A public health expert believes life in Scotland may begin to return to normal by the middle of June.

Linda Bauld claimed the rate of vaccinations makes it likely that most retail and hospitality will be open by the summer. 

The Edinburgh University professor told BBC Scotland's The Seven: "If you look at the trajectory of progress we are making with more than a third of Scotland's population having their first dose of the vaccine and many others getting their second dose every day.

"Public health measures are getting the incidence and prevalence of the disease down. I would anticipate by the end of June, mid-June most things will be open.

"Much of the distancing and certainly things being closed, I'd be very optimistic that by the summer that would no longer be the case. It may even be for many things earlier than the summer."

READ MORE: Covid Glasgow: Fines increase by almost 50 per cent in one week

However, Nicola Sturgeon has urged for continuous caution to avoid another spike in cases. 

The First Minister is set to confirm plans about re-opening the economy this following week. 

She said on Tuesday: “I’m well aware of just how difficult continued restrictions are – and I know that they get harder rather than easier to bear, as time goes on.

“I also know – because I feel this too – that the progress on vaccination makes us even more impatient to reach the end of this ordeal as quickly as possible.

“But I am certain that easing restrictions too quickly would be a mistake that we would regret.”

Professor Sir Ian Diamond, head of the Office for National Statistics (ONS), told the Andrew Marr show this morning another wave of Covid-19 infections is likely in the autumn.