Nicola Sturgeon says we shouldn't expect large-scale events to go ahead in Scotland this summer.
Scotland's summer calendar would, under normal circumstances, be packed with huge events such as the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Summer Sessions and TRNSMT, while the UEFA Euro 2020 championships are also scheduled for Glasgow this year.
However the First Minister doesn't reckon it would be wise to expect such huge events to go ahead as normal given we're still "very much in the grip of a global pandemic".
She said: "None of us right now can look ahead and say with certainty what the position will be in the summer. We certainly hope that the combination of a vaccine programme, which by then will be well underway, all the JCVI priority groups will have been done with the first dose and we’ll be into vaccinating the rest of the population.
“We know that summer weather conditions can make it harder for the virus so that’s another positive.
“But equally we’re still very much in the grip of a global pandemic and none of these things, in and of themselves, are going to create by the summer of this year a completely ‘back to normal’ environment in any walk of life.”
The First Minister says we shouldn’t expect large-scale events to go ahead this summer and reckons it might be a "little while longer" before these become possible again.
She added: "If I was to stand here right now and be asked if I think large scale events by the summer, with any certainty will go ahead, the honest answer to that would be no.
“We have to be realistic and pragmatic. I think it is going to be a little while longer, and I’m saying that gently, before big scale events become possible.
“We hope it’s as quickly as possible. But will it be by the summer? I could not say that with any certainty."
Sturgeon said that talks with organisers and event bosses will continue so the Scottish Government can issue the best advice possible.
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