THERE have been 525 new cases of Covid-19 reported in Scotland in the past 24 hours.
According to Scottish Government statistics, there have been 18 deaths in the same period.
74 people are in intensive care with recently confirmed Covid while 898 people are in hospital.
Yesterday, 581 new cases were reported, with 27 new deaths.
1,570,153 people have received the first dose of the Covid vaccination and 72,178 have received their second dose.
In the last 24 hours, 27,224 people have been vaccinated with the first dose.
Scotland is working towards April 26 as a date when hotels, restaurants, pubs, hairdressers, and retail can reopen to customers for the first time since December.
Yesterday, Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said that Scotland will follow Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) advice on the next stage of the coronavirus vaccination programme.
People aged 40-49 will be prioritised for a Covid-19 vaccine in phase twi of the vaccination programme, followed by those aged 30-39 and then those aged 18-29.
These groups will be vaccinated once all those in phase one (the over-50s and most vulnerable) have received a jab.
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We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
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