First minister: nobody dealing with coronavirus crisis is infallible

The first minister has defended the timing of the decision to put the UK into lockdown - but admitted: "None of us are infallible."

With the death toll continuing to rise, there has been some criticism of the UK's response to the coronavirus pandemic, with claims it did not act quickly enough to restrict people's activities.

Scotland took the lead in banning major gatherings the week after the Cheltenham Festival and several big football games took place.

But the UK - and Scotland - did not enter full lockdown until March 23, two weeks later.

Kingdom FM News asked Ms Sturgeon today whether she was happy with the timing of imposing those restrictions, which have only been enforceable by law for just over a fortnight.

She acknowledged decisions made during the pandemic will be scrutinised at a later date - but says she has worked from the best advice of experts throughout.

Ms Sturgeon said: "In the fullness of time, there will be rightly and properly a lot of scrutiny of what was done and not done and whether that was the right or wrong thing to do.

"The decisions were taken on the basis of the best advice.

"As a politician, I have a duty to interrogate and ask questions of that advice and apply judgement to it.

"That's what we have done. That's what we will continue to do.

"None of us are infallible. None of us are dealing with a situation that we have dealt with before.

"I as first minister will try to get the best advice I can, apply my judgement and interrogation to that advice and always act in a way that is about protecting life and protecting people from this virus."

Meanwhile Ms Sturgeon says restrictions are not likely to be lifted "in the very near future" - and has thanked the vast majority of people who stuck to the rules over Easter Weekend.

It comes as the death toll from coronavirus in Scotland now stands at 575, a rise of nine from yesterday (Sunday).

However, this is thought to be an underestimate due to delays in some cases being reported.