First Minister Nicola Sturgeon is expected to outline the government’s roadmap out of the pandemic during her weekly Covid update on Tuesday.
This will set out the approach to managing and recovering from the virus moving forward, including preparation for any future variants.
During the statement, she will also share the latest coronavirus figures, including the daily case rate and the number of people in Scotland who have received their vaccinations.
On Monday, updated guidance from the JCVI said that over 75s and high risk people will soon be offered a fourth Covid vaccination.
It is hoped the next round of jabs will help provide another layer of protection to those who need it most.
What could the roadmap include?
Boris Johnson recently announced his “living with Covid” plan, which confirmed all coronavirus laws would end in England starting from Thursday.
This includes ending the legal requirement for people to self-isolate if they test positive, as well as free universal testing being massively scaled back.
As in previous stages of the pandemic, it is expected the first minister will take a more cautious approach as Scotland continues to move forward.
Ms Sturgeon is unlikely to change the guidance on face coverings for the time being or announce an immediate change to self-isolation rules.
However, she might give the public a better idea of when these changes could happen and how far away they are.
‘Outlining robust plans’
It may also be further explained how the newly announced £80 million coronavirus recovery fund will be used.
The Covid Economic Recovery Fund aims to support communities and businesses as the country moves into the next phase of the pandemic.
Ms Sturgeon has said: “Our updated strategic framework, which I will set out to parliament on Tuesday, will support resilience in communities across Scotland by outlining robust plans to prepare for possible new variants or other future emergencies, should we need to act to protect public health.
“Of course, the best way to support business sustainably is to act responsibly and to sustainably manage the risks the virus presents as we begin to live the more normal life that we all crave.”
Hospitality bosses have called for the vaccine passport system to be scrapped after it was removed in Wales and Northern Ireland last week, so the first minister might also address this in her statement.
Where can you watch the briefing?
Ms Sturgeon is expected to give her weekly briefing at around 2.15pm following topical questions.
After her statement, she will likely answer questions from other members of parliament.
You can watch the briefing on Scottish Parliament TV and follow along on our live blog.
