The First Minister is confident most people in Scotland will carry on using face masks after the rules ease on Monday. 

The remaining legal Covid-19 restrictions are set to be lifted and become guidance on April 18. 

But the Scottish Government has urged Scots to keep wearing masks as Covid-19 continues to spread through the country.

Nicola Sturgeon said: “I’m not saying every single person will (continue to wear masks), people will make their own decisions.

“But I think, just as the vast majority of people have abided by all that we’ve asked of them over the last two years – not because politicians have been asking or the law necessarily has required it – because people understand that the best way to protect themselves and protect those they love is to abide by these really sensible, basic precautions against the spread of a virus.

“We can’t keep things in law beyond a point where that is deemed to be proportionate, so we will move the face covering requirement out of law and into guidance.”

READ MORE: Areas with highest Covid infection rates ahead of face covering rules easing

However, a leading public health expert urged people to continue abiding by coronavirus guidance this Easter.

Prof Linda Bauld warned there were still high levels of infection led by the highly transmissible BA.2 sub-variant of Omicron. 

Speaking to the BBC she warned that reinfections are accounting for 11% of cases as they become increasingly common. 

Family gatherings and events taking place this weekend, including the Scottish Cup semi-finals, will see large crowds and could lead to transmission of the virus. 

Prof Bauld told BBC Brekfast: "Reinfections are increasingly common - they're accounting for around 11% of infections certainly in Scotland.

"So if you're in indoor places with others you don't normally live with, of course people may pick it up.

"They're unlikely to become severely unwell but I think in time when we've lifted basically all the protective measures and it's down to people's decisions, we still just need to be aware of that."

The health expert echoed the Scottish Government's advice to continue using face masks in crowded spaces.

She added: "Wearing a face covering indoors even if it's not a legal requirement, thinking about being in well ventilated places and finally just making sure everyone is up to date with their vaccines before they travel - this is practical advice we're going to here around the country for some months to come.

"If you had Delta for example you might pick up Omicron, and you could still become quite poorly even if you don't become severely unwell."