A fan zone where football supporters can watch Euro 2020 matches is “not without risk”, a leading public health expert has warned.
Professor Linda Bauld said she would prefer it if spectators heading to the event in Glasgow Green are told to take coronavirus tests beforehand – as fans must do if they are watching tournament matches south of the border.
The Glasgow fan zone will see up to 6,000 people per day gather to watch matches for the duration of the tournament, which is the first the Scotland men’s team have qualified for in more than two decades.
Prof Bauld, chair of public health at the University of Edinburgh, said opening the fan zone is “controversial” given Glasgow has only recently moved out of Level 3 restrictions.
READ MORE: Health expert backs testing for Glasgow's Euro fanzone amid Covid fears
Health Secretary Humza Yousaf has insisted the fan zone is a “low-risk event”, but Prof Bauld warned supporters might “lose some of their inhibitions” and “be embracing” if results go their way.
She told BBC Radio Scotland’s Good Morning Scotland programme that if the event is “just people moving around outside, and there is distancing that is maintained, that is low risk”.
But she added: “It is all the things that come with a mass event, people on public transport travelling into the area elsewhere, using toilets and maybe other indoor spaces, and then if the matches get under way and the results are good, which everybody hopes, people might lose some of their inhibitions and they might be embracing, and that has risks.
“It is not without risk.”
Mr Yousaf has said all those attending will be encouraged to take lateral flow tests beforehand, but Prof Bauld made clear her personal view is that testing should be mandatory.
South of the border, Euro 2020 matches have been included in UK Government research looking at how social distancing requirements can be removed safely.
The Events Research Programme requires attendees to show a negative Covid test before entry.
READ MORE: Glasgow 'must not face Level 3 again' if Euro fan zone causes Covid spike
Prof Bauld said: “I do think unfortunately, given the high infection rates we still have, if that had been set up earlier on it would have given people a lot more assurance and confidence in the event.”
Her comments came after Mr Yousaf told MSPs that Glasgow City Council will contact every fan zone ticket-holder to encourage them to take a lateral flow test at home before attending.
The Health Secretary said: “I would encourage every single person that has a ticket to any session of the fan zone to please test before arrival.”
Euro 2020 is being played at venues across Europe this summer after being postponed last year because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Why are you making commenting on The Herald only available to subscribers?
It should have been a safe space for informed debate, somewhere for readers to discuss issues around the biggest stories of the day, but all too often the below the line comments on most websites have become bogged down by off-topic discussions and abuse.
heraldscotland.com is tackling this problem by allowing only subscribers to comment.
We are doing this to improve the experience for our loyal readers and we believe it will reduce the ability of trolls and troublemakers, who occasionally find their way onto our site, to abuse our journalists and readers. We also hope it will help the comments section fulfil its promise as a part of Scotland's conversation with itself.
We are lucky at The Herald. We are read by an informed, educated readership who can add their knowledge and insights to our stories.
That is invaluable.
We are making the subscriber-only change to support our valued readers, who tell us they don't want the site cluttered up with irrelevant comments, untruths and abuse.
In the past, the journalist’s job was to collect and distribute information to the audience. Technology means that readers can shape a discussion. We look forward to hearing from you on heraldscotland.com
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel