SCOTLAND’S national clinical director has said it looks as if the country could be “turning the corner” on Covid.

Professor Jason Leitch said the latest data had left him “mildly hopeful” as “48 hours of reducing numbers” showed the country was moving in the right direction.

Another 18 deaths from coronavirus were recorded yesterday, with 525 positive tests in the past 24 hours.

There were 898 people in hospital confirmed to have the virus, down 26 in 24 hours, and 74 patients were in intensive care, down six.

As of Saturday morning, 1,570,153 people had received their first dose of a coronavirus vaccine, an increase of 27,224 since Friday.

Leitch said: “A third of the adult population are now vaccinated – that is unbelievable.

“And if we can get the prevalence down, it looks as though we are maybe just turning the corner – it is very, very stubborn. But it looks as though we might be.”

He added: “If we don’t get any more surprises from the virus, the second half of the year will be much better than the first half.”

Yesterday a new walk-through Covid testing centre was opened in Granton, Edinburgh, as part of the UK Government’s network of sites.

Meanwhile, pubs, restaurants, shops and other businesses hit hardest by the coronavirus pandemic will be boosted by a £5 billion grant scheme to help them reopen as the lockdown is eased.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak will announce the “restart grants” worth up to £6000 per premises to help non-essential retailers reopen and trade safely at his Budget on Wednesday. Hospitality, hotels, gyms, as well as personal care and leisure firms, will be eligible for up to £18,000 per premises as they are due to open later under the plans for easing lockdown.

The £5bn is targeted at England, but the devolved nations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will receive an extra £794 million in funding through the Barnett formula.