Scotland’s national clinical director has said it will be “some time yet” before fans are allowed back into sports stadia.
Jason Leitch also said he is not “overly worried” about claims the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine is less effective against the South African coronavirus variant.
The Scotland rugby team’s victory against England at the weekend has led to further questions on when sports will go back to normal.
As part of lockdown, fans cannot attend, but with vaccine rates rising hopes are growing about a return.
Speaking to the BBC, Leitch was asked when fans might be able to stick on a scarf, have a couple of beers and cheer on a team in the flesh. He replied:
“It’s going to be some time yet. I can’t give you a date. One of the big challenges we still have - R number down, positivity down, prevalence still too high.”
He added: “We’ve got to be really, really cautious about any opening just now.”
Separately, a new study in South Africa found the Oxford/AstraZeneca was not effective at preventing mild illness caused by the more infectious mutation.
South Africa has suspended the rollout of the British-designed vaccine to healthcare staff following the results, which have yet to be peer reviewed.
Asked how worried he is, Leitch said: “I’m not overly worried about it actually.”
He referred to an expert saying yesterday that it was a “data challenge” rather than a “truth challenge”.
