Scottish Premiership players and staff are now required to test daily due to the rising Covid-19 cases.
The speed at which the Omicron variant is sweeping through the country has led to the statement coming from the Joint Response Group (JRG) on the day St Mirren have suspended training due to a number of positive cases.
Livingston manager David Martindale has already called for a circuit-breaker in the season, with the stoppage of games being talked about daily.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon today expressed “profound concern” regarding the acceleration of the Omicron variant throughout society.
Testing increases within top-flight
In reaction to this, the JRG has implemented enhanced protocols to combat the spread of the Covid-19 virus within Scottish football.
A statement from the group issued this evening said: “From Monday, testing provision will be increased among cinch Premiership clubs until the scheduled winter break commencing January 3 and will be reviewed prior to the resumption of the fixture calendar in the New Year.
“Clubs in the Premiership will now be required to undertake daily testing for all playing and team staff as part of the enhanced protocols.
“Further consultation has been scheduled early next week with the Scottish Women’s Premier League, cinch Championship, League One and Two, and Scottish Highland and Lowland Football Leagues. The outcome of those discussions will be communicated thereafter.”
In addition, all clubs are advised to demonstrate enhanced vigilance with public health guidance, including physical distancing, wearing of face coverings while indoors, and to reiterate the importance of hand sanitising regularly.
Stadia could double as vaccine bases
The JRG has also been in touch with Scottish Government to offer football stadia for use as vaccine centres to help the collective effort to roll-out the vaccine booster programme.
The statement added: “We are grateful to the clubs for their collective endorsement of these enhanced measures and for the ongoing commitment to achieving full vaccination and booster vaccinations for their playing staff and team staff.”
NEWS | Joint Response Group Update – Friday, 17 December.https://t.co/3fnF2iXvfX
— Scottish FA (@ScottishFA) December 17, 2021
Increased protocols – JRG chairman
Rod Petrie, JRG chairman, has called for extra vigilance all round in a bid to keep safe.
He said: “We need no reminding that we are entering another challenging period in the country’s ongoing battle to suppress and overcome COVID-19 and, in particular, its emerging Omicron variant.
“Scottish football is not immune to the impact of the pandemic and we must be extra vigilant during this especially busy period prior to the winter break.
“We remain in regular dialogue with Scottish Government and their public health and public policy officials and in order to reinforce protection, we have today increased our protocols proportionately with the challenges presented to us.
“We are thankful to our clubs for their commitment to implement them provisionally until the winter break and are happy to support the effort to overcome the virus through the vaccination and booster programmes and stringent adherence to protocols and public health guidance.”
SPFL praises swift responses
Neil Doncaster, SPFL chief executive, praised top-table clubs for their swift input and reactions.
He said: “The First Minister has today again outlined the reality of the Omicron variant in Scotland and I am pleased with the rapid response of our cinch Premiership clubs in committing to enhanced protocols.
“We will continue to encourage compliance with the Scottish Government public health guidance and play our part in suppressing and eradicating the latest variant of this ongoing pandemic.”
