Nicola Sturgeon has said a move to level zero, if it goes ahead later this month, is not 'freedom day' in Scotland.
The First Minister said the decision will be taken next week but she said "we can't throw caution to the wind".
Sturgeon said it appears that the increase in positive cases is starting to level off but that there were still people ending up in hospital and people dying each day.
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She indicated that Scotland would not be following the UK Government in removing all restrictions while Covid was still prevalent.
On the UK Government planning to lift all restirctions, she said: "I understand the desire some have for us to follow suit, but we have to be careful at this junction."
She said July 19 is still the "indicative date for level zero".
She added however, it is "possible to proceed with some changes and hold back on others".
Sturgeon said: "I hope we will be able to move as planned.
"I dont want to pre-empt that but there's is one decision I want to emphasise given talk of 'freedom day'.
"Covid is still with us and is going to be around for some time.
"A move to level zero is not an end of restrictions.
"No matter the decision we make next Tuesday, there won't be an abrupt end to these basic protective measures."
She added: "This is a moment for care and caution. It is worth pointing out, non pejoratively, the path the UK is embarking on, lifing all restirctions and requirements for masks, is something of an exception."
She announced the daily statistics and revealed there were 2802 new positive cases reported yesterday.
There were 401 people in hospital, an increase of 14 and there were 38 people in intensive care, up by 4.
And four more deaths were registered.
Sturgeon said the "upside" was that "looking at past few days we can see the suggestion that recent surge may be levelling off."
She said the number of positive cases was 1432 fewer than this day last week.
She added: "Looking at the seven day average there appears to be a slow down".
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