Thread by @theSNP

📺 Watch @NicolaSturgeon's live briefing on the latest COVID updates and our progress with Scotland's vaccine rollout.

https://twitter.com/scotgov/status/1358751237076828162

📣 @NicolaSturgeon: "The total number of positive cases reported yesterday was 928, which is 6.6% of the total number of tests.

That takes the total overall number of cases to 186,720."

📣 @NicolaSturgeon: "1,672 are currently in hospital, which is 38 fewer than yesterday.

I'll give you a bit of context to that figure: it has fallen by over 280 over the past week, which is very positive, though it is still significantly above the peak we saw last spring."

📣 @NicolaSturgeon: "I'm sorry to say 5 additional deaths have been registered in the past 24 hours, however you will recall that the figures we report on a Monday are often low because registration offices are largely closed over the weekend."

📣 @NicolaSturgeon: "Since the last media update on Friday, we have recorded 60 new deaths, which means that the total number now, under this measurement, is 6,443.

Yet again, I want to send my deepest condolences to everyone who has lost a loved one to this virus."

📣 @NicolaSturgeon: "First of all, I want to give a progress report on the vaccination programme.

As of 8:30 this morning, 866,823 people in Scotland have received the first dose of the vaccine - an increase of 27,557 since yesterday, which is 3 times the number last Sunday."

📣 @NicolaSturgeon: "Over the course of the weekend, approximately 80,000 people received the first dose - that's well over double the figure for last weekend, and of course includes a record number of over 52,000 vaccinated on Saturday."

📣 @NicolaSturgeon: "In the past 7 days, more than 290,000 people have received their first dose - which is approximately a 140,000 more than were vaccinated in the previous week.

Over the course of this week, we expect to hit the milestone of 1 million vaccines."

📣 @NicolaSturgeon: "I can confirm we have now vaccinated 99.6% of residents in older care homes - which, I have to say, is a scale of uptake that none of us really believed would be possible.

It's really important, because it's protecting the group we know is most at risk."

📣 @NicolaSturgeon: "We prioritised older care home residents, as well as frontline health and care staff, for vaccination, so quite a few of them received their first dose during December.

That means over the coming weeks, we will start administering second doses to them."

📣 @NicolaSturgeon: "I can also report today that more than 95% of over-80s living in the community have now had their first dose.

Again, it's an uptake rate way beyond anything we dared to hope for just a few weeks ago."

📣 @NicolaSturgeon: "Almost 67% of 75-79 year olds, and 29% of 70-75 year olds have also received the first dose.

We are on course to administer first doses to everyone in those age groups, and all those with significant clinical vulnerabilities, by mid February."

📣 @NicolaSturgeon: "We're also now accelerating vaccination for people aged 65-69.

This is all very positive news - the vaccination programme undoubtedly picked up pace over the course of the past week, as we always said it would."

📣 @NicolaSturgeon: "It continues to be the case that everyone, including those who get the first dose of the vaccine, still need to be careful and to stick to the rules.

Nevertheless, the pace of the vaccinations is very welcome news and will start having an effect soon."

📣 @NicolaSturgeon: "I am hugely grateful for all those involved in the planning, distribution and delivery of the programme - and particularly grateful for everyone who has come forward for their vaccine. The level of uptake is way beyond anything we could have hoped for."

📣 @NicolaSturgeon: "I also want to update you on testing.

On Friday, the DFM spoke about the expansion of targeted community testing in local authorities across the country - and today, I want to briefly highlight a programme which will make testing more easily available."

📣 @NicolaSturgeon: "In recent weeks, NHS Highland has been piloting a programme in Thurso and Lochgilphead - where fire stations have been used as bases for people to get tested.

That saves local residents from having to wait for a home testing kit or a mobile testing centre."

📣 @NicolaSturgeon: "Due to the success of the initial pilot, this will be expanded - and from tomorrow, fire stations in Dunoon and Campbeltown will be used as testing centres, and in the coming weeks, a further 17 sites will open in rural locations across NHS Highland."

📣 @NicolaSturgeon: "Of course, these sites will be used in tandem with the bigger regional testing sites, such as the drive-through testing site in Inverness, the walk-through sites, and the mobile testing units."

📣 @NicolaSturgeon: "The progress we're making on vaccination is extremely welcome, as well as the expansion of testing.

But for the moment, although case numbers are beginning to decline, they still remain high and lockdown restrictions continue to be essential."

📣 @NicolaSturgeon: "It is essential that all of us continue to comply with these lockdown restrictions, and the most important of all is this:

Stay at home unless you need to be out for essential purposes."

📣 @NicolaSturgeon: "When you have to be out, please continue to remember FACTS to stay safe."

🇫Face coverings in enclosed spaces
🇦Avoid crowded places
🇨Clean hands and surfaces regularly
🇹Two metre distancing
🇸Self isolate and book a test if you have symptoms