Scots will be free to hug loved ones in their own homes from next week as Nicola Sturgeon has confirmed a relaxation of lockdown rules.
The First Minister said people could invite up to six people from three different households into their homes as of May 17.
Social distancing rules will also be relaxed in private residences - meaning families can hug loved ones for the first time this year.
Groups of up to eight from eight different households can also meet outdoors - but social distancing rules remain in place in public.
It comes as restrictions are eased across mainland Scotland, with the exception of the Moray council area.
The First Minister said on Tuesday at the coronavirus briefing in Edinburgh that social distancing during meetings indoors or in private gardens will be dropped.
“I actually feel a wee bit emotional saying this, from Monday, as long as you stay within permitted limits, you can hug your loved ones again,” she said.
But the First Minister said it remains “vital to be cautious”, saying that dropping social distancing will be reviewed for all situations in the coming weeks.
Caution should also be used where a vulnerable person is involved, the First Minister said.
It comes as most of Scotland will move to Level 2 from next week, except for the Moray council area which will likely remain at Level 3, as of Monday.
The “huge success” of the vaccination programme along with compliance with restrictions has meant Scotland’s coronavirus figures have continued to fall, Sturgeon has said.
In the last three weeks, the First Minister said, case numbers have dropped from an average of 226 per day to 177 per day.
However, a very slight increase across the country has been logged, mainly due to the outbreak in Moray, she added.
“The situation in Moray, together with the emergence of new variants globally, should be a sharp reminder to all of us that the virus remains a real threat,” the First Minister said.
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