SCOTLAND has recorded 11 deaths from coronavirus and 498 positive tests in the past 24 hours, Nicola Sturgeon has announced.
It brings the death toll under this measure – of people who first tested positive for the virus within the previous 28 days – to 7409.
Speaking at the Scottish Government’s coronavirus briefing, she said the daily test positivity rate is 3.1%, up from 2.5% the previous day.
There are 666 people in hospital confirmed to have the virus, down 52 in 24 hours, and 64 patients are in intensive care, down three.
READ MORE: Matt Hancock claims Covid vaccine rollout was 'the same' across UK
The update came as Nicola Sturgeon indicated there may be “minor” changes to the rules announced next week.
The First Minister suggested these may relate to meeting people outdoors, and be explained at her weekly update to the Scottish Parliament on Tuesday.
Sturgeon said by 8.30am today, a total of 1,717,672 Scots had received their first coronavirus vaccine, an increase of 29,064 from the previous day.
Meanwhile, a total of 108,197 have had their second jab, with 8139 getting this yesterday.
Sturgeon said 96% of 65 to 69-year-olds had had their first dose of the vaccine, along with 39% of 60 to 64-year-olds, 33% of 55 to 59-year-olds and 27% of 50 to 54-year-olds.
She warned: “We might face some supply issues next week which could affect vaccination appointments, but we are working hard to try to avoid that.”
She also stressed Scotland is still “on track” to have offered a first dose to everyone aged 50 and above, all unpaid carers and all adults with certain underlying health conditions by the middle of April.
Sturgeon said: “The good progress of the vaccination programme and also the declining number of people catching or falling seriously ill with Covid should give us all real encouragement just now that greater normality is firmly on the horizon.”
She said she was “hopeful” the Scottish Government may on Tuesday be able to announce some “relatively minor but important changes” to the rules around meeting people out of doors and young people seeing their friends out of doors.
Speaking at the briefing, she stressed: “It is really important that we don’t get carried away yet. The overall stay-at-home message needs to stay for a bit longer so we don’t send our progress into reverse.
“I am very keen that within that, if we can, we should all get a bit more opportunity to see loved ones as the first steps we take out of this lockdown.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
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
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel