THE First Minister has announced major lockdown rule changes during the latest coronavirus update. 

Nicola Sturgeon made the announcement in a speech in the Scottish Parliament on Tuesday afternoon.

Changes in the rules on outdoor meetings – which at the moment only allow for two people from two different households to get together – have been made.

Four people from two seperate households will now be able to meet up, including in gardens, from Friday, March 12.

Also from Friday, outdoor non-contact sport and organised group exercise will be permitted for all adults, in groups of up to 15 people.

Communal worship will be able to resume from March 26, with the limit increasing from 20 to 50 people.

Plans for a national silence on March 23, the anniversary of the start of the first national lockdown, to remember those who lost their life to the pandemic were also laid out.

The First Minister will announce further information on lockdown easing next week, including an indicative timeline for the reopening of the economy - including shops, hairdressers, gyms and some of our tourism sector.

It was also confirmed that there were a further 19 deaths of coronavirus patients, and 466 new cases in the past 24 hours, 3.3 per cent of those tested.

Across Scotland, 1,789,377 people have now received their first dose of the coronavirus vaccine.

There are 614 people in hospital confirmed to have the virus, down 40 in 24 hours, and 50 are in intensive care, down nine.