Football fans in Scotland are being asked to take a coronavirus test before going to a match in a bid to prevent the spread of the virus.
Deputy First Minister John Swinney said due to the rapid spread of the more transmissible Omicron variant he is asking supporters to "exercise a lot of caution" at games across the country.
The call from the Covid Recovery Minister comes after Nicola Sturgeon announced new measures to curb the number of cases of the new strain, which first originated in southern Africa last month.
During a covid statement in the Scottish Parliament on Tuesday the First Minister said new guidance would be issued for care homes, hospitals, shops, pubs and restaurants.
Preventing social mixing was another measure that Sturgeon warned against as she revealed the R number for Omicron could be as high as four in some places in Scotland.
Speaking on the BBC's Good Morning Scotland programme Swinney asked football supporters to take a lateral flow test before heading to a match.
He said: "I would encourage people to exercise a lot of caution.
"The supporters buses we saw, for example, during the Scotland - England international that took place earlier on this year that bus loads went down one person who was testing positive on the bus and they all came back with the virus.
"Omicron is much more virulent than previous variants of the virus.
"I would encourage people to exercise caution and to undertake a lateral flow test before travelling to a football match, to wear face coverings and I would encourage football clubs to put in place measures to allow the safe circulation of individuals so that the matches can take place.
"They can be observed by supporters, but they can take place in a safe environment."
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