First Minister @NicolaSturgeon: "Let me start with the usual update on the Covid statistics. I can confirm an additional 22 positive cases were confirmed yesterday, which takes the total now in Scotland to 18,474."
NS: "Now, these cases are all being looked into very carefully, as you would expect, and steps taken to trace contacts and break the chains of transmission."
NS: "A health board breakdown of these new cases will be available later today, as normal."
NS: "However, the provisional information I have at this stage is that the majority of these cases are in Lanarkshire, and at least some of them are likely to be connected to the outbreak at the Sitel call centre that has been doing work for NHS England."
NS: "I will chair a Scottish Government resilience meeting later this afternoon to consider the latest situation in Lanarkshire and also consider any further steps that may be required."
NS: "And, of course, we'll keep you updated over the course of today and again at the briefing tomorrow."
NS: "I can also report that a total of 618 patients are currently in hospital with the virus, either confirmed or suspected."
NS: "That's 51 more than yesterday and includes an increase of 4 in the number of confirmed cases. I'll say a little bit more about the suspected and confirmed breakdown in a moment."
NS: "A total of 4 people last night were in intensive care with confirmed Covid, which is an increase of 1 since yesterday."
NS: "And there were also 16 people in ICU with suspected Covid, and that's 9 more than yesterday. It's worth saying although we have all along reported both suspected and confirmed Covid patients in hospital or ICU, that has sometimes caused fluctuations in the daily figures."
NS: "That is partly because most patients in hospital over the age of 70 are now tested for Covid every four days or so. These patients are often counted as suspected Covid cases until their results come back - even if there is no reason to believe they actually have the virus."
NS: "For that reason, from tomorrow, we intend to report only on confirmed Covid cases in intensive care and in hospital, which, I think, gives us a more accurate picture of the situation."
NS: "This is all part of a wider review of how we will report information, which I'll say more about this week."
NS: "As we go into the next stage of dealing with this epidemic, it's important the information we're providing to you, the public, gives the most reliable and comprehensive picture of how the virus is behaving."
NS: "And finally, on statistics, I'm very glad to say that during the past 24 hours, no deaths were registered of patients confirmed through a test as having the virus, and so the total number of deaths under this particular measure remains at 2,491."
NS: "That is, of course, very welcome news, but the overall figure for deaths is a reminder of how many families have been deeply affected by this virus, and my thoughts are with every family who is grieving the loss of a loved one."
NS: "In addition, I want to thank our health and care workers. The entire country continues to be very grateful to you for everything you do."
NS: "The Deputy First Minister is going to speak in a moment about the reopening of schools. The Chief Medical Officer will then talk about our decision to make Covid testing available now for children with Covid symptoms who are under the age of 5."
NS: "This is a step which is designed to prevent families from having to self-isolate unnecessarily if young children develop symptoms - something which we think is increasingly important as childcare resumes."
NS: "Before their remarks I want to cover a couple of points - firstly I just want to say a little more about the figures from new cases we have seen in recent days."
NS: "Since the last media briefing on Thursday, there has rightly been quite a lot of attention paid to the fact we reported more than 20 new cases on both Saturday and Sunday - and I've reported 20 more today."
NS: "I've already mentioned the cluster of cases identified in the call centre in Lanarkshire. These figures are - I think - a sharp reminder of something you've heard me say on almost a daily basis."
NS: "The virus is still circulating in Scotland, and it's also a reminder that, if we allow it to, it's capable of and will spread rapidly in social settings or in workplaces."
NS: "That said, a great deal of work is being done - and this is the point of assurance I want to give you - not least through Test & Protect..."
NS: "..to understand all of these cases, follow up contacts of them, and make sure all necessary and appropriate steps are being taken to break the chains of transmission."
NS: "In total, more than 25,000 tests were processed across the two days of the weekend when we reported more than 20 cases."
NS: "Even though the number of cases we reported on these days are larger than usual, they are still at a relatively low level and so new cases can be assessed in quite some detail."
NS: "Health Protection Scotland can tell us if new cases are clustered, and if any particular patterns are being identified."
NS: "Where care homes are involved, that enables necessary precautions to be taken, and of course, Test & Protect staff are tracing and testing contacts for all cases that are identified."
NS: "While any rise in new cases is unwelcome, and we want to drive cases to as low a level as possible - it remains our objective to try to effectively eliminate Covid in Scotland - but while any rise is unwelcome, we've always said the virus is still out there."
NS: "So, as lockdown eases, unfortunately cases are still possible. The job of our public health teams, and Test & Protect, supported by the Scottish Government, is to step in and break the chains of transmission wherever possible."
NS: "I want to say my thanks and give my gratitude and appreciation to our public health teams and Test & Protect staff right across the country."
NS: "The key point I want to make to you is this. We all have a part to play in keeping this virus under control. Physical distancing, cleaning hard surfaces, wearing face coverings - indeed, all of the elements of our FACTS campaign - continue to be absolutely crucial."
NS: "I think we're all conscious of the fact that, as life starts to feel a bit more normal than it has done for months, there is a danger we are all capable of succumbing to of dropping our guard."
NS: "I think we should all stop right now and think about whether that might be true - if we have been dropping our guard, and if the evidence of that is there in our own behaviours."
NS: "If it is, then all of us should resolve to tighten up again. Remembering all of the basic measures summarised in the FACTS campaign, they become more important as we see more people and have more indoor meetings."
NS: "So at all times, as you go out and about, please make sure that you avoid creating any bridges that allows the virus to cross from one household into another. If we all do that we can continue to protect each other and stop the spread of the virus."
NS: "The second point I want to briefly cover today relates to wellbeing. At last Thursday's briefing you might recall I spoke about what we're doing to support the mental health of people who've had Covid and been in intensive care."
NS: "We're also making sure we provide help for health and social care staff. Many of them have faced the most testing and stressful conditions of their entire working lives over the past few months."
NS: "They have responded magnificently to incredibly challenging circumstances. There's already a national wellbeing hub that provides online help and support for any care staff that can be found at promis.scot"
NS: "Today we're also launching a dedicated phoneline, and I'll give the number in just a few moments."
NS: "It will allow health and care workers to talk to a team of psychological wellbeing practitioners who will provide a sympathetic ear while also providing advice and referring people on to local services if necessary."
NS: "The line is open from today, It's open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and it is available to all health and social care workers. If you are stressed or anxious, if you find the last few months difficult to cope with - and it would not be a surprise if that were true -"
NS: "and if you feel you need support you can call 0800 111 41 91. The line will be open for at least a year and I'd encourage any health and care workers to use it if you do need help or even if you just need a sympathetic ear to listen to the stresses you've been dealing with."
NS: "I'll hand over to the Deputy First Minister in a moment but I want to end by going back to where I started today, by reminding you again of FACTS. The basic five health measures we need everybody to abide by if we are to keep this virus under control."
NS: "As I said a moment ago, and I want to stress this point, these things are more important now, not less important, as we are going out more to shops, restaurants, as we meet each other more indoors."
NS: "They are more important than they've been before and that's why I ask everybody to remember them. Those five measures are:"
NS: "Face coverings in enclosed spaces. The law says you have to wear a face covering in a shop or on public transport, but in any enclosed space where physical distancing might be difficult, wear a face covering."
NS: "Avoid crowded places. That includes outdoor crowded places as well as indoor crowded places.
Clean your hands regularly and clean any hard surfaces you might be touching regularly too."
Clean your hands regularly and clean any hard surfaces you might be touching regularly too."
NS: "Two-metres distancing does remain the rule. Perhaps that's the one we all need to remind ourselves of over the next few days - it's still important we keep 2m from people in other households."
NS: "Lastly, self-isolate and book a test if you have any of the symptoms of Covid. Don't wait a few hours or a day to see if you feel better."
NS: "If you have a new cough, a fever, or a loss of or change in your sense of taste or smell, go immediately to the NHS Inform website and book a test. Self-isolate, with the exception of going to get tested."
NS: "If we all remember these five basic measures, we give ourselves the best chance of keeping this virus under control."
NS: "My thanks to everybody for your cooperation. This is a moment for all of us across the country to take stock..."
NS: "..ask ourselves if our behaviour perhaps has been eased up a little bit too much in recent days and to resolve to follow all of this advice so we do not see this virus run out of control again. My thanks to all of you for doing that."
