Scotland could ease lockdown from end of May and Sturgeon will publish plans this week

A “route map” outlining Scotland’s path out of the coronavirus lockdown will be published later this week, Nicola Sturgeon has revealed.

The Scottish first minister said changes to the current restrictions could be made after the next formal lockdown review date of 28 May, if progress is made in reducing the spread of Covid-19.

She added the government will publish its phased approach to relaxing measures on Thursday – almost two weeks after Boris Johnson unveiled a similar plan for England.

Speaking at the Scottish government’s daily coronavirus press conference in Edinburgh, Ms Sturgeon said the route map will take account of the up-to-date estimates of the transmission rate - or the R number - and the number of infections in the country.

“The route map we publish on Thursday will give a more detailed indication of the order in which we will carefully and gradually lift current restrictions,” she said.

Ms Sturgeon said firm dates on proposed changes may not be given, but added: “Thursday’s route map will confirm that assuming we see progress in suppressing the virus, the first phase will start from the next formal review date of 28 May.”

She said within a “few days” of the review, the government will aim to allow more outdoor activity, such as sitting parks, meeting with one person from another household, the reopening of garden centres, and allowing limited outdoor sporting activities such as fishing and golf.

It comes after Mr Johnson outlined the UK government’s approach to gradually lifting the severe restrictions in an address to the nation on 10 May, with people in England already allowed to exercise outside for an unlimited time and meet up with one individual from a different household in parks and for socially distant sporting activities.

“Within two weeks my hope is that we will be taking some concrete steps on the journey back to a form of normality,” Ms Sturgeon added. "As I've said before, it won't be normality as we knew it because the virus will not have gone away but it will be a journey to a better balance - I hope - than the one we have today.

"As we take each step, we must make sure that the ground beneath us is as solid as possible. That's why sticking with the lockdown restrictions a bit longer to suppress the virus more is so important because that will mean we can start to take these steps with the confidence that we have alternative means of effectively keeping it under control."

The Scottish first minister also said the Scottish government was “widening” the access to coronavirus tests, adding that anyone over the age of five with any of the symptoms, including the loss of taste or smell, would be able to book a test.

Ms Sturgeon said these would be available at drive-in centres across the country, or through any of the mobile testing centres, with the scheme being a collaboration between the Scottish and UK governments.