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Coronavirus Latest: Scottish Secretary Alister Jack warns people to prepare for major changes in their lives

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Scottish Secretary Alister Jack has warned people to prepare for major changes to their lives in a bid to combat Coronavirus.

An update on restrictions is expected from the UK Government with plans already in place about to be announced.

Sport will be effected with The Times predicting that football matches will be played behind closed doors with streams made available to ticket holders.

In a bid to prevent additional gathering of people pubs could be restricted on the matches that they show as the country moves into unchartered territory.

Wednesday’s Manchester City v Arsenal match was postponed as Arsenal players self-isolated with Scottish football bracing itself for fresh measures being announced at lunch-time.

Holyrood reports:

Asked on BBC Scotland’s Good Morning Scotland programme, if he thought that people are going to have to prepare for major changes in their lives, Jack said:  “Yes, I’m afraid they are.”

He added: “There’s no doubt that we aren’t going to be able to contain it for much longer, so we will then have to delay it, so that the peak isn’t so great, if you like, to flatten it down to make the curve stretch longer to put less strain on the NHS.”

Sunday’s Glasgow derby will be the first major Scottish sporting event under threat with debate likely to centre on whether it is played as normal, postponed or played behind closed doors.

In two weeks time the Scotland national team face Israel in a Euro 2020 Play Off semi-final, if that match is played behind closed doors it will be a massive blow to the SFA who will have to refund 50,000 tickets.

If the match with Israel is postponed it could have a knock on effect with the European Championships delayed. Hampden will host four matches.

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