Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon will today speak to the Scottish Parliament about further restrictions to curb the Omicron COVID-19 variant. After the announcement that the Welsh Government would put sporting events behind closed doors after Boxing Day, fans are nervously awaiting the update from the Scottish Government as to whether the game in Scotland will be met with the same fate.
🦠 I’ll make @scotparl statement at 2.20pm confirming last week’s advice on Christmas gatherings, & setting out Cabinet’s decisions on any further steps we need to take. As the roll out of boosters gets faster, we need to slow down Omicron to protect health, the NHS & the economy
— Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) December 21, 2021
It would be a real shame to see the game being forced once again to go behind closed doors once more. The supporters are the lifeblood of the game, Ange Postecoglou asked that the authorities consider alternatives to emptying the stands.
Given the commitments of so many to roll up their sleeves, it would be a sore one to take to hear that fans are no longer able to attend games – especially with a New Years Glasgow Derby against Rangers on the horizon.
We will need to watch and wait to see whether football is once again restricted when the First Minister takes her place in front of the cameras this afternoon. One potential solution could be to bring the winter break forward to combat the rise in COVID-19 cases. This would mean that fans are not missed at games and it gives the NHS and other emergency services time to deal with the spike in cases.
