Researchers from Dundee and Glasgow universities say they have managed to identify a number proteins created by coronavirus and are using that information to find biological tools to treat and defeat it.
Scientists at Dundee University have identified 38 separate proteins, created by the virus that causes Covid 19 - each of them produce an immune response in the body.
Over the next four months they will try to understand how they work and to generate antibodies against them.
Those findings will then be passed to a team at Glasgow University who will further study the virus.
The antibodies designed by the collaboration will then be made available to researchers around the world in a bid to tackle the disease.
McAvoy describes NHS staff as 'heroes'
In his video, X-Men star McAvoy said: "NHS staff are heroes. We must do all that we can to protect them, support them and thank them.
"Nurses and doctors have described a lack of personal protective equipment.
"Caring for people with Covid-19 without access to proper masks, goggles, gowns and gloves puts themselves and others at risk.
"That's why I'm supporting the efforts of four NHS doctors ... to plug this urgent gap....Thank you NHS."
James McAvoy donates £275,000 for PPE for NHS staff
BBCCopyright: BBC
Scottish actor James McAvoy has donated £275,000 to a campaign to provide protective equipment for NHS staff, according to its founders.
Four doctors have raised more than £555,000 since launching the crowdfunding initiative Masks For NHS Heroes.
They wrote: "Unfortunately, current hospital supplies are not sufficient and while we are reassured the government is doing everything it can, healthcare workers on the frontline are risking themselves daily without adequate protection to care for sick patients.
"Healthcare workers on the frontline without PPE (personal protective equipment) is the equivalent of going to war without armour and protection."
As well as the donation, McAvoy, 40, made a video in support of the campaign.
Firm switches from rocket equipment to gel and masks
An
Edinburgh firm that usually designs and makes equipment for use in launching
rockets has shifted its attention to sanitising hand gel and
face masks for medical staff.
Skyrora has 3-D printing facility, which can be
used to manufacture face masks.
Bill to stop tenants being evicted
The Scottish government is planning emergency legislation to stop tenants being evicted from their homes during the coronovirus outbreak.
It will seek to pass a bill next week which will increase the notice period landlords must give tenants before eviction to up to six months depending on circumstance.
Constitution Secretary Michael Russell said: "While all tenants experiencing issues with rent arrears should firstly explain their circumstances to their landlords, this new emergency legislation will provide an important backstop to prevent evictions and relieve the financial pressure people may be facing.
"We are also encouraging all landlords to be as flexible as possible during this unprecedented time and would urge them to also seek assistance if necessary by speaking to their lenders about mortgage breaks."
He added that the measures "will be strictly limited to the duration of the outbreak".
Domestic abuse victims 'still allowed to leave home'
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images
Domestic abuse victims are allowed to leave home to seek help at refuges despite rules to stop coronavirus spreading, the home secretary has said.
Writing in the Mail on Sunday,Priti Patel said current restrictions telling people to stay indoors were even harder for people whose "home is not the safe haven it should be".
She also told abusers: "You will not get away with your crimes."
It comes after police warned the new rules made victims more vulnerable.
It feels like an eternity ago, but the world only became aware of the coronavirus in December.
Despite incredible efforts by scientists around the world, there is still much we do not understand, and we are all now part of a planet-wide experiment trying to find answers.
Jenrick: 'We all want to proud of the part we played'
The minister thanks key workers and the 750,000 people to have signed up to help the NHS.
He says "there's going to be work to be done" across the country during the crisis, and he asks people to "play your part".
"When this is done - and it will be done - we all want to proud of the part we played together".
Mr Jenrickand England's deputy chief medical officer Dr Jenny Harries will now take questions from the media - via video calls.
Jenrick: 'We can turn the tide'
bbcCopyright: bbc
Last week, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the "tide would turn" against the virus in 12 weeks, and a reporter asks if this is still the same.
UK Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick says: "Nobody is pretending this will be over in a few weeks.
"But what the prime minister said in the past, and what I will reiterate today, is if we all play our part, if we all follow the very clear medical advice... then we can turn the tide of this virus."
Dr Jenny Harries says the virus is like a "moving feast" and when we see it tackled is "dependent on the actions we take as individuals and collectively as a population".
She says she hopes the "proof of that will come in two to three weeks" when experts can see if the measures put in place have worked.
Scottish Labour calls for clarity over lockdown working
Richard Leonard, the Scottish Labour leader, has called for clearer guidelines on which employees should be working during the lockdown.
He said: “Since the lockdown began, workers and their trade unions have been repeatedly raising concerns about businesses flouting the official guidance.
“The first minister made clear that if employers cannot ‘ensure that there are safe social distancing practices in place’, then the ‘advice is, you shouldn’t be continuing to operate at this time’.
“Ministers have issued advice,
but it clearly isn’t working."
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images
BreakingUK government press conference begins
The latest daily press conference from the UK government has just begun.
It is being led by Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick, who is joined - 2m apart, of course - by deputy chief medical officer Dr Jenny Harries.
UK press briefing starting shortly
The UK's daily press briefing is expected to begin at around 16:00 BST. Here is a brief summary of what's been happening today:
The number of people who have died with the virus in the UK has reached 1,228 - an increase of 209 since Saturday.The latest figuresshow there are now 19,522 confirmed cases in the country
Of those deaths, 190 have come in England, 10 in Wales, a further six in Northern Ireland, and one in Scotland
Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon says the Scottish government has always been advised to prepare for the measures to be in place for around 13 weeks
Health Secretary Matt Hancock says the government is now testing 10,000 people a day, and is "on track" to test 25,000 a day by mid-April
And recruitment for volunteers to help the NHS has been paused, after 750,000 people signed up less than a week after the appeal was announced
Main points from the Scottish government briefing
Scotland's first minister Nicola Sturgeon, chief medical officer Dr Catherine Calderwood and health secretary Jeane Freeman held a daily briefing on the coronavirus.
Here are the main points:
The death toll from coronavirus in Scotland has reached 41 with 95 people currently in intensive care.
More than eight weeks' worth of personal protective equipment will be delivered up front to GP surgeries this week.
A new Scotland Cares campaign is to be launched to bring together volunteers to help with the health and care sectors.
New protections to stop landlords evicting tenants will be considered by the Scottish Parliament this week.
The army and NHS staff are looking at the SEC in Glasgow as the site of a new hospital facility.
It is likely the lockdown will last at least 13 weeks, although there will be a review after Easter.
Watch: Sturgeon on delivery of protective equipment
Scotland's chief medical officer Catherine Calderwood said the lockdown measures put in place will take weeks to show in the coronvirus figures.
This means that a review by the UK government set to take place after the Easter weekend will allow them to see if there has been progress in reducing the number of infections.
However, she said we are not likely to see a relaxation in the stringent measures until after 13 weeks - into June.
Live Reporting
BBC Scotland News
All times stated are UK


-
The death toll from coronavirus in Scotland has reached 41 with 95 people currently in intensive care.
-
It is likely the lockdown will last at least 13 weeks, although there will be a review after Easter.
-
More than eight weeks' worth of personal protective equipment will be delivered upfront to GP surgeries this week.
-
A new Scotland Cares campaign is to be launched to bring together volunteers to help with the health and care sectors.
-
New protections will be brought in to stop landlords evicting tenants will be considered by the Scottish Parliament this week.
-
The army and NHS staff are looking at the SEC in Glasgow as the site of a new hospital facility.

Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images 
BBCCopyright: BBC 
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images 
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images 


bbcCopyright: bbc 
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images -
The number of people who have died with the virus in the UK has reached 1,228 - an increase of 209 since Saturday.The latest figuresshow there are now 19,522 confirmed cases in the country
-
Of those deaths, 190 have come in England, 10 in Wales, a further six in Northern Ireland, and one in Scotland
- The UK lockdown will be in place for a “significant period” and could last longer if people do not stick to the rules, according to Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove
-
Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon says the Scottish government has always been advised to prepare for the measures to be in place for around 13 weeks
-
Health Secretary Matt Hancock says the government is now testing 10,000 people a day, and is "on track" to test 25,000 a day by mid-April
-
And recruitment for volunteers to help the NHS has been paused, after 750,000 people signed up less than a week after the appeal was announced
-
The death toll from coronavirus in Scotland has reached 41 with 95 people currently in intensive care.
-
More than eight weeks' worth of personal protective equipment will be delivered up front to GP surgeries this week.
-
A new Scotland Cares campaign is to be launched to bring together volunteers to help with the health and care sectors.
-
New protections to stop landlords evicting tenants will be considered by the Scottish Parliament this week.
-
The army and NHS staff are looking at the SEC in Glasgow as the site of a new hospital facility.
-
It is likely the lockdown will last at least 13 weeks, although there will be a review after Easter.
View more on twitterView more on twitter 
BBCCopyright: BBC
Latest PostUK Covid-19 infections falling across UK
By The Visual and Data Journalism Team
BBC News
Explore the data on coronavirus in the UK and find out how many cases there are in your area.
Read moreWhat are the social distancing rules?
Scotland and Wales are relaxing some of their restrictions around gatherings and mixing with others.
Read moreGood night
That's all from today's live page on coronavirus in Scotland - thanks for reading.
Here's a reminder of today's biggest developments:
We'll be back again tomorrow with all the latest news and developments. Stay safe!
How many cases are there in Scotland?
There are currently 1,384 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Scotland, although the actual number of cases is likely to be in the tens of thousands.
Read here to see the situation visualised in graphs as well as seeing a table showing where those cases are.
Scientists join forces to fight Covid-19
Researchers from Dundee and Glasgow universities say they have managed to identify a number proteins created by coronavirus and are using that information to find biological tools to treat and defeat it.
Scientists at Dundee University have identified 38 separate proteins, created by the virus that causes Covid 19 - each of them produce an immune response in the body.
Over the next four months they will try to understand how they work and to generate antibodies against them.
Those findings will then be passed to a team at Glasgow University who will further study the virus.
The antibodies designed by the collaboration will then be made available to researchers around the world in a bid to tackle the disease.
McAvoy describes NHS staff as 'heroes'
In his video, X-Men star McAvoy said: "NHS staff are heroes. We must do all that we can to protect them, support them and thank them.
"Nurses and doctors have described a lack of personal protective equipment.
"Caring for people with Covid-19 without access to proper masks, goggles, gowns and gloves puts themselves and others at risk.
"That's why I'm supporting the efforts of four NHS doctors ... to plug this urgent gap....Thank you NHS."
James McAvoy donates £275,000 for PPE for NHS staff
Scottish actor James McAvoy has donated £275,000 to a campaign to provide protective equipment for NHS staff, according to its founders.
Four doctors have raised more than £555,000 since launching the crowdfunding initiative Masks For NHS Heroes.
They wrote: "Unfortunately, current hospital supplies are not sufficient and while we are reassured the government is doing everything it can, healthcare workers on the frontline are risking themselves daily without adequate protection to care for sick patients.
"Healthcare workers on the frontline without PPE (personal protective equipment) is the equivalent of going to war without armour and protection."
As well as the donation, McAvoy, 40, made a video in support of the campaign.
Firm switches from rocket equipment to gel and masks
An Edinburgh firm that usually designs and makes equipment for use in launching rockets has shifted its attention to sanitising hand gel and face masks for medical staff.
Skyrora has 3-D printing facility, which can be used to manufacture face masks.
Bill to stop tenants being evicted
The Scottish government is planning emergency legislation to stop tenants being evicted from their homes during the coronovirus outbreak.
It will seek to pass a bill next week which will increase the notice period landlords must give tenants before eviction to up to six months depending on circumstance.
Constitution Secretary Michael Russell said: "While all tenants experiencing issues with rent arrears should firstly explain their circumstances to their landlords, this new emergency legislation will provide an important backstop to prevent evictions and relieve the financial pressure people may be facing.
"We are also encouraging all landlords to be as flexible as possible during this unprecedented time and would urge them to also seek assistance if necessary by speaking to their lenders about mortgage breaks."
He added that the measures "will be strictly limited to the duration of the outbreak".
Domestic abuse victims 'still allowed to leave home'
Domestic abuse victims are allowed to leave home to seek help at refuges despite rules to stop coronavirus spreading, the home secretary has said.
Writing in the Mail on Sunday,Priti Patel said current restrictions telling people to stay indoors were even harder for people whose "home is not the safe haven it should be".
She also told abusers: "You will not get away with your crimes."
It comes after police warned the new rules made victims more vulnerable.
Read more here.
What we still don't know about Covid-19
It feels like an eternity ago, but the world only became aware of the coronavirus in December.
Despite incredible efforts by scientists around the world, there is still much we do not understand, and we are all now part of a planet-wide experiment trying to find answers.
Read more here on some of the big outstanding questions.
Manufacturers cast doubt on ventilator target
By Simon Jack
Business editor
Engineering firms say the UK may not have all the ventilators it needs when virus infections peak.
Read moreJenrick: 'We all want to proud of the part we played'
The minister thanks key workers and the 750,000 people to have signed up to help the NHS.
He says "there's going to be work to be done" across the country during the crisis, and he asks people to "play your part".
"When this is done - and it will be done - we all want to proud of the part we played together".
Mr Jenrickand England's deputy chief medical officer Dr Jenny Harries will now take questions from the media - via video calls.
Jenrick: 'We can turn the tide'
Last week, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the "tide would turn" against the virus in 12 weeks, and a reporter asks if this is still the same.
UK Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick says: "Nobody is pretending this will be over in a few weeks.
"But what the prime minister said in the past, and what I will reiterate today, is if we all play our part, if we all follow the very clear medical advice... then we can turn the tide of this virus."
Dr Jenny Harries says the virus is like a "moving feast" and when we see it tackled is "dependent on the actions we take as individuals and collectively as a population".
She says she hopes the "proof of that will come in two to three weeks" when experts can see if the measures put in place have worked.
Scottish Labour calls for clarity over lockdown working
Richard Leonard, the Scottish Labour leader, has called for clearer guidelines on which employees should be working during the lockdown.
He said: “Since the lockdown began, workers and their trade unions have been repeatedly raising concerns about businesses flouting the official guidance.
“The first minister made clear that if employers cannot ‘ensure that there are safe social distancing practices in place’, then the ‘advice is, you shouldn’t be continuing to operate at this time’.
“Ministers have issued advice, but it clearly isn’t working."
BreakingUK government press conference begins
The latest daily press conference from the UK government has just begun.
It is being led by Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick, who is joined - 2m apart, of course - by deputy chief medical officer Dr Jenny Harries.
UK press briefing starting shortly
The UK's daily press briefing is expected to begin at around 16:00 BST. Here is a brief summary of what's been happening today:
Main points from the Scottish government briefing
Scotland's first minister Nicola Sturgeon, chief medical officer Dr Catherine Calderwood and health secretary Jeane Freeman held a daily briefing on the coronavirus.
Here are the main points:
Watch: Sturgeon on delivery of protective equipment
Review of lockdown after Easter weekend
Scotland's chief medical officer Catherine Calderwood said the lockdown measures put in place will take weeks to show in the coronvirus figures.
This means that a review by the UK government set to take place after the Easter weekend will allow them to see if there has been progress in reducing the number of infections.
However, she said we are not likely to see a relaxation in the stringent measures until after 13 weeks - into June.