Nicola Sturgeon revealed a roadmap that will guide Scots out of lockdown this afternoon.
The First Minister announced a raft of dates that would provide a "deliberately cautious" easing of tough restrictions imposed on the country.
The levelled tier system that was in place before Christmas will return from Monday, April 26.
Initially, areas will be moved from Tier 4 to Tier 3, with some exceptions on rules expected.
The First Minister tempered the announcement with the caveat that dates are indicative and plans depend on the prevalence of the virus being driven down further.
Care home visiting restrictions will be eased from March, Ms Sturgeon said.
The return of schools was one of the big priorities between the three-week reviews.
Ms Sturgeon anticipated that all primary school kids will return to the classroom from March 15 and more senior phase secondary pupils expected to head back too.
Outdoor non-contact group sport for 12 to 17-year-olds will also resume from this date.
Outdoor mixing will increase too with four people allowed from two households from March 15.
A minimum of three weeks later, on April 5, the 'stay at home' restriction is set to be lifted and the final phase of schools reopening will take place.
Communal worship will also restart with restricted numbers.
And outdoor mixing can increase to six people from two households.
The phased reopening of retail will begin with the removal of the need for click and collect.
And on April 26, the First Minister says the economy will reopen which would see non-essential retail, hospitality, gyms and hairdressers resume business and health boards move into tier restrictions again.
The First Minister made the announcement as 56 more coronavirus deaths were announced today.
Scotland's death toll now stands at 7,006.
Five more Ayrshire residents have also died in the past 24 hours after testing positive for COVID-19.
NHS Ayrshire & Arran hospital numbers reduced dramatically overnight by 20 with 129 now in health board venues with the virus.
ICU numbers now stand at nine — a reduction of one from yesterday.
And 39 new cases were detected in Ayrshire. The region's total now sits at 15,152.
Scotland also recorded 655 new cases with the nation's total number of cases now at 198,839.
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