Nicola Sturgeon announces Scotland’s ‘Freedom Day’ for 9 August

Nicola Sturgeon has announced that most legal lockdown restrictions will be lifted on 9 August, marking Scotland’s “Freedom Day”.

From Monday, social distancing and limits on the size of gatherings will be removed, the first minister has confirmed.

Unlike in England, face coverings will still be required in all the indoor settings where they are currently used and that will continue “for some time to come”.

Ms Sturgeon made the announcement in a video statement to the Holyrood assembly on Tuesday afternoon, the same day that the UK recorded the lowest number of daily Covid-19 cases since late June.