Travellers coming to Scotland will need to show proof of a negative test from Friday

Travellers coming to Scotland will need to show proof of a negative test from this coming Friday, Nicola Sturgeon has confirmed.

Speaking at this afternoon's coronavirus briefing in Edinburgh, the First Minister said those arriving in the country after 4am on Friday will need evidence from the past three days that they have tested negative for the virus.

Ms Sturgeon also stressed that the test will need to be "highly reliable" (most likely meaning it will have to be a PCR test) and that there will be limited exemptions from the requirement for a test - for example for younger children.

She said: "We confirmed last week that we would introduce a requirement for pre-departure testing for anybody travelling here from overseas.

"This requirement will come into effect from Friday morning, so anyone arriving in Scotland after 4AM on Friday morning will be required to produce evidence that they have received a negative test result from a Covid test that has been taken in the previous 3 days.

Glasgow Airport amid the pandemic (Media Scotland)

"The nature of the test will be set out in regulations but it'll need to be highly reliable, and that means the test required will almost certainly be PCR tests.

"There will be some limited exemptions from the requirement for a test - for example for younger children - but the details of who exactly will be exempt will be set out on the Scottish Government website."

The First Minister also said that the requirement for a negative test should be seen not as a "substitute" for the coronavirus travel protections already in place but as an additional measure.

She added: "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."

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