ms Sturgeon said a “cautious” approach must be taken to prevent the virus being re-seeded in Scotland or new variants being imported.
POLITICAL PLATFORM
THE SNP have been accused of exploiting Nicola Sturgeon’s government Covid briefings for political purposes after producing an election poster showing a TV podium.
The Holyrood election ad mocks up an image of a podium emblazoned with the words “Protect the NHS” - a key Scottish Government slogan for Ms Sturgeon’s televised virus set-pieces.
Above the podium image, the ad reads: “On May 6, every vote counts in deciding who will be First Minister” - with a logo in the bottom corner saying “Both votes SNP for Nicola Sturgeon”.