One of the Scottish Government's most senior health advisers has said he thinks the current coronavirus social distancing rule will change.
The comments from Scotland's national clinical director come as Boris Johnson is expected to announce to cut the current two metre guidance to one metre later today.
Professor Jason Leitch said he thought the physical distancing would change, but said he wasn't "entirely sure" when, the Daily Record reported.
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There have been calls from business leaders across the UK for the distance to change, with many bars, restaurants and pubs saying it will be impossible for them to reopen otherwise.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson is expected to set out a cut to the advised distance in the UK Parliament later today.
However it will be for the Scottish Government to set the public health guidance here.
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Nicola Sturgeon has said the government is reviewing the rule and would pay attention to developments elsewhere in the UK and abroad.
Speaking to BBC Radio Scotland, Prof Leitch said progress made in fighting the disease meant different decisions could be made: “That means, in the round, the package of measures can change. That’s why we can do things like add a bubble if you are a single person, we can ask the shielded group to say ‘you can now meet people outside’.
“I think you will see, over the next week and weeks, gradual opening up of that.”
He added: “I don’t think we are going to be physically distanced forever. We are going to learn to live with this infectious disease, like we live with tuberculosis and flu. I think physical distancing will change. I am just not entirely sure when.”
