FIRST Minister Nicola Sturgeon has provided an update on schools in Scotland.

Speaking at a coronavirus media briefing, Ms Sturgeon confirmed that all children and young people will return to school after the Easter Break. 

It means that all pupils - including those in secondary school - will return to the classroom full-time from Monday, April 12. 

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Those who are currently shielding, have, however been advised to continue to learn from him until April 26. 

Ms Sturgeon said: "This is, I know, a huge relief to many children and young people – and of course to many parents and carers.

"I know, however, that it will also be a source of concern for some people. And so I want to give reassurance that safety will be paramount."

The return will include the removal of strict two-metre physical distancing between pupils in secondary schools. Instead, schools have been asked to consider how they can strengthen "other mitigations". 

A total of £400 million of education recovery funding has been committed to Scottish schools with the aim of improving ventilation in schools. 

Additionally, twice-weekly lateral flow testing facilities have been made available for all school staff members and senior pupils.

Ms Sturgeon added: "Through these measures and others, the Scottish Government, schools and local authorities are trying to ensure that the return is as safe as possible.

"We will also, of course, continue to study and assess the data, in order to quickly limit any outbreaks that do arise, and to learn from them."

Meanwhile, twice-weekly lateral flow testing could become available to all in Scotland soon, Nicola Sturgeon confirmed. It comes following similar announcements from Boris Johnson in England.

The first batch of newly approved Moderna vaccines also arrived in the UK on Monday, with more than one million of the 17 million UK doses to be made available to Scots. 

The news comes as Scotland recorded no deaths of Covid-19 patients for the fourth day running.

The death toll under this measure – of people who first tested positive for the virus within the previous 28 days – remains at 7614.

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A total of 259 additional coronavirus cases were identified in Scotland. Of this figure, 93 were reported in Greater Glasgow and Clyde. 

The numbers of Covid-19 patients in hospital in Scotland has also fallen to 196 - a decrease of 19 from before the Easter break. 

Of these patients, 21 were in intensive care units.