Mr Ross cited Scottish government figures showing the country is past the peak of omicron, with hospitalisations predicted to fall sharply next month. The number of daily positive cases reported has halved in the past week.

Arguing that people had “learned to live with Covid” over the past two years, the Scottish Tory leader said: “Protecting mental health, physical health and Scottish jobs is every bit as important as slowing the spread of Covid.

“Our economy and the long-term health of the public must not be held back any longer than necessary. We believe the balance must now tip in favour of trusting the Scottish public to do the right thing and keep themselves and their families safe, as they have done throughout this pandemic.

“The Scottish government’s own data shows that we are past the peak of omicron. The latest evidence means we can now be far more optimistic.”

The Scottish Greens, the junior partner in Ms Sturgeon’s government, on Monday night said Mr Ross’s proposals were “reckless” because the NHS is still under severe pressure. Ms Sturgeon said she also wanted to see an end to restrictions but warned that there was “still a need for caution”.

A spokesman for the Scottish government said: “We have already started the process of removing some of the public health restrictions necessary to limit the spread of omicron. Restrictions will never be in place longer than absolutely necessary.”

Hospitality leaders demand end to Covid curbs

An eminent epidemiologist on Monday argued that Ms Sturgeon should relax her rules because omicron’s impact on hospitals had been “nowhere near as bad” as predicted when nightclubs and stadiums were shut down over the festive period.

Helen Colhoun, of Edinburgh University, said politicians must stop citing pressure on the health service as a justification for tightening restrictions because the virus accounts for a “very small percentage of admissions”.

Scotland recorded 6,221 cases on Monday, down from 11,827 the previous Monday, although asymptomatic cases no longer need to get a PCR test.

The number of people in hospital dropped by five to 1,557, with government research showing that four out of 10 were being treated primarily for another condition. Meanwhile, the number in intensive care rose by one to 43.

Ms Sturgeon announced last week that she was drawing up a new strategy for living with Covid after admitting that restrictions were less effective against the more transmissible but milder omicron variant. However, she warned “adaptations to pre-pandemic life” would be needed in the long term and suggested mask rules could remain for years.

The First Minister will announce on Tuesday afternoon whether restrictions imposed over the festive period, including one-metre social distancing in leisure premises and table service in pubs, are to be lifted next Monday.

Hospitality industry leaders demanded she “end restrictions now”, arguing that the Scottish government’s own evidence showed they had forced people to meet in homes instead.