Thread by @theSNP

Deputy First Minister @JohnSwinney: "Good afternoon and thank you for joining us once again today. I'll start with the usual update on today's statistics. The total number of positive cases reported yesterday was 1,636."

JS: "That represents 7% of the total number of tests, and takes the total number of confirmed cases in Scotland to 168,219. 510 of today's new cases were in Greater Glasgow & Clyde, 328 in Lanarkshire, and 182 in Lothian."

JS: "The remaining cases were spread across 10 other health board areas. I can also confirm that, by 8:30am, 334,871 people had received their first dose of the vaccine."

JS: "We remain on track to give a first dose of the vaccine to all people who are over 70 by the middle of February..."

JS: "..and we are launching a new campaign today - the Roll Up Your Sleeves campaign - which is designed to maximise uptake of the vaccine by encouraging everyone to get their first dose as soon as they are contacted and asked to do so."

JS: "To return to the daily figures, 2,004 people are currently in hospital. That is 1 more than yesterday. 161 people are in intensive care, which is an increase of 5 from yesterday."

JS: "And I regret to say that 89 additional deaths have been registered in the last 24 hours of a patient who had first tested positive over the previous 28 days."

JS: "That means that the total number of deaths under this daily measurement is now 5,468."

JS: "That total is a stark reminder, once again, of the grief and the heartbreak that the virus continues to cause, and I want to send my sympathy and condolences to all those who've lost a loved one during this pandemic."

JS: "I'm joined today by Professor Jason Leitch, the National Clinical Director, who will help me to answer questions in a few moments. Before then, I have three points that I want to briefly update you on."

JS: "The first is that the Scottish Government will publish, later on today, the latest estimate for the R number in Scotland. That will show that the R number may now be around 1, and has probably fallen during the last week."

JS: "That assessment provides some further evidence that our measures are, at the very least, helping to stabilise case numbers."

JS: "However, as the numbers I have just read out demonstrate, they remain concerningly high."

JS: "The second point I want to raise is about support for childminders, who are such a vital and valued part of our childcare sector."

JS: "Many childminders have been affected by the pandemic and by the restrictions placed upon them, and some have expressed concern about the future sustainability of their businesses."

JS: "The Scottish Government is, today, publishing a series of actions that will support the childminding sector in the future, and we're also making more immediate help available."

JS: "We've set aside up to £1m to support childminders who've been financially affected by the pandemic."

JS: "We're currently working with the Scottish Childminding Association to finalise details of the support scheme, so further information on how to apply will be published soon."

JS: "However, the scheme will allow for childminders to apply for grants of up to £1,000 each. Childminders play a hugely important role and the work they do is, I know, valued and appreciated by families across the country."

JS: "This new fund will provide them with some of the support they need in order to continue to carry out that role. That's something that will be increasingly important as we emerge from lockdown, and as more parents return to work."

JS: "The final issue I want to cover relates to testing. Walk-in test centres are a valuable part of our wider testing programme, as they help to increase the availability of testing, especially for people who do not have access to a car."

JS: "I'm therefore pleased that three new walk-in test centres opened this week. A walk-in centre opened in Paisley, at Bridge Street car park, on Tuesday. Sites open in Dunfermline and Glenrothes later on today. All three sites are in or near the centre of each of these towns."

JS: "Each of the new centres will be able to carry out up t 300 tests a day, and they increase the total number of walk-in centres in Scotland to 28."

JS: "Together with the other strands of Scotland's testing programme, therefore, they will help to increase the accessibility and the effectiveness of testing."

JS: "We are working with NHS National Services Scotland, local authorities, and health boards, to establish more local testing centres in the weeks to come."

JS: "Testing is a very important way of keeping the virus under control. We have also, in the last week, tightened travel restrictions - and we are of course accelerating the vaccination programme."

JS: "However, at the moment, while case numbers remain so high, our lockdown restrictions continue to be vital. They are the single-most important way in which we can reduce case numbers and ease some of the pressure on our health and social care services."

JS: "I will finish therefore by reminding you once again of our key rules and guidelines. Our main rule at the moment continues to be a very simple one. Stay at home."

JS: "In any level 4 area - which is almost all of Scotland, including the mainland - you must only leave the house for essential purposes such as caring responsibilities, essential shopping, and exercise."

JS: "So please do that - and please stick to the spirit of the rules as well as to the letter. Don't think about doing as much as you can get away with - think instead about how you can reduce the number of times you go out and about."

JS: "If you meet up with someone outdoors you can only meet up with one other person from one other household. You must work from home if you possibly can and employers have a legal duty to support people to work from home."

JS: "And, on any occasion when you do leave the house, please remember FACTS."

JS: "Wear face coverings when you're doing essential shopping, avoid anywhere that's busy, clean hands and surfaces, use 2m distancing if you're talking to someone from another household, and self-isolate and book a test if you have any symptoms."

JS: "Above all else, though, please stay at home as much as is possible. Staying at home is the best way of keeping ourselves, our loved ones, and our communities safe - and of keeping the virus under control while the vaccination programme continues."

JS: "So please, stay at home, protect the National Health Service, and save lives. Thank you once again to everyone who's doing exactly that."