Mandatory Covid-19 red zones are to be scrapped during matchdays in Scottish football.
Authorities have given the go-ahead to relaxing protocols which have been in place in and around stadiums since the outbreak of the pandemic.
Clubs will now be able to carry out their own risk assessment on all training and matchday settings – including areas such as changing rooms, travel, overnight stays, and technical areas – as well as the matchday red zones.
But crucially, the Scottish Football Association and SPFL have deemed that the red zones can be abolished with immediate effect.
A statement from the SFA's Joint Response Group said: "Now that vaccination rates have increased considerably in the age cohort of professional footballers, with mandatory distancing removed from indoor and outdoor events by Scottish Government, and with many clubs keen to remove red zones to facilitate the attendance of more home and away supporters, the JRG considers the subject of physical distancing to be an area for clubs to determine through their own risk assessment.
"The requirement to have a red zone will no longer be mandatory but the JRG protocols are still available to use, should clubs wish to continue to implement them.
"The reason such protocols have remained in place is to mitigate instances where a positive test is returned and close-contact identification is carried out by the Government-appointed Elite Sports Clinical Advisory Group.
"Given that anyone within two metres is considered by Scottish Government as a close contact, the requirement for red zones has continued within Scottish football and JRG protocols as a mitigation measure, not least to avoid widespread close contacts jeopardising clubs' ability to fulfil fixtures."
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