First Minister @NicolaSturgeon: "As at 9am this morning there have been 15,156 positive cases confirmed, which is an increase of 55 since yesterday."
NS: "A total 1,269 patients are in hospital with Covid-19. 849 of them have been confirmed as having the virus and 420 are suspected of having it. That represents a total decrease of 60 from yesterday but includes an increase of 4 in the number of confirmed cases."
NS: "A total of 40 people were, as of last night, in intensive care with confirmed or suspected Covid-19, and that is a decrease of 4 since yesterday."
NS: "I'm also able to confirm today that since 5th March a total of 3,572 patients who had tested positive for the virus and been hospitalised have now recovered and have been able to leave hospital."
NS: "Unfortunately though, I also have to report that in the past 24 hours, 3 deaths have been registered of patients who had been confirmed through a test as having Covid-19, taking the total number of deaths in Scotland under that measurement to 2,273."
NS: "That figure should be treated with some caution. Although deaths can now be registered at weekends, registration numbers on both Saturdays and Sundays are usually relatively low. I would ask you to bear that in mind when considering today's figures."
NS: "I once again want to make the important point that these numbers represent unique and irreplaceable individuals whose loss is being grieved by many, and I want to send me condolences to everyone who has lost a loved one as a result of this virus."
NS: "Let me also thank, as I always do, and always will, our health and care workers. They continue to do an extraordinary job in the most difficult of circumstances, and my gratitude and the gratitude of everyone in the Scottish Government continues to be with them."
NS: "The main focus in today's statement is to give you some advance notice of announcements and developments you can expect in the week ahead and to emphasise very strongly why sticking to the current rules, for now, matters so much."
NS: "On Thursday, as you know, the Scottish Government will formally review, as the law requires us to do, the current restrictions."
NS: "As we indicated last week when I set out the four-phase routemap out of lockdown, our current expectation is we will be able to announce a relaxation of some of those restrictions."
NS: "Initially any relaxation will focus mainly on outdoor activities, and I would expect any new rules to start to come into force from Friday of this week. Tomorrow we'll also set out more detailed information about how our Test and Protect system will work."
NS: "That is test, trace and isolate. Tomorrow we will also publish our transport transition plan, which will provide detail about how public transport can operate safely while the virus is still in circulation."
NS: "That will include a clear expectation that people using public transport will wear face coverings."
NS: "Throughout the week we will also be publishing guidance which is currently being finalised with industry bodies, trade unions and public health experts for different sectors of our economy."
NS: "In advance of the rules on social interaction changing in any way we will publish clear guidance on what that means for you and how you interact with each other, from a safe physical distance."
NS: "On Thursday there will be a clear decision on whether or not we are lifting some restrictions and entering Phase 1 of our path out of lockdown."
NS: "We will give you careful information as we go through this week about what rules are changing, what measures are in place to help you, and what you should be considering as you decide what you can, and can't, do in the days ahead."
NS: "Let me be clear - any change to these rules is not yet in place. I don't want people waking up on Thursday morning and assuming they're in place straight away. If we assess we are able to make this change, any changes will start to take effect from Friday."
NS: "Regardless of what those changes are, our basic message for the next while will be to stay at home as much as possible."
NS: "Although you will be able to go outside and interact with other households a bit more, we still will want you to think carefully, very carefully, about the numbers of people you come into contact with."
NS: "Many of the current lockdown rules will still be in place and it will be vital, just as vital that everybody sticks to those."
NS: "And I think it's especially important to emphasise that point today. I know that many of you will be feeling angry and frustrated about stories you've heard over the last couple of days - and perhaps wondering, why bother?"
NS: "I understand that. But I want to stress that, as far as I'm concerned, the restrictions and rules that we've put in place really matter. It's vital that all of us stick to these rules - and not just because people like me tell you to, or ask you to."
NS: "The reason we ask you to stick to these rules is because they help to protect you, and your loved ones. They help us to protect our National Health Service, and they do help us to save lives."
NS: "And in fact it has been, I think, incredibly heartening in recent weeks to see that people across our country have overwhelmingly done the right thing. And I don't underestimate for a moment how difficult that has been for many, many people."
NS: "In this crisis, the way in which we have all shown love for and solidarity with each other is by staying apart from each other."
NS: "I know many people, parents perhaps in particular, will have made very difficult decisions. Grandparents will not have seen new grandchildren. Parents will have struggled with childcare and no access to friends and family to support them."
NS: "Many people have been denied the opportunity to say a final farewell to loved ones. The sacrifices have been tough and many people will live with the pain of them for a long time to come."
NS: "But these sacrifices have been for a purpose. It is because so many people have stuck to these rules that the numbers of deaths from Covid in Scotland have finally fallen over the past three weeks."
NS: "The individual decisions so many have made - which I know have, very often, been heartbreaking - have helped to prevent even more heartbreak, and I want to yet again thank all of you for that."
NS: "But I also want to stress that even as we glimpse a possible end to some lockdown restrictions, following the rules that are still in place will continue to be essential."
NS: "In fact, in many ways that will be more important than ever. After all, as we start to lift these restrictions, there is a genuine danger the virus will start to spread again a bit more quickly."
NS: "The way in which we ensure that doesn't happen and the way in which we enable even more restrictions to be lifted in future is to continue to follow whatever public health guidance is in place at the time."
NS: "And an absolutely crucial part of the rules, now and for the foreseeable future, is about what we do if we have symptoms of Covid-19 or if members of a household have symptoms."
NS: "If you think the virus or you have symptoms - a persistent cough, a fever, or a loss of taste and smell, you should self-isolate at home for a period of seven days. In that time you should get tested if you can. Testing is now open to anybody with symptoms."
NS: "On the 8th day, if you don't any longer have symptoms, you can go back out. But anyone in your household should self-isolate for 14 days, to allow time to see if they develop the virus."
NS: "If they do, they should then isolate for 7 days from that point."
NS: "It is worth stressing again that self-isolation is not the same as lockdown. When you're self-isolating you should not go out to the shops or go out for exercise or go to work at all. You should not leave your home for any reason."
NS: "Indeed, if you need anything you should have it delivered to you, for example by family, friends, local volunteers or supermarket delivery services. And if you need to, you can call the national helpline in place to provide help. The number for that is 0800 111 4000."
NS: "If you're concerned about vulnerable people with you or vulnerable people you care for, you can again call that helpline. Self-isolation is crucial. It is one of the ways we can stop the virus from spreading."
NS: "As we gradually emerge from lockdown it will become more important than ever - particularly as we introduce, as we will at the end of this week, our Test and Protect system across the country."
NS: "If you or people in your household do have symptoms, I ask you please to follow these rules. They do make a difference."
NS: "For the moment all other public health guidance remains the same. It applies to all of us and is for the benefit of all of us."
NS: "Please stay at home except for essential purposes, such as exercise, going to essential work that can't be done at home or getting food and medicine."
NS: "You can exercise more than once a day but when you're out of the house stay 2m apart from others and don't meet up with people from other households. You should wear a face covering if you can, if you're in a shop or public transport."
NS: "And remember to wash your hands regularly and thoroughly. And finally, if you or someone in your household has symptoms you should stay at home completely."
NS: "I know these restrictions have been and continue to be really difficult - but they are still essential. By sticking to them we can help slow the spread of the virus, we can continue to protect the NHS, and we can and we will save lives."
NS: "Thank you once again to everyone who continues to do the right thing."
