SCOTLAND’S health chief has said that he is still worried about the “overwhelmed nature” of the health service as the legal requirement to wear masks comes to an end in the country. 

As of yesterday, people in Scotland are no longer legally required to wear face coverings on public transport and in busy indoor areas such as restaurants and shops. 

But Scottish ministers and health experts strongly recommended the public to continue wearing them voluntarily. 

Scotland’s national clinical director Professor Jason Leitch said coronavirus was now being dealt with through common sense and guidance, rather than law.

While daily cases remain high, the vaccinations and therapeutics have “changed the game,” he told BBC Radio’s Good Morning Scotland programme. 

“We’re still cautious as public health advisers because we’re still worried about the overwhelmed nature of our health systems around the world — not just here, but Scotland is no exception.

“Our emergency departments are struggling, our hospitals are struggling, not just with Covid — with backlogs, with everything else coming in that has waited until this point to come forward.”