BBC News Scotland

Hospitality curbs extended for another week

• Bars and restaurants in Scotland's central belt are to remain closed for another week, after short-term Covid-19 restrictions are extended
• Scotland is due to move to a multi-tier system of virus alert levels similar to that in England from 2 November - it will be published on Friday
• The Scottish government's current short-term restrictions targeting hospitality venues in the central belt in particular will continue until then to enable a "smooth transition"
• The first minister announces the financial support available for businesses impacted by the restrictions will be extended to cover the additional week

28 people have died with Covid-19 in the last 24 hours

• A further 28 deaths linked to the virus have been recorded in the last 24 hours
• That is the highest number of deaths in daily figures since 21 May and it takes the total to 2,653 by that measurement.
• The number of positive cases in Scotland has risen above 50,000 for the first time with a further 1,739 people testing positive. That is 9.7 % of the total number of people tested
• 873 patients are in hospital with a confirmed case (up 49), with 73 being treated in intensive care (up three)

75 people have died with links to Covid-19 in the last week

• The weekly NRS statistics showed 75 people had died with Covid-19 mentioned on the death certificate in the last week
• The total deaths by that measurement has reached 4,376

Other Covid-19 headlines

• The first minister insists Test and Protect in Scotland is an NHS service and that there has been no outsourcing to private firms
• Ms Sturgeon says National Services Scotland has recruited a small number of staff from private companies as the system migrates to a permanent workforce - including staff from Barrhead Travel
• The Scottish Lib Dems leader says "it doesn't look like we are in control of the situation"
• Willie Rennie does, however, pledge to "buy into the new strategy"

That's all from the live page team today. Please take care and stay safe.

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Willie Rennie argues the Scottish government has not used the summer well to get on top of what was required.

The Scottish Lib Dems leader points to issues with quarantine spot-checks and testing capacity, as well as the tracing system.

Over 500 people who tested positive were not contacted for two days, he tells BBC Scotland.

He pledges to work with the first minister going forward and says he wants to buy into the new strategy.

Mr Rennie calls for the financial package to match the restrictions, more asymptomatic testing and increased tracing capacity.

People need to see the science so we know the measures coming forward will work, adds the Scottish Lib Dem leader, who says there must also be transparent thresholds so people know when the restrictions may be lifted.

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Willie Rennie tells BBC Scotland: "I am very anxious about the ways things are developing."

The Scottish Lib Dems leader adds hospital wards are filling up, there's an increased number of cases, the death rate is rising, but also the R number is not below one.

"The government does really need to get on top of this situation if we are going to curb the rise of this virus," he says.

Mr Rennie says there have been four strategies in three weeks, with the extension of the short-term restrictions and the new strategy revealed this Friday.

He adds: "It doesn't look like we are in control of the situation."

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Louise Scott from STV asks whether it would be better to keep other hospitality venues open, given issues of over-crowding and queuing at some cafes.

Nicola Sturgeon says "you can argue these things both ways" but we shouldn't forget the objective is to try to stop people interacting.

Cafes have been kept open to help people living alone who may have no-one else to talk to and to give them somewhere to meet a friend.

It is "not an open invitation to people who might otherwise go out normally to crowd into cafes", says the first minister.

Ms Sturgeon appeals to "human common sense" and says the alternative would be just to close all hospitality venues, including cafes.

The flexibility built into decisions only works if all of us try to operate in the spirit of the restrictions and remember the objective, rather than trying to get round them, she adds.

Otherwise the "inevitable conclusion" is they have to be stricter.