SCOTLAND’S most vulnerable will soon be able to ask the Scottish Government for a laptop or a tablet to help them get online and stay in touch with friends and family.

Details of the new £5 million Connecting Scotland programme were unveiled yesterday by Health Secretary Jeane Freeman at the daily coronavirus briefing.

As well as a tablet or a laptop, an internet connection, training and support will be made available to people considered at “clinically high risk”.

The announcement came as the Scottish Government moved to extend the coronavirus lockdown by another three weeks.

That could mean three more weeks inside the house for those Scots who are shielding – those with the most serious underlying health risks.

Freeman said the new scheme was all about supporting these people: “We expect it to bring about 9000 people online over the coming months. That’s 9000 people who would otherwise not experience the benefits of the digital world.

“We know that shielding is absolutely critical for a group of people who are clinically at high risk of very serious illness indeed if they contact this virus. But we also know that they are the group of people we are asking to take the hardest steps of all.

“So anything that we can do to support them, to help them remain connected, to help with mental health and well being, we will do. And if there are other steps that we can take, be assured that we will take them.”

Those who take part in the programme will be paired with a “digital champion” to support them for six months.

Councils and the third sector will lead on identifying people to receive devices.

Asked about the toll the extended lockdown was taking on the nation’s mental health, and how the government could help those who don’t ask for help, the Cabinet Secretary said:”I very much understand how hard it still is for many to acknowledge in a more public way that they are struggling.

“I so hope that is getting easier for more and more of us, but it’s still difficult for many. All of the work we are doing is to try through various routes to reach those individuals.”

“It is OK, not to be OK,” she added.

During the briefing, the First Minister gave the latest Covid-19 figures for Scotland.

A total of 1762 patients have died after testing positive for the virus, up by 59 from 1703 on Wednesday. Sturgeon said 12,924 people have now tested positive for the virus in Scotland, up by 215 from 12,709 the day before.

A total of 1587 patients are in hospital with the virus and of those 86 are in intensive care. Some 2954 people who tested positive for coronavirus have been able to leave hospital since March 5.

Meanwhile, Holyrood’s Covid-19 Committee has launched a consultation to gather views about moving out of the lockdown.