A further 343 cases of coronavirus have been confirmed across Scotland ahead of further lockdown easing tomorrow. The figure represents 2.7% of all those tested.
No new deaths have been reported but registration offices are likely to be closed on weekends. The number of deaths of patients who tested positive remains at 7,614.
As of Sunday morning, 2,553,837 people have received the first dose of the Covid vaccination and have 451,057 received their second dose.
The vaccination programme is currently on track to offer the first dose to everyone over the age of 50, anyone with underlying health conditions and unpaid carers by mid-April.
Further lockdown easing is due to come into force from tomorrow including the reopening of some non-essential retail, resumption of click and collect services and hairdressing.
Nicola Sturgeon previously said that coronavirus cases across the country are now plateauing, rather than continuing to decline significantly.
However, cases have fallen by three-quarters since January - Scotland averaging at 539 new cases per day. Deaths from covid have fallen 'even sharper' - they have declined by more than 80 per cent in the last two months.
The businesses that will be allowed to reopen from Easter Monday include:
- Garden centres (indoor and outdoor)
- Key cutting shops
- Mobility equipment shops
- Baby equipment shops
- Electrical repair shops
- Hairdressers and barbers (with shopfronts - not mobile services), by appointment only
- Homeware shops
- Vehicle showrooms (appointment only) and forecourts
Scots will only be able to visit businesses in their local authority area as travel restrictions will remain in force from April 5.
It is hoped by the Scottish Government that if cases continue to drop, the ban on travelling between local authorities will be able to be lifted from April 26.
