Face masks: Time is right to remove legal restriction says Humza Yousaf

Scotland's health secretary has said the time is right to remove the last remaining Covid legal restrictions.

The rule on wearing face masks in many indoor places and on public transport has now become guidance - almost three months after the rule was lifted in England.

Humza Yousaf said although hospital admissions were still very high, the law was no longer necessary.

However, he said most Scots would continue to wear a mask voluntarily.

On Thursday Public Health Scotland reported more than 2,000 Covid-positive patients in hospitals across the country.

Speaking to BBC Radio Scotland's Sunday Show, Mr Yousaf said the latest data showed Scotland was exiting the current wave.

He said: "It's been pretty relentless over the last four to five months given the emergence of Omicron and BA.2.

"But we can say based on ONS data, based on case data, we are beginning to see reductions in the hospital occupancy for those with Covid although the numbers are still very high.

"Based on that we are taking the right decision by removing the last legal requirement, but replacing it with very strong guidance."

The lifting of the face masks rule had been delayed twice in Scotland amid record levels of Covid cases and high numbers of people in hospital with the virus.

In January it was slightly relaxed in Scotland for adults taking part in organised activities with children under five.

Around the same time the UK government had scrapped the rule in England altogether.

Then at the beginning of April, people in Scotland no longer had to wear a face covering in places of worship.

This Easter Sunday was the first in two years when large numbers attended church without the rule in place.

However, going forward, Mr Yousaf said he believed most Scots would continue to wear masks in high-risk settings to protect vulnerable people.

He said: "I think there will be some people who won't and we have to accept that is the case.

"But you have to remember it's been very clear we can't keep a legal restriction in place for a minute longer than it necessarily needs to, that we have to act proportionately when it comes to the law.

"But I've got great faith in the vast majority of the Scottish public."

The health secretary was asked whether the lifting of all rules could mean that more people who develop Covid symptoms may feel pressured to go into work.

He said the "overwhelming majority" of businesses had acted responsibly throughout the pandemic.

"If you're pressuring someone with symptoms that we know are associated with Covid - if they are forced to come into the workplace then they could end up infecting the entire workforce and that's not good for your business," he said.