Scottish football clubs to host pop-up Covid-19 vaccination centres

Image source, SNS

Image caption, Around 12,000 fans watched Scotland's European Championships fixtures at Hampden

Football clubs in Scotland are being encouraged to host Covid-19 vaccination centres in a partnership between the Scottish FA and Scottish Government.

The Joint Response Group has "informed senior clubs of the opportunity".

It is hoped the pop-up centres will assist in the vaccination of under-30s, while helping clubs ensure their players receive both doses on site.

"We would encourage clubs to take up this opportunity," said Scottish FA chief executive Ian Maxwell.

The vaccination centres will use an area of the stadium car park or stadium itself.

Almost 4m Scots have received their first dose of vaccination, with nearly 3m given their second.

"In recent weeks, as the vaccination is rolled out to younger members of society, we identified an opportunity to put the national game at the heart of the roll-out by encouraging younger people to get their vaccines using the players, who are role models in their respective communities, as advocates," added Maxwell.

"With the new season soon to get under way, the pop-up vaccine centres also enable clubs to align the vaccination of their players efficiently, which in turn will help provide a greater degree of confidence and certainty ahead of the new season."