Coronavirus in Scotland LIVE: Potential Covid-19 treatments could be fast-tracked

Record Store Day will take place across three dates to boost sales and ensure social distancing among attendees, organisers said.

The annual event, involving more than 200 independent record shops in the UK, was due to take place on April 18 but was initially postponed to June 20 due to the coronavirus outbreak.

It will now be spread across three Saturdays - August 29, September 26 and October 24 - to give the largest number of stores a chance to participate.

Organisers will follow Government guidance to ensure the dates are conducted in a socially responsible manner.

Understanding how coronavirus spreads through the air could be crucial for knowing which lockdown measures will need to stay in place long term, scientists have said.

Peter Bruce, vice-president of the Royal Society, said studying how Covid-19 can be transmitted through aerosol particles - fine particles or liquid droplets in air - was "absolutely crucial" to understanding the social distancing issue.

Speaking to journalists on Wednesday he said that knowing more about how coronavirus spreads could allow social distancing measures such as keeping two metres from other people to be "refined".

He added: “This is absolutely crucial to really understanding the social distancing issue.”

The scale of the challenge facing the UK in tackling the spread of Covid-19 in care homes was acknowledged by ministers ahead of the publication of figures likely to give a clearer picture of the true death toll.

Dominic Raab - standing in for Boris Johnson following the birth of the Prime Minister's son - said there would be no "sugar coating" of the issues and stressed the efforts being made to get a grip on the care homes crisis.

The Foreign Secretary, who faced questions in the Commons amid fears that the UK was on course to have the highest coronavirus death toll in Europe, said there was a "joint horror" across the House at the number of people killed in the outbreak.

They included 85 NHS workers and 23 social care workers - a total of 108.

Analysis by the PA news agency showed some 24,899 deaths involving coronavirus have been formally registered across the UK, though the true toll is thought to be far higher.

KFC is to reopen 80 more restaurants for deliveries as it becomes the latest fast food chain to ramp up its plans in response to the coronavirus lockdown.

The fried chicken chain has gradually opened 20 of its sites over the past two weeks for deliveries only.

It said it will now reopen an additional 80 restaurants across the UK this week, taking its total to 100 by Monday.

The chain, which has over 900 sites nationwide and employs around 24,000 people, shut all its restaurants last month due to the coronavirus lockdown.

Tui, the UK's biggest tour operator, has extended the suspension of its holidays for the next six weeks.

The company said all trips would be cancelled up to and including June 11, and warned customers wanting cash refunds that its call centres are "incredibly busy".

It had previously suspended its operations up to May 14.

Tui also cancelled its Marella Cruises sailings up to the end of June, and postponed the launch of its river cruises until late November.

A total of nearly 900,000 people have had their holidays cancelled, a spokeswoman said.

A loss of income due to the Covid-19 pandemic could be the "final straw" for struggling artists unless urgent support is given, according to a union.

The Scottish Artists Union (SAU) said many of its members "fall between the cracks" of current provision as they are not entitled to welfare benefits, small business grants, furlough payments or some of the other forms of financial aid currently available.

It is calling on the UK and Scottish governments to introduce a range of measures - including plans for universal basic income - and changes to provide help both during and after the Covid-19 pandemic.

Union president Lynda Graham said: "One of the big concerns is that Covid-19 could be the final straw for many artists who are already finding it hard enough to pay the bills."

Health Secretary Jeane Freeman announced a new benefit which would be paid to NHS staff not already covered by pension benefits.

If a member of staff were to die while working, their family would receive a payment of double their annual salary, however, some NHS staff are not eligible for the payment.

Ms Freeman said: "I want to make sure that they and NHS bank and NHS locum staff are fully covered for the duration of this current crisis."

The "Covid-19 linked comparable benefit", the Health Secretary said, would "provide benefits in circumstances where staff are not covered by membership of an existing NHS pension scheme".

Staff who are not eligible for maximum benefits under their pension scheme would also see the balance topped up by the new benefit.

The Health Secretary added that the principles of the scheme will be published on Friday, following conversations with trade unions and the benefit would be available immediately and backdated if necessary.

Holyrood committee has opened an inquiry into the impact of the Covid-19 outbreak on the tourism and culture sectors.

The Culture, Tourism, Europe and External Affairs Committee launched the probe on Wednesday with an open ended call for views from those with concerns about the future of the industries due to the outbreak.

As a result of uncertainty around the pandemic and duration of the lockdown measures, a number of large-scale events, including the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, have been cancelled.

A report by the Centre for Economics and Business Research published last year said the direct and indirect economic benefits of the Edinburgh festivals, which were due to take place in August, totalled more than £1 billion.

The committee will use its findings to recommend action to the Scottish Government to support the industry, as well as its recovery following the easing of the lockdown.

Sir Keir Starmer said that England could fall behind other countries including Scotland and Wales if the UK Government does not publish an exit strategy soon.

He said: "France, Germany, Spain, Belgium, New Zealand, Australia, Scotland and Wales have all published exit plans of one sort or another. (Mr Raab) said, 'well what are the proposals, what should they cover?'. If you look at those plans, as he's done and I've done, it's clear that there are common issues such as schools reopening, business sectors reopening.

"These are the issues that, if he wants me to put them on the table, I absolutely will."

He added: "Delay risks not only falling behind other countries, but also the successful four-nation approach so far."

Mr Raab responded: "The Scottish Government has not set out an exit strategy. I read through very carefully their 25-page document, it was eminently sensible and it was grounded in the five tests that I set out on April 16."