Dundee will remain in stricter Level 2 Covid restrictions, while the rest of Tayside and Fife move to Level 1.
With cases and hospitalisations on the rise in parts of the country, some local authorities will be kept in Level 2 lockdown restrictions.
At a briefing today, Ms Strugeon said that Dundee was one of the councils “not currently meeting the criteria” for Level 1.
Advantage of ‘Levels’ system
However, Angus, Perth & Kinross and Fife will all move into Level 1.
Changes are due to come into effect this Saturday, June 5.
Ms Sturgeon said the benefits of Levels system mean the country didn’t have to fit ‘one size fit all’ approach. She acknowledged that it did mean some could see the decisions made as unfair.
She said that the R-number was most likely above one at the moment in Scotland.
‘Delicate and fragile point’
The first minister said that the country was at a “delicate and fragile point” in the pandemic with cases of the new Indian variant, now know as the ‘Delta Variant’ now accounting for more than half of cases.
Dundee joins East Dunbartonshire, Renfrewshire, East Renfrewshire, East Ayrshire, North Ayrshire, South Ayrshire, North and South Lanarkshire, Clackmannanshire and Stirling in remaining in Covid restriction Level 2.
Glasgow, currently in Level 3, will also move to Level 2 on Saturday.
‘Not taking the country backwards’
Ms Sturgeon said that none of today’s decisions “take the country backwards”.
Council areas moving to Level 1, along with Angus, Perth & Kinross and Fife, are; Highland, Argyle and Bute, Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, Moray Falkirk, Inverclyde, East and West Lothian, East Dunbartonshire, Dumfries and Galloway and the Borders.
Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles will shift to Level 0.
In Level 1, people can meet socially in groups of up to six people from three households in your home or theirs – and can stay overnight.
Up to eight people from three households can meet in an indoor public place like a café, pub or restaurant.
Outdoors, in a garden or public place, up to 12 people from 12 households can gather.
In Level 2, six people from three households can meet indoors at people’s homes, and can stay overnight.
‘Vaccination vital’
Six people from three households can meet in an indoor public place like a café, pub or restaurant. Up to eight people from eight households outdoors.
Ms Sturgeon also says that full vaccination is “vital”. She is urging people to get theirs when they receive their invitation.
She reported that there were no new deaths recorded in Scotland in the last 24 hours, with 478 new cases.
‘Good news’
David Lonsdale, Director of the Scottish Retail Consortium, says that today’s announcement is welcome news.
He said: “The easing of the curfew on trading hours is good news for customers in certain local authority areas, and for those businesses directly affected.
“That said, the patchwork quilt of differing rules and restrictions which apply in each of the 32 local authorities does add to operational complexity.
“While the thrust of the easing is undoubtedly encouraging, many retailers and hospitality businesses rely on the economic eco-system that office workers provide.
“Their return is vital to bringing back the shopper footfall and energy that is desperately needed; especially in our city centres.”
Coronavirus in Scotland – track the spread in these charts and maps