As further restrictions are relaxed to ease us out of lockdown, what rules are changing and when?

With the country opening up a little more on Friday, here are five things about the state of the pandemic.

People will be allowed to meet in larger groups outdoors and take day trips across Scotland from Friday.

Invitations will be sent out to those in this age group from this week, the first minister confirms.

A review finds a "plausible" link to rare blood clots, but says the jab remains beneficial for most.

Introducing Covid status certificates risks creating a "two-tier Britain", critics say.

Pupils will no longer have to follow strict two metre physical distancing rules when they return.

The charge has been 5p since it was introduced in 2014, prompting a drastic decline in plastic bag usage.

Scottish Land and Estates urge people to tidy up and take care around animals over the Easter period.

People are being told to "stay local" and remain within their local council area for the following three weeks.

The leaders of Scotland's five larger political parties will take part in the BBC Scotland debate.

KPMG analysis suggests Scottish GDP could be boosted by a successful vaccine rollout and "consumer bounce".

England manager Gareth Southgate selects his Euro 2020 squad in two months - and that selection is not getting any easier.

The Scottish government praised staff for their "service and dedication" during the Covid pandemic.

The move puts 1,465 jobs at risk and means it has axed a third of its stores in less than a year.

It is due to come into force in England next week as some other lockdown restrictions are eased.

The Queen reflects on the "grief and loss felt by so many" as the country holds a minute's silence.

It looks like the viruses that cause colds wins in the battle to infect our cells.

Despite the supply issues, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon says the government expects to meet its mid-April targets.

The Scottish government says ScotRail will be taken into public ownership in March 2022.

Independence, Covid, the economy and the NHS are on voters' minds ahead of elections in May.

The UK will also shift focus towards Indo-Pacific countries, following a year-long foreign policy review.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon says garden centres can also reopen in the days after the stay at home lockdown order is lifted.

The Scottish first minister is to set out proposed dates for the easing of Covid-19 restrictions at Holyrood.

Secondary students were among those returning to the classroom - but initially on a part-time basis.

Stirling and Glasgow were the last of the 32 authorities to consider a council tax freeze in meetings on Thursday.

Younger secondary pupils will return from Monday but some have less than two hours in school per week.

The first minister says it will be the first step out of lockdown, but urges people not to get carried away.

The recommendation comes from the Scottish government's Covid advisory group on education.

The move will help millions of people, Rishi Sunak says, ahead of setting out his tax and spending plans.

As part of the phased return of pupils across Scotland, children in P4-P7 will also return full time.

Under new guidance local areas will have to have a lower number of positive cases before restrictions are eased.

Three Scottish oil workers tested positive while in isolation after flying to Aberdeen from Brazil.

Over-40s will be first in line from mid-April after the top nine priority groups receive one dose.

Using World Health Organization measures, it is possible to chart Scotland's progress in tackling Covid-19.

Shops, hairdressers, gyms and outdoor hospitality could reopen on 12 April, Boris Johnson says.

Schools across the country have been closed to the vast majority of pupils since December.

First evidence from the UK's vaccine programme shows a reduction in hospital admissions in Scotland.

The number of new infections in the community has decreased in all regions, latest data shows.

Scotland's national clinical director says a Covid elimination strategy would stop international travel.

There is now "hard evidence" that the vaccine programme is starting to reduce the number of deaths.

Audit Scotland say preparations for the pandemic could have been better but the NHS was not overwhelmed.

Healthy, young volunteers will be deliberately infected with a low dose of coronavirus.

Pupils in P1 to P3 and pre-school children will go back from 22 February, it has been confirmed.

Nicola Sturgeon says the latest milestone has been reached - but that progress will slow in the coming days.

Concerns have been raised about the virus spreading if Scotland-bound travellers in England use public transport.

Data suggests lockdown is working, but the health secretary says there is "still a long way to go".

The country has received lower Pfizer vaccine stocks than expected due to a reduction in manufacturing capacity.

Everyone arriving on an overseas flight will have to quarantine in a hotel for 10 days at a cost of at least £1,750.

Scotland's transport secretary says he is pressing the UK government to close a potential loophole.

Parts of Scotland are affected by heavy snowfall as temperature hits 11-year low.

People crossing the Irish border without "a reasonable excuse" can be fined €100 (£88) from Monday.

The virus's reproduction, or R, number is estimated to be between 0.7 and 1.

High Street banks are also told to prepare for the possibility that interest rates could fall below zero.

Despite the most magnificent conditions in 11 years, the slopes remain closed because of lockdown.

Researchers from the University of Aberdeen examined factors across the 37 worst hit countries.

Nicola Sturgeon is expected to give details on the opening of schools to "some" children.

Nicola Sturgeon says the NHS is "ahead of schedule" in rolling out vaccines to the over-80s by Friday's deadline.

Finance Secretary Kate Forbes says she wants to provide "stability and certainty" for people and businesses.

Boris Johnson says most people in Scotland are focused on defeating Covid rather than another referendum.

The PM sets the date he hopes England's lockdown will begin to ease, but warns of a "perilous situation".

Nicola Sturgeon says she is concerned the UK's travel restrictions will not go far enough.

The boss of Scotland's Railways says "difficult decisions" have to be made to save taxpayer money.

As the number of people who died reaches six figures, the factors that led to this terrible total.

The number people looking for work decreased by about 1,000 between September and November.

The UK's nations and regions are being treated as if they were "invisible", the former PM warns.

A pilot programme for 24/7 vaccinations is among options being considered by the Scottish government.

Some elderly Scots are anxious as they wait for the jab despite assurances the vaccine programme is on track.

Boris Johnson says England's measures will be reviewed once the priority groups have had the vaccine.

Modelling suggests that lockdown has "stabilised" the spread of new cases in Scotland.

Estate agents call for tougher measures - as buyers race to beat the end of the stamp duty holiday.

The youngest and oldest pupils, plus those with additional support needs will be among the first to return to classrooms.

Mainland Scotland and some islands to remain under toughest coronavirus rules until at least mid-February.

The total of 241 fines in a week is nearly eight times more than when the rules were introduced.

The first minister says her statement to MSPs will concern the duration of Scotland's restrictions.

Soldiers from the Royal Army Medical Corps and Royal Scots Dragoon Guards are involved in the effort.

Scotland's education secretary says it will be a challenge for schools to reopen as normal by 1st February.

The R number in the UK is officially estimated at 1.2-1.3 as a further 1,280 deaths are reported.

Scotland's health secretary says 400,000 jabs could be administered every week by the end of February.

Some restrictions have been tightened amid concerns the "stay at home" message has not had the same impact.

Restrictions around takeaway food and click-and-collect services in Scotland are to be toughened.

Scotland's first minister says the current restrictions are "very unlikely" to be lifted at the end of the month.

The Labour leader calls for tougher coronavirus restrictions and says help for low earners must continue.

About 560,000 people will have been vaccinated by the beginning of next month, the health secretary says.

Teaching for the vast majority of students will be online only until at least the end of February.

Seventeen million doses have been ordered by the UK and are expected to arrive in spring.

The drugs, which save an extra life for every 12 intensive care patients treated, can be used immediately, say experts.

The BMA in Scotland says it is concerned about the potential impact of delaying the second dose of the Pfizer vaccine.

Strict new Covid-19 restrictions come into force in Scotland, prohibiting people from leaving their homes.

Mainland Scotland faces tougher restrictions from midnight, and schools will remain closed until February.

The Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine programme is being rolled out less than a week after it became the second approved in the UK.

Boris Johnson says more areas may need tougher rules, as Labour urges England-wide curbs within 24 hours.

The deal between the UK and EU ends months of arguments over business rules and fishing rights.

London now has the highest percentage of people testing positive in the UK, ONS figures suggest.

The rule reflects the "increased risk" from a variant linked to two cases in England, officials say.

Travel restrictions and quarantine rules have been introduced to limit the spread.

Ministers meet to discuss how to stem the spread of a new fast-spreading variant of the coronavirus.

Scottish ministers want drivers moving perishable goods such as seafood to be prioritised as France eases its travel ban.

Nicola Sturgeon warns that the current top level of restrictions may need to be tightened further.

Boris Johnson says his position is "unchanged", as time for the UK and EU to reach a deal runs short.

Jupiter and Saturn - the Solar System's largest planets - have crossed paths in the night sky.

Spain and India are among the nations to suspend flights amid concern over spread of new variant.

The deputy first minister says the prevalence of the virus is much lower than other parts of the UK.

Officers in Scotland "will act" if they believe there is a "flagrant" breach of travel restrictions.

Retailers warn more jobs and businesses are at risk as non-essential shops are forced to close.

Retail and hospitality industry leaders say more financial help is needed as they prepare for three weeks of tough restrictions.

Family mixing at Christmas will be much reduced and scrapped completely for parts of the South East.

The health secretary was speaking as three council areas prepare to move to a tougher level of restrictions.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak extends the furlough scheme for one month until the end of April 2021.

It means more than two-thirds of the nation's population will be in tier three from Saturday.

Public Health Wales warns IT maintenance has led to "significant under-reporting" of cases.

"Just because you can do something doesn't mean it's sensible in any way," Prof Chris Whitty warns.

Non-essential shops will have to close from Christmas Eve, with a level 4 lockdown from 28 December.

An airfield could be used as a lorry park in the event of post-Brexit delays at Cairnryan.

Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire and East Lothian will all move up to level three of the country's tiered system.

Scientists will keep a close eye on this variant to see if it is a better spreader than others.

All 32 local authority areas in the country will be assessed by politicians and public health officials.

Parts of Essex and Hertfordshire will also face the toughest restrictions, the health secretary says.

The new strain may be growing faster in some parts of the country, Health Secretary tells MPs.

Annie Innes, 90, from South Lanarkshire, is the first person to be be vaccinated in a care home.

Nicola Sturgeon says Scots planning to meet up at Christmas should cut down on "unnecessary contacts" now.

NHS bosses say they are worried about January, after the US saw a spike in cases after Thanksgiving.

The change will apply to contacts of coronavirus cases and people quarantining after travel.

Non-essential shops across much of western Scotland have reopened for the first time in three weeks.

A new report identifies that UK and foreign travel was the trigger for the second wave of the pandemic.

Details of a further £185m of support for Scottish firms hit by Covid-19 restrictions are announced.

The peer-reviewed work in the Lancet medical journal confirms the vaccine is 'safe and protects'.

All 11 council areas currently under level four restrictions are to be downgraded to level three on Friday.

The first people to be offered the coronavirus vaccine begin receiving their jabs.

As people in Scotland wait to hear what Covid alert level their area will be put in to, we analyse the statistics and ask whether the toughest measures have been working.

Nicola Sturgeon says 11 councils in west and central Scotland will come out of the highest tier of restrictions.

The lateral flow tests will be trialled among visitors to 14 care homes in five local authority areas.

Patient care could be put at risk if an agreement is not made before the 31 December departure date.

Wales "could not suppress" Covid after its firebreak lockdown, the health minister says.

The "ambitious" target for 2030 would see the UK move faster than any major economy, the PM says.

The country's education secretary confirms that the Christmas holiday dates will not change.

People in Scotland could start receiving the Covid-19 vaccine from next Tuesday, Nicola Sturgeon says.

Customers who want to use overhead storage must buy more expensive tickets, the airline says.

Ministers will continue to "look carefully" at Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire, but both will remain in level two.

It follows suggestions pubs and restaurants may turn away people who don't get a coronavirus vaccine.

Pubs and restaurants will have to shut at 6pm and will not be able to serve alcoholic drinks.

Nicola Sturgeon says the one-off cash payment is to thank health staff for their "extraordinary service".

Two new mass testing programmes are under way in a bid to drive down infection rates before Christmas.

Scientists spell out measures to minimise coronavirus infection risk when rules are relaxed at Christmas.

Government guidance says the bubbles should contain a maximum of eight people over the age of 11.

Covid hotspots are still emerging across Scotland, but the number of daily deaths is declining.

People can form a "Christmas bubble" and mix in homes and outdoors between 23 and 27 December.

Nicola Sturgeon says the existing restrictions in place across Scotland are "having an impact" on the virus.

England will return to a regional approach from 2 December but the tiers will be "tougher", the PM says.

Nicola Sturgeon says there could be a "careful" easing at Christmas - but does not expect a relaxation at new year.