Nicola Sturgeon said a decision on whether face masks will still be needed in schools has yet to be taken.

The First Minister said the education sub group was meeting this afternoon to decide on its recommendations.

She said the government would then take a decision following that advice.

The First Minister said that covid cases, and hospital admissions continue to fall and that "we are now through the worst of this wave of Omicron".

She added: "We are on a good track at this stage. To stay on this track, continued care and caution is needed.

"The virus is still widespread. The pressure on the  NHS remains significant."

Sturgeon said: "Some measures will remain in force for now.

"It's important everyone gets to benefit from the return to normality."

Case numbers have fallen while remaining relatively stable, she said.

In the past fortnight case numbers declined from an average of 7400 a day to 7000 a day.

The First Minister added hospital admissions are down, with occupancy falling from 1500 down to 1200 last week and today it is back below 1000.

She said the number of intensive care covid patients was now down to the lowest since July last year.

The latest daily statistics showed there were 6630 new positive cases.

There were 950 people in hospital, down 8 and 31 patients were in ICU, down 5.

Another 14 deaths were registered talking the total to 10,447.