WEE COUNTY residents are no longer legally required to wear face coverings in indoor crowded places.

Easter Monday saw the last of Scotland's coronavirus restrictions lifted, with the law on mask-wearing moved to "guidance".

The move also applies to school corridors, shops and restaurants and on public transport.

However, the Scottish Government and health experts are still strongly advising people to continue to wear masks voluntarily.

Both ScotRail and the ferry operator CalMac are strongly recommending that passengers continue to wear face coverings.

The testing regime has also changed, with free lateral flow tests no longer available to the general population.

People without symptoms are no longer required to take the regular tests.

From April 30, PCR test sites will close and people with symptoms will no longer be advised that they need to seek a test.

Community cases of the virus are falling but the number of Covid-positive hospital patients remains high.

Scotland's national clinical director, Professor Jason Leitch, said coronavirus was now being dealt with through common sense and guidance, rather than law, but urged caution.

He said: "We're still cautious as public health advisers because we're still worried about the overwhelmed nature of our health systems around the world – not just here, but Scotland is no exception.

"Our emergency departments are struggling, our hospitals are struggling, not just with Covid – with backlog, with everything else coming in that has waited until this point to come forward."

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."

The rule easing comes just after Ms Sturgeon was reported to police after footage emerged of her without a face covering in a barber shop in East Kilbride while on the council election campaign trail.

A party spokesman said: "Within a few seconds, she realised she hadn't put her mask back on and immediately put it on."