Scottish sport continues despite new lockdown

EDINBURGH: Professional sport in Scotland will continue as scheduled despite a

new national coronavirus lockdown

imposed by the Scottish government.

First Minister

Nicola Sturgeon

has ordered a fresh set of restrictions amid worries over rising numbers of Covid-19 cases in Scotland.

Scottish football and rugby clubs, however, will be allowed to train and play as normal.

They are all on a Scottish government exemption list that states "those involved in professional sports, for training, coaching or competing in an event" are among the groups those allowed to leave their homes.

A

Scottish Football Association

statement issued Monday said: "Following the First Minister's announcement regarding increased restrictions this afternoon, we will liaise with @ScotGov on the impact upon grassroots football. We will a provide further update in due course."

Scotland's new lockdown will last for at least the rest of January.

"We have decided to introduce from midnight (0000 GMT Tuesday), for the duration of January, a legal requirement to stay at home, except for essential purposes," Sturgeon told the

Scottish Parliament

in Edinburgh.

"This is similar to the lockdown of March last year."

Sturgeon, the leader of the pro-independence

Scottish National Party

(SNP), said a new faster spreading variant of coronavirus, first identified in the UK in December had been a "massive blow" in the battle against the virus.

She said the evidence was "compelling" that "the new variant already accounts for almost half of all new cases in Scotland".

The announcement came as Britain began rolling out a new Covid vaccine developed by the drug manufacturer AstraZeneca and

Oxford University

.

Sturgeon told Scottish MPs at Holyrood the new vaccine rollout was "hugely positive" and it was "essential to speed up vaccination as fast as possible".

The spread of the virus had to be halted, which was why "even tougher restrictions are necessary", she added.