Six deaths and 1505 new Covid cases recorded overnight

Six deaths and 1505 new cases of coronavirus have been recorded in Scotland in the last 24 hours.

Official statistics published on Friday showed that 502 people were in hospital with the virus as of Thursday, with 57 people in intensive care.

It is a rise on the number of people who were in hospital with confirmed Covid on Wednesday (488), however the latest figures show fall in the number of deaths from 22 in the previous data.

Almost four million people have had their first dose of the coronavirus vaccine, whilst just over three million have also had their second dose.

Earlier on Friday, the Scottish Government announced changes to self-isolation rules so that essential workers can be exempt.

The changes mean that workers essential in maintaining lifeline services and critical national infrastructure will be able to apply for the exemption, if they are a close contact of a person with Covid-19.

It could apply to those working in health and social care, transport, and the provision of at-risk food supplies.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said that is was a “very limited change” and would be applied on a “case by case basis”.

She said: “It is essential that lifeline services and critical national infrastructure are maintained and we are implementing these changes now – ahead of possible changes to self-isolation rules for close contacts that may apply more generally in future – to ensure staff shortages do not put key services at risk.

“We have seen significant staff shortages in a small number of organisations in recent days and we have worked with them to protect services.

“Applications for exemptions are being considered from today and we will consider applications as they come in.”