Every key date and phase of Scotland's routemap out of lockdown explained

Scotland’s roadmap out of lockdown has been revealed by Nicola Sturgeon.

The First Minister unveiled a “revised strategic framework” in the form of four phases, which detailed how restrictions will be gradually lifted in the country.

Addressing the Scottish Parliament on Tuesday 23 February, she announced the reopening of the economy, including shops, hospitality, gyms and hairdressers, as well as detailing a return to the levels system that was in place before the lockdown.

It follows Boris Johnson's announcement on Monday of England’s roadmap out of lockdown, with a four-step exit strategy to reopen the country starting on 8 March.

So, what did Ms Sturgeon announce - and what are the four phases?

Here is everything you need to know.

What did Nicola Sturgeon say?

The First Minister set out an overall “cautious” approach to easing Covid restrictions over the next few weeks.

It came in the form of four phases, with the first phase beginning now with the partial reopening of schools.

The more “substantial” reopening of the economy, including the opening of non-essential retail and hospitality, could happen during the last phase from late April onwards.

Scotland will also move fully back into a levels system from the last week in April, depending on the progress of the vaccinations programme.

It is hoped that all parts of the country currently in Level 4 will be able to move down into Level 3 then.

The government will publish another document in mid-March which will give more detail on reopening the economy from late April, including plans for May and into summer.

It will also “seek to accelerate” the easing of restrictions in the coming weeks if the “positive trends continue”, the First Minister said.

However, travel restrictions are likely to remain essential “for some time yet”, Ms Sturgeon warned, to guard against the importation of new variants of the virus.

“I am as confident as I can be that the indicative, staged, timetable that I have set out today - from now until late April when the economy will start to substantially re-open - is a reasonable one,” she said.

“In mid March - when we have made further progress on vaccines and have greater understanding of the impact of the initial phase of school return - I hope we can set out then more detail of the further reopening that will take place over April and May and into a summer when we hope to be living with much greater freedoms than we are today.”

What are the four phases?

There will be a “progressive easing” of the current Level 4 restrictions that apply across most of the country at intervals of at least three weeks.

However, each phase is dependent on the continued suppression of the virus.

The different phases, with indicative dates, are:

First phase - between now and early March

The first easing started on 22 February with the phased return of schools, Ms Sturgeon said.