Thread by @theSNP

First Minister @NicolaSturgeon: "Presiding Officer, last week I updated parliament on the Scottish Government’s strategic framework.

When I update Parliament next week, I hope to be able to confirm some changes to the level 4 restrictions."

NS: "Between now and then - and in light of the positive data that I will report on today - we will be considering if it might be possible to accelerate the exit from lockdown in any way, consistent, of course, with the care and caution we know continues to be necessary."

NS: "Later today, the Public Health Minister will support the resumption of competitive football in Scottish Leagues 1 and 2, the Scottish Women’s Premier League 1 and – for the purposes of playing Scottish Cup ties – certain Highland League teams."

NS: "I hope this news will be welcomed by football fans across the country.

The focus of my statement today, however, is education."

NS: "In particular, I will update the parliament on plans to get all children back to school on a full time basis as soon as possible.

First, though, I will give a brief summary of the latest statistics."

NS: "The total number of positive cases reported yesterday was 542.

That's 4.4% of tests carried out, and takes the total number of cases to 203,012.

784 people are now in hospital – 40 fewer than yesterday."

NS: "71 are in intensive care, the same number as yesterday.

I'm sorry to say though that, in the past 24 hours, a further 33 deaths have been registered, and the total number of deaths, under the daily measurement, is now 7,164."

NS: "Once again, I want to send my condolences to everyone who has lost a loved one.

Yesterday we marked the anniversary of the first case of Covid being confirmed in Scotland."

NS: "The Scottish Government is currently talking to health charities and family organisations about how we intend to remember all those who have lost their lives – and also mark the many sacrifices people have made. We intend to say more about this soon."

NS: "I'll also give a short update on the vaccination programme.

As of 8.30 this morning, 1,634,361 people in Scotland have received their first dose of the vaccine.

That is an increase of 22,783 since yesterday."

NS: "There is good and increasing evidence that vaccination is already reducing the number of deaths – particularly in care homes."

NS: "In time, as a growing proportion of the population gains protection through vaccination, it should also start to have an impact on hospitalisations, and on transmission rates."

NS: "There was further positive news yesterday with the report from Public Health England that a first dose of the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine reduces the chance of needing hospital treatment by more than 80%."

NS: "That confirms research published last week in Scotland by the University of Edinburgh."

NS: "We remain on course to offer a first dose to everyone over 50, all unpaid carers, and all adults with an underlying health condition by mid-April."

NS: "We may face some supply issues next week which could affect appointments, but we are working hard to avoid that – and these issues will not affect the mid-April target.

In addition to the progress on vaccination, we are making good progress at suppressing the virus."

NS: "I said last week that the decline in case numbers had appeared to slow down and that this was a concern."

NS: "However I am pleased to report this week that recent data has been much more encouraging. It strongly suggests that cases are still declining.

This time last week, we were recording an average of 815 new cases a day."

NS: "That has now fallen to 657 new cases a day on average - and this is the lowest level since the first week of October.

The average test positivity rate has also fallen and is now below 5%."

NS: "Hospital admissions are also falling. In the first half of January, more than 1,000 Covid patients a week were being admitted.

In the week to 23 February, that had fallen to 468."

NS: "The number in intensive care has also declined.

So the sacrifices we are all making are undoubtedly having an impact.

Collectively, we are suppressing the virus, and lives are being saved as a result."

NS: "There is, I think, more reason to be optimistic now than perhaps at any time since early autumn.

That said, we know we need to take care to avoid sending progress into reverse."

NS: "657 new cases a day is the lowest level for five months – but it is still 13 times higher than the numbers being recorded in mid-August.

The reduction in hospital admissions is very encouraging - but hundreds of people every week are still falling seriously ill."

NS: "We know that the new variant - which now accounts for more than 85% of new cases - is highly infectious.

And we have been reminded over the weekend of the significant risk we face of other new variants - such as the P1 Brazilian variant - being imported into the country."

NS: "So the news - on vaccines and on suppression - is overwhelmingly positive.

But we must be sensible - and this can be harder to do when things appear to be going in the right direction..."

NS: "But we must be sensible in the decisions we take over the next few weeks if we want to make sure we keep going in the right direction."

NS: "And that provides context for the decisions that we have taken this week, and cabinet confirmed this morning, about our next steps in enabling children to return to school."

NS: "Those decisions follow consultation with Cosla and local authorities, discussions with the Education Recovery Group, and scientific advice from the advisory subgroup on education and children’s issues. That advice will be published tomorrow."

NS: "Children in primaries 1 to 3 are of course already back at school full-time. We continue to monitor the impacts of that, although it is too early to be certain."

NS: "Some secondary school students have also returned to take part in essential practical work for national qualifications. And childcare and early education premises are also now open for children below school age."

NS: "The next phase of reopening education will take place on 15 March.

And I can confirm that from that date, 15 March - unless new evidence or new circumstances force us to reconsider - all children in primary 4 to 7 will go back to school on a full-time basis."

NS: "All primary school children will also be able to return to regulated childcare, including after school and breakfast clubs."

NS: "We will also take the next steps in a phased return to secondary school from 15 March - with a clear expectation that all secondary school pupils will be back in school on a full-time basis following the Easter holidays."

NS: "However, it is the intention that all secondary school pupils will return to spend some time in school from 15 March until the Easter break."

NS: "Students in the senior phase of secondary school – that is years 4 to 6 – who are taking national qualifications, will have priority for face to face lessons in school."

NS: "This will ensure that they can have their hard work fairly recognised, with qualifications under the Alternative Certification Model."

NS: "However although years 4 to 6 may have priority, we expect that all children in secondary school will receive some in-school education each week up until the Easter break and then return full-time following that."

NS: "This will allow pupils to get used to being back in school and allow them to start seeing friends again. This is important for the wellbeing of young people as well as for education."

NS: "Before Easter, since this will be a blended learning model, we will also continue to ensure that remote learning is of the highest standard possible."

NS: "Reports from Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Education have shown that the delivery of remote learning has improved greatly between the first and second lockdowns."

NS: "I am immensely grateful to all of the teachers and other education professionals who have done so much to build on the experience of the first lockdown."

NS: "We will work with Education Scotland to ensure that enhanced online resources continue to be available over the coming month."

NS: "And we will work with local authorities to support young people’s wellbeing in other ways - for example, by providing more opportunities for outdoor learning."

NS: "Education Scotland will publish guidance for local authorities on the phased return during the next week.
However local authorities will have flexibility in how they implement the phased return."

NS: "This will allow them to take account of local factors in deciding how to make the return as safe as possible.

We want to ensure they are able to maximise the amount of time that secondary school pupils can safely spend in school in the period up to the Easter holidays."

NS: "Obviously we recognise that the safety of staff and children must continue to be a key priority."

NS: "All local authorities will therefore - at least until the Easter break - continue to observe the current requirement for 2m physical distancing in secondary schools.

And when secondary schools return, face coverings will need to be worn at all times."

NS: "The advisory group on education and children’s issues has also noted the continuing importance of good ventilation."

NS: "We have provided local authorities with £375m of education recovery funding to date, and many Councils are using some of this funding to monitor and improve ventilation in schools."

NS: "In addition, we will continue to offer twice-weekly lateral flow testing for all school staff in our primary, secondary and special schools, and all secondary school pupils in years 4, 5 and 6."

NS: "I would encourage as many staff and senior phase pupils as possible to use the tests when they return to school. It is a further important way in which we can ensure that schools remain as safe as possible."

NS: "The final point I want to make on schools is simply to say thank you – firstly to all school leadership teams, and all school staff, including, of course, all teachers, for everything that that has been done to support children and young people in the last few months."

NS: "I know everyone is looking forward to having children back in the classroom as soon as possible."

NS: "I also want to thank parents across the country. I can only imagine how difficult all of this disruption continues to be - but I hope, and believe, that the end of it is now firmly in sight."

NS: "And my thanks too to children and young people. I know how hard it must be to be separated from friends and teachers.

But you have all responded magnificently to all of the difficulties of the last year."

NS: "I hope that you are looking forward to getting back to school later this month.

And I hope that you will also start to feel life become a lot more normal very soon."

NS: "The phased approach to school return can be frustrating, I know. But it is necessary and it is firmly based on the expert advice that we have received."

NS: "It is the best, and also the most sustainable and enduring, way to get as many children back to school as possible, as safely as possible."

NS: "There is one other issue I want to briefly highlight today.

I can confirm that we are clarifying guidance on an issue that is directly relevant to parents of newborn children."

NS: "There are currently a number of essential purposes – for example essential care – which enable us to go into someone else’s house."

NS: "We are amending guidance on this today, to make it clear that those essential purposes include support for the welfare and well-being of a parent of a child who is under the age of one."

NS: "I hope that gives clarity - and enables vital support - for parents of very young children."

NS: "As we come out of lockdown, hopefully the last lockdown, we are prioritising – as we said we would – the education and wellbeing of our children."

NS: "In addition, although we remain cautious – as we have to be, in the face of a dangerous and highly infectious virus – I hope that people will take heart from the data I have reported."

NS: "It shows real, significant and sustained progress in getting the virus back under control.

Next week, I hope to confirm to parliament the other changes to the level 4 restrictions that will take effect from the 15 March."

NS: "The week after, I am scheduled to set out a firmer timetable for the period after 26 April.

As I said at the outset, we will consider between now and then, if the data allows us, to bring forward any relaxation of the rules."

NS: "I have always said if we can go further and faster, then we will not hesitate to do so.

All of us want to move on as quickly as possible - and, as a priority, to see friends and family again.

I hope the day for that is now not too far away."

NS: "But to make sure we don’t see any reverse in our progress that would put that in jeopardy, it is really important that, for now, we all need to abide by the lockdown rules."

NS: "So please continue to stick to their letter and their spirit.

Stay at home except for essential purposes. Do not meet people from other households indoors.

Follow the FACTS advice when you're out and about."

NS: "Work from home if you can – and if you are an employer, please support your workers to do so.

If we do all of this, we can and we will make it easier for children to return to school and for all of us to return to more normality soon."

NS: "We will protect ourselves, our communities and our NHS. And we will keep the virus under control while vaccinations do their work.

So for the moment, please, continue to stick with it, stick together, and stay at home."