FM @NicolaSturgeon: "The daily update of confirmed cases will be published at 2pm today as normal. I can tell Parliament we will see a sharp rise in cases today. We may also see further evidence of community transmission of Coronavirus." #FMQs
FM: "My view is the time is right to move to the Delay phase, and I believe the four UK nations will reach a decision on that this afternoon." #FMQs
FM: "The Health Secretary and I have been considering what further actions we need to take, particularly to protect the resilience of our frontline emergency workers. That does involve our position on mass gatherings." #FMQs
FM @NicolaSturgeon: "We are seeking to manage it in a way that delays the spread, reduces the peak impact, which is important for our NHS, and crucially, to take action that will, as best we can, protect those who are most susceptible to developing serious illness."
FM: "Mass gatherings require to be policed, to have mass ambulance cover, and at a time when we need to be reducing the pressures on these frontline workers in order to free them up for the challenge ahead, I do think it is inappropriate that we continue as normal." #FMQs
FM: "The Health Secretary and I have decided this morning that we are minded that we will advise the cancellation, from the start of next week, of mass gatherings of 500 people or more." #FMQs
FM: "Our emergency services are likely to suffer from higher than normal sickness absence rates in the weeks and months ahead and our NHS in particular will be under significant pressure. It's important we protect that resilience as much as possible." #FMQs
FM: "We are going to face a significant challenge in the weeks and months to come. There is no getting away from that. A significant number of us are going to get this infection. You cannot make a virus like this simply go away. The challenge, and our responsibility..." #FMQs
FM: "..is to manage that as best we can, doing the things I've spoken about, giving the right advice to the public, and supporting to the best of our ability those who are on the frontline." #FMQs
FM: "We are seeking to double the provision of intensive care capacity. That will involve using different facilities within hospitals - theatre facilities, for example. All of that is being progressed right now as part of the implementation plan to scale up NHS resources." #FMQs
FM: "There will inevitably be an impact, and I would anticipate a significant impact, on non-urgent, elective procedures within the NHS, but it is important we set that out properly once the planning has been done." #FMQs
FM: "That planning is underway very intensively right now so that we are doing everything we can to increase intensive care capacity, but also expand general hospital capacity and the number of beds that are available." #FMQs
FM: "I am acutely aware of the importance and urgency of these issues, but I am not a clinician. For all of us in positions like mine, it is important that we do listen to, and are guided and informed by, the advice and expertise of those who are best placed to give it." #FMQs
FM: "I have discussed the issue on many occasions, but most recently this morning, with the Chief Medical Officer, of those who have underlying health conditions." #FMQs
FM: "It is important we are giving people the right advice. The kind of behaviour changes we are going to ask people to undertake may not simply be for a couple of weeks. This is something that will be in place for a potentially significant period of time." #FMQs
FM: "It is important that advice is right, people can rely on it, and that it is absolutely informed by those who know what the right thing to do is." #FMQs
There will be a Scottish Government ministerial statement on the Novel #Coronavirus, #COVID-19, this afternoon at around 4.45pm.
You can watch the statement live on @ScotParl SPTV: scottishparliament.tv
You can watch the statement live on @ScotParl SPTV: scottishparliament.tv
