Travellers arriving in Scotland must have evidence of negative coronavirus test from Friday

International travellers arriving in Scotland will need to show evidence of a negative coronavirus test from 4am on Friday morning, Nicola Sturgeon has confirmed.

The test has to have been taken within the previous three days and be “highly reliable”.

In practice, she said this would “almost certainly” mean a PCR test, which involves taking a swab from someone’s throat and nose and gives the most accurate results, although this will be confirmed in the official guidance.

Young children may be exempt from the requirement to have a test.

The First Minister said the negative test requirement was not to be seen as substitute for measures already in place around international travel but in addition to them.

Those travelling from countries that are not on the quarantine exemption list will still need to self-isolate for 10 days on arrival.

Sturgeon said: “I want to be very clear here, this requirement for testing before entry to the country is seen not as a substitute for the protections and mitigations in place, but as an addition to those.

“Testing before entry to the country is not a magic solution to the risk of cases being imported, so it will reinforce rather than replace our current travel restrictions.”

Speaking at the daily lunchtime briefing, the First Minister also said the Scottish Government was still considering whether further restrictions were necessary to limit the spread of the virus, such as stopping non-essential click and collect.

She will announce the decision in the Scottish Parliament on Wednesday in a statement before First Minister’s Questions.