Thread by @theSNP

First Minister @NicolaSturgeon: "Good afternoon, and welcome to today's briefing.

I will start, as I always do, with the update on Covid-19."

NS: "An additional 5 positive cases were confirmed yesterday - that takes the total now in Scotland to 18,196. This is the second day in a row in which the number of new cases has been in single figures - the last time that happened was on 11 March."

NS: "A total of 826 patients are currently in hospital with the virus either confirmed or suspected. That is 54 fewer than yesterday, and it includes a reduction of 17 in the number of confirmed cases."

NS: "A total of 18 people last night were in intensive care with confirmed or suspected Covid. That is 5 fewer than yesterday."

NS: "Since 5 March, a total of 4,034 patients who had tested positive for Covid-19 have now been able discharged from hospital."

NS: "However in the last 24 hours, 2 deaths were registered of a patient confirmed through a test as having Covid-19, and that takes the total number of deaths in Scotland, under that measurement, to 2,482."

NS: "As I always do, and even as these numbers reduce I think it is still important to do, so I want to emphasise again these numbers are not just meaningless statistics. They represent individuals whose loss is a source of grief to many people."

NS: "I want to again send my deepest condolences, not just to the family and friends of the two people who died today but to everyone across Scotland who is currently grieving as a result of this illness."

NS: "And notwithstanding the reduction in the number of illness, there are people in this country who continue to go above and beyond the call of duty. That clearly includes our health and care workers but there are many other key workers across the country continuing to do so."

NS: "My grateful thanks are with all of you for the incredible work you continue to do."

NS: "Later this afternoon, we will publish the latest estimate of Scotland’s R number – the average number of people that would be infected with Covid by one infected individual."

NS: "Last week, we estimated that the R number was in the range 0.6 to 0.8. Our modelling work suggests this hasn’t changed this week."

NS: "We also expect that our estimate for the number of infectious people in Scotland will fall further. Last week, we estimated that on the previous Friday, 2,900 people were infectious. I expect today’s estimate will be about 2,000."

NS: "These figures demonstrate once again the progress we have made in tackling Covid.

They are the reason why – as I confirmed yesterday - we are now able to make some further changes to the lockdown restrictions and give greater clarity about our path out of lockdown."

NS: "Although I must stress all the indicative dates I gave continue to be dependent on continued progress against the virus, so we keep it and get it to the lowest possible levels."

NS: "All of this is good news and I know people are anxious to get back to normal, as I am. Businesses are obviously anxious to open up and start trading again. All of that is extremely understandable."

NS: "But it must also be accompanied by an understanding of the risks we still face - by ongoing vigilance and a collective determination on the part of all of us to do what is required to reduce these risks."

NS: "My main worry is we start to believe the virus has gone away. That it no longer poses a risk and as a result we drop our guard and simply go back to life exactly as it was before we were dealing with this epidemic. That would be a costly mistake."

NS: "At every stage we need to remember the virus has not gone away and it is very, very unlikely to simply go away of its own accord."

NS: "Some states in the USA and parts of Australia look as if they are already dealing with a resurgence of cases, so my plea to everybody today - this will be my plea for some time to come - is please do not forget the virus is still out there and still highly infectious."

NS: "If we give it the opportunities to spread again, if we allow it bridges from one person to another it can jump across, it will take those opportunities in a flash. A resurgence in cases could force us to postpone our reopening plans or reimpose some restrictions..."

NS: "As the places elsewhere in the world I've just mentioned are already having to consider. So we must take care and must continue to adopt the right mitigating measures at all times."

NS: "That continues to be essential and some of the basic hygiene measures I will come back to at the end of my remarks are actually more important for us all to comply with now than they have been at a previous stage, when we were all in the main staying at home."

NS: "All of that is relevant to the first of the two items I want to briefly update on this afternoon before I hand over to the cabinet secretary and then the Chief Nursing Officer."

NS: "I gave a statement yesterday announcing provisional times for changes to lockdown measures that will be happening during July - in the later stages of phase 2, and the early part of phase 3."

NS: "However today I want to remind you of the changes that we announced last week, that will come into effect on Monday."

NS: "From Monday onwards, some indoor workplaces that have so far opted to remain closed in line with guidance - such as factories, labs and warehouses – can start to re-open. Non-essential offices and call centres must remain closed at this stage."

NS: "Workplaces that are reopening should apply strict physical distancing and hygiene measures, as well as complying with all other health & safety guidance."

NS: "The vast majority of employers have been extremely responsible throughout this crisis. I am sure that will continue, and I thank them for that."

NS: "I would remind workers that if you genuinely think your working conditions are unsafe, you do have rights under employment legislation. In particular, if you have a trade union in your workplace, and you have concerns about your working conditions, you should talk to them."

NS: "From Monday, outdoor playgrounds and outdoor sports courts will be able to reopen."

NS: "Outdoor businesses such as zoos and garden attractions can also reopen. However for the first few days until we hopefully lift this guidance at the end of next week..."

NS: "..you should not be visiting them unless you live within about 5 miles of them. And where these places are ticketed, tickets should be bought in advance."

NS: "Restrictions on moving house will also be lifted on Monday - updated guidance on that was issued two days ago."

NS: "In addition, registration offices will reopen on Monday for essential business. And marriages and civil partnerships will be permitted – however they will have to take place outdoors and with limited numbers."

NS: "Finally, on Monday retail premises of all sizes can re-open, if they have outdoor entrances and exits. Outdoor markets can also reopen."

NS: "Indoor shopping centres will remain closed, except for access to essential shops such as supermarkets and pharmacists. We hope that they will be able to reopen on Monday 13th July."

NS: "Shops that are reopening on Monday – and the vast majority of shops will be able to do so - must ensure that appropriate physical distancing and hygiene measures are in place."

NS: "We are publishing updated guidance for the retail sector tomorrow and I will say more about this tomorrow, when I will also be visiting a shop that is preparing to open myself to see the steps they are taking."

NS: "I also want to stress that there is a responsibility here on all of us as customers, as well as on the retailers."

NS: "I want us all to try and support the retail sector, to support shops as they try to get back to normal, but we must all shop responsibly."

NS: "The experience of shopping is going to be a bit different and there will be times when staff ask us to follow rules that hadn't previously been in place."

NS: "It is vital we listen to them, follow the advice they give, and treat them with respect, as they do the jobs they are there to do."

NS: "And please, everyone, wear a face covering in shops because that will help to protect staff and other shoppers, and when other shoppers wear a face covering they will be helping to protect you."

NS: "The final issue I want to update you on relates to tourism. Later this afternoon, the first meeting of the Tourism Recovery Task Force will take place. That task force is co-chaired by the Tourism Minister, Fergus Ewing, and the Business Minister, Jamie Hepburn."

NS: "It brings together more than 30 people with expertise and experience across the whole tourism sector, and indeed the whole country."

NS: "The task force will look at a number of pressing issues – for example, promoting the staycation market for domestic tourism, supporting training and skills, considering how the conferences and events sector can best recover in due course..."

NS: "..and looking at the funding support available to tourism businesses, including whether there are currently any gaps in that support."

NS: "We know the vital importance of tourism to communities right across the Scotland. We know it's part of our economy but tourism is also part of how we sell ourselves to the world, and we have such a great reputation."

NS: "We are already doing a lot, for example through our business support measures, to help the sector. And I hope that the gradual reopening of the sector during July will give businesses some measure of hope for the future."

NS: "But we are well are of what a serious blow Covid has been, and we will do everything we can to help tourism recover. This taskforce is a further important way of doing that."

NS: "I want to end simply by highlighting our key public health messages. As you hear me every day announcing figures that show progress going firmly in the right direction, and when you hear a lot of discussion about restrictions being changed and lifted..."

NS: "..and when you hear someone saying they should lift these restrictions more quickly, it might be tempting to think we can all relax more and get back to normal more quickly."

NS: "You might start to think the rules don't matter as much. But we're only able to change restrictions now because so many of us have stuck to the rules, and we will only be able to continue this progress if we continue to do so."

NS: "And these rules now, basic hygiene measures, are much more important as we start to go out and about and interact more with each other. Right now you should still only meet up with other households outdoors and only two other households at a time."

NS: "You should only go indoors to use the toilet, or to get through to a garden, and you should clean any surfaces you touch as you do that."

NS: "The public health campaign we launched on Friday – FACTS – summarises the other key points you need to remember."

NS: "Face coverings should be worn in enclosed spaces such as shops. They are mandatory on public transport."

NS: "Avoid crowded places. Even as things start to open up, don't go to places that are crowded because that poses a higher risk."

NS: "Clean your hands and hard surfaces regularly. Two metre distancing remains the rule. And self-isolate and book a test if you have symptoms of Covid."

NS: "If all of us remember these five basic measures and comply with these five basic measures, we are reducing the ability of this virus to spread between one person and another and one household and another."

NS: "In that way we are all playing our part in staying safe as individuals, protecting others and saving lives. My thanks to all of you for doing that, please continue doing it."