Nicola Sturgeon announces end to mandatory covid facemask wearing indoors

The government has announced an end to the mandatory wearing of masks inside and on public transport from April 18.

It was announced that wearing face masks will only be considered “strongly recommended” but no longer illegal from Monday.

However, members of the public are still advised to take sensible precautions to protect themselves from Covid-19, including wearing face masks where appropriate.

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Earlier in the month it was announced that people without Covid-19 symptoms would not be required to take regular lateral flow tests. As well as bringing an end to free lateral flow tests for people to regularly test themselves.

All of these changes are set to begin from Monday and from the end of April, PCR testing sites will begin to close for people with symptoms.

From then on, people with symptoms of the virus will no longer be advised to seek a PCR test. However, those who feel unwell will still be advised to stay at home to reduce the risk of infecting others.

This comes as Scotland continues to report a high number of cases of the virus each day, routinely seeing more than 5,000 new cases reported each day.

The 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.”

These changes come as part of the Test and Protect Transition Plan, which is focusing on transitioning the government’s focus from mass testing to targeted testing.