The change is one of a series of restrictions being relaxed as the country moves into phase one of the Scottish Government's four-phase plan for gradually lifting lockdown.

Speaking at a coronavirus briefing at the Scottish Government headquarters in Edinburgh, Sturgeon said changes could be made as a downward trend in the spread of the virus was "sustained and unmistakable".

She stressed people should continue to socially distance when meeting another household outdoors and said the maximum number in the group should be eight.

The government strongly recommends people do not meet more than one other household a day, although this will not be legally enforceable.

Other changes announced, which come into effect from Friday, allow people to travel from their home for leisure such as sunbathing and sports including fishing, golf and tennis, and will enable garden centres to reopen and construction sites to prepare for resuming work.

A legal limit will not be put on how far people will be allowed to travel for recreation, but the First Minister said the "strong advice" of the Scottish Government was to stay within five miles.

"We simply don't want, in this phase, large numbers of people at tourist hotspots or beauty spots," Sturgeon said.

"Crowds of people, even if they're trying to social distance, bring more risk than we judge is acceptable at this point."

From Monday, teachers will be able to go into schools for preparation ahead of the planned opening on August 11.

Sturgeon said there were 19,000 infectious cases of the virus as of last week.

She thanked people in Scotland for good compliance with lockdown measures to date, saying this enabled changes to be made.

Australian Associated Press