Scotland's face covering laws converted into guidance

Scotland's laws on face coverings have officially become guidance from today.

It was mandatory for people north of the border to wear them on public transport and in shops, but there is now a strong recommendation to keep wearing them in a variety of settings like indoor crowded spaces and on public transport to reduce the spread of coronavirus.

Despite an improvement in the state of the pandemic across the country, there are still thousands of Covid-19 cases being recorded daily.

Meanwhile, people without symptoms of the virus are no longer recommended to test themselves twice a week using lateral flow tests as of today.

While the free devices are no longer available to the general population, those particular tests will continue to be free for any purpose for which testing continues to be advised, such as clinical care, workers in health and social care and for people visiting vulnerable individuals in care homes or hospitals.

NHS Inform's website has more information about who can order lateral flow tests from this point onwards.

But for people with symptoms, they are still being asked to self-isolate and book a PCR test for the time being, with such tests available until the end of April.

The Scottish Government's transition plan says from May the general public will no longer be advised to seek a test if symptomatic, with plans to move towards general public health guidance to stay at home if unwell from next month.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: "In recent weeks we have seen steady progress as we move back to a greater sense of normality and a more sustainable way of managing this virus.

"However our NHS is still under pressure and the most vulnerable members of our society can still benefit from additional measures to protect them from the virus.

"That is why although the use of face coverings will become guidance rather than a legal requirement I strongly recommend members of the public continue wearing face coverings in indoor settings where possible, and particularly when significant numbers of people are present.

"We should also all continue to follow the latest advice on hygiene, ventilation, testing and of course vaccination to protect ourselves and each other."