Covid in Scotland: Restrictions to ease as 30 deaths recorded
- Published
Scotland has recorded 30 new Covid deaths, as remaining restrictions to tackle the Omicron wave are set to be lifted.
Saturday's figure was the highest daily death toll since September, when 31 deaths were recorded in one day.
From Monday, nightclubs can reopen and there will be an end to the three household limit indoors.
Public heath expert Jillian Evans said the NHS and social care services would continue to be under pressure.
"For many of us who work in health and social care, the pressures are still huge and they will remain so for a while yet," she said.
"It feels almost as if we are working in parallel universes sometimes, where there is the world out there and the world inside health and social care - still trying to manage through a very difficult phase."
Ms Evans, Head of Health Intelligence at NHS Grampian, told BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland programme she had a "sense of optimism" about the next phase of the virus.
She added: "There is change in the air, things are definitely looking better, even though infection levels are at the highest we have seen throughout the pandemic.
"There are lots of signs of hope and I feel part of a growing narrative of what the future might look like, the easing of restrictions - are we getting back to normal?
"I am caught up in that, I look at the data every day and I have this sense of optimism and hope, just like everyone else."
On Saturday there were 6,768 new Covid cases - a fall of around 400 from the day before. There were 1,458 people in hospital, down from 1,511 on Friday.
Concerts and nightclubs will be able to open again from Monday
Ms Evans said that "generally speaking", the Omicron wave had peaked sooner and was not as severe as was feared.
But she added that for some areas of the NHS "this winter has been one of the worst they have ever known, for other parts of the health care system it may feel less so".
Sunday marks the final day of Omicron restrictions after First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced an end to the extra mitigations from Monday.
Nightclubs will be allowed to reopen and the cap on numbers at indoor events, table service requirements for venues selling alcohol and social distancing will also be removed.
However, longer-running measures such as the use of face coverings on public transport and indoor public places will remain in place.
