Nicola Sturgeon has revealed the date on which the law requiring people to wear facemasks in shops and on public transport will finally be removed.

Speaking at a Covid briefing in Holyrood today, the First Minister said that people will no longer be required by law to wear face masks from Monday, April 18.

From Monday, April 4 the wearing of masks will no longer be a legal requirement for those in places of worship or while attending a marriage ceremony, a civil partnership registration, or a funeral service or commemorative event.

The legal requirement to wear them in shops, certain other indoor settings and public transport - will be converted to guidance two weeks later on April 18.

It was orginally planned that the law would be repealed on March 21 along with most other Covid legislation, however, due to rising cases at the time the Scottish Government decided, on March 15, to keep the face mask law in place for a little while longer, with a commitment to review it two weeks later.

The rising trend of cases in Covid has recently slowed and statistics suggest that the latest wave might have peaked, with 14,790 positive Covid tests being reported nationwide on March 15 down to 7,136 on Saturday, March 26 - the most recent date of complete data published by Public Health Scotland.

And Nicola Sturgeon indicated that she felt the latest wave was on the decline, saying that there were "grounds for optimism that this latest wave of infection may now have peaked".

It is estimated that one in every 11 people in Scotland currently has Covid.

However, hospitalisations are at the highest they have been at any other point during the pandemic, with 2,383 patients in hospital with a Covid-related illness yesterday.

Fewer of those admitted to hospital appear to go on to require intensive care than at other stages of the pandemic, with only 20 Covid-patients in ICUs yesterday.

All other Covid legislation has now been repealed and downgraded to guidance. But the First Minister urged people to continue to excercise caution.

She said: ""This phased approach strikes a sensible balance between our desire to remove this one remaining legal measure, and the common sense need for continued caution - not least for the sake of the NHS - while this wave of infection subsides."

Leader of the Scottish Conservatives, Douglas Ross asked the First Minister if this would be the last such extension. 

He said: "The First Minister previously said the legal restriction would end on the 21st March, then in early April, and now we’re told it’s the 18th of this month.

"So can the First Minister guarantee there won’t be any further delays?"

He said it was time she left it to the public to decide how to protect themselves: "It should be down to individual choice.

"We should leave it up to people and businesses to decide what’s best for them, based on public health advice.

"Nicola Sturgeon has to start trusting the people of Scotland."

Colin Wilkinson, Scottish Licensed Trade Association managing director, said that the decision was “particularly galling” given that the First Minister herself was seen without a face covering while attending the Duke of Edinburgh’s memorial service in London this week.

He said: “While face coverings are not required south of the Border as the rules changed at the end of January, surely it would have set an example for the First Minister still to wear hers at the Duke of Edinburgh’s memorial service given her decision to insist that in licensed hospitality, in shops, on public transport and some indoor settings in Scotland we are required to still wear them until April 18.

“The lack of use of face coverings is already clearly evident in many settings and this extension of the restrictions will make little difference.

“We have already stated our view that Scotland not falling into line with England will confuse people – particularly visitors from south of the Border. It is already confusing people and it is exceptionally unfair for business owners and their staff to have to remind people who are not familiar with our rules that they must wear a face covering.

“To say we are bitterly disappointed by today’s announcement is an understatement as we still face nearly three more weeks of restrictions.

“We had hoped that all restrictions would have been lifted ahead of the Easter weekend when hospitality businesses traditionally see an upsurge in business.”