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On 9 March, the First Minister announced that organised outdoor non-contact group sport and physical activity for 12-17 year olds will be permitted to resume from 12 March, subject to a maximum of 15 participants and to sport specific guidance agreed with sportscotland. While we don’t yet have a date for the resumption of contact sport for 12-17 year olds, the First Minister noted that we will seek to build on these changes as quickly as possible in the weeks ahead.

On the 16 March, the First Minister is expected to provide a more detailed timetable for the period after 26 April.

In level 4, personal trainers are currently permitted to work with one other person outside. From Friday 12 March, Personal Trainers can hold outdoor group sessions with up to another 14 people.

If they are treating a musculoskeletal condition that requires close contact, this would be defined as ‘close contact services’ in the Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Restrictions and Requirements) (Local Levels) (Scotland) Regulations 2020 (as amended). Further information of what is permitted at each protection level can be found in the following guidance:

Coronavirus (COVID-19): local protection levels - gov.scot (www.gov.scot).

The Strategic Framework will provide the pathway to reopening of tourism which will be gradual and cautious. We will provide as much clarity and detail as is possible for planning purposes and intend to publish a strategic framework review next week. We will continue to work with all sectors within tourism, including self-catering, to support them up to and beyond reopening. We are committed to restoring the strength of Scotland’s tourism and hospitality sector, without undermining the great strides we have made in suppressing the virus.

The Scottish Government follows the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) Guidance in the planning of vaccine delivery. This evidence based guidance advises that the single greatest risk of mortality from COVID-19 is increasing age, and that the risk increases exponentially with age. Additionally the committee considers frontline health and social care workers who provide direct care to vulnerable people a high priority for vaccination.

The JCVI priority lists represents 99% of the preventable mortality from COVID-19 and throughout the delivery of the vaccination programme we will be guided by the clinical expertise of the JCVI, the MHRA, and our own senior clinical advisers.

The Scottish Government is working with the sector to explore what measures can be put in place to support the physical and mental wellbeing of international students who are subject to managed isolation arrangements.

In relation to their financial wellbeing, international and EU students can now apply for financial hardship support from the £22m HE Coronavirus Discretionary Fund and £3m FE Coronavirus Discretionary Fund, which were allocated to the universities and colleges in February. Institutions' assessments and awards are based on the individual circumstances involved, however the eligible scenarios can include costs associated with travel to / from Scotland if a) their travel is essential and in line with current travel restrictions/ exemptions; and b) they are in financial hardship and can demonstrate this through the institution's hardship assessment process.

The Scottish Government follows the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) Guidance in the planning of vaccine delivery. This evidence based guidance advises that the single greatest risk of mortality from COVID-19 is increasing age, and that the risk increases exponentially with age. Additionally the committee considers frontline health and social care workers who provide direct care to vulnerable people a high priority for vaccination.

The JCVI priority lists represents 99% of the preventable mortality from COVID-19 and throughout the delivery of the vaccination programme we will be guided by the clinical expertise of the JCVI, the MHRA, and our own senior clinical advisers.

The challenges around completion of coursework and assessment for practical subjects are recognised, which is why a limited return of senior phase learners and students to progress practical work that cannot be undertaken remotely and which is critical to qualification completion was prioritised.

Under the revised Strategic Framework, universities and colleges can continue to bring back a small number of students where face-to-face teaching is critical. The vast majority of learning will continue to be online, with the number of students on campus to be kept as low as possible and no more than 5% at any one time for in-person teaching. Any further return to face-to-face teaching in colleges and universities will be kept under regular review, with decisions informed by the data on virus prevalence.

The First Minister has confirmed that a phased return to secondary school will begin from 15 March. Colleges will be able to prioritise the return of further senior phase school pupils studying at college who require in-person provision now in order to complete their course.

The Scottish Government remains committed to supporting pupils and students to complete their learner journeys and is working closely with all relevant partners to provide solutions to challenges in delivering practical learning as a matter of priority.

Some wastage is unavoidable for a variety of reasons based on the characteristics of the vaccine, logistical issues with cold chain supply, storage failure and/or specific clinical situations such as a breakout of COVID-19 in a care home.

To date, our latest management information indicates a wastage rate of around only 1.8% - well below our planning assumption of 5%, which is a precautionary approach for worst case scenarios and in line with global best practice.

Any wastage is reviewed to ensure any preventable loss is avoided in the future.

We will continue to monitor wastage rates and regularly report back.

The Scottish Government published an update to the strategic framework on 23 February 2021. The updated framework sets out our plans and conditions for easing restrictions within level 4 before returning to different protection levels in different parts of the country from the end of April.

The First Minister said in Parliament that she hoped weddings would be able to take place with greater numbers of people in the period after the end of April, but that the numbers will likely still be restricted.

We will set out more detail in mid-March on the indicators that will guide our decisions on protection levels, as well as on any revision to the content of each level.

The latest evidence and public health advice, including evidence of the impact on transmission from the initial phase of school return and vaccination, as well as progress on vaccinating more of the priority groups, will inform our next steps.

The Scottish Government recognises the importance of marriage and civil partnership to couples and to society more widely, and we appreciate the difficulties caused by the restrictions in place. We will continue to keep the restrictions under close review and are committed to not keeping the restrictions in place any longer than is absolutely necessary.

We continue to engage in international developments in relation to Coronavirus (COVID-19), including on the issue of vaccine certification.

These discussions are led by the World Health Organisation and include consideration of technical details, ethical and equality issues, and privacy standards. The outcome of those discussions will guide our work in this area.

All vaccinations information is held on an individual’s medical records.