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The other thing we need to remember is that the experts who are making all the noise about continuing restrictions only represent one area of expertise. They are not economists, education experts, finance or infrastructure specialists. Of course they have been vitally important in the last 10 months, but as more and more people get vaccinated and hospital numbers decline there has to be a more balanced canvassing of opinion from the government and decisions made will have to find that balance. Yes, an indefinite lockdown is the most effective way to protect everyone from transmitted diseases and viruses but it is barely sustainable now let alone another year. It also has catastrophic effects on the rest of society that will be worse than covid ever could have been. People can be sceptical about mental health if they wish, but there is a plethora of data to show that poverty is responsible for premature deaths on a massive scale. Of course, some restrictions will be necessary regarding international travel and perhaps visiting care homes and hospitals and these would probably represent a sensible compromise. But if these whole scale restrictions on people carry on much longer then eventually people will snap. My main concern is that governments have been all too willing to hammer the wider popluation with restrictions on freedoms and bombard us with emotional messaging. Its created an even more fractious society where people who are, statistically, at no serious risk from covid are petrified to go outside as well as moralising and pious criticism of anyone who challenges or questions restrictions. It's also worrying just how easily people are accepting these restrictions now, as if we've been conditioned that it's all for the greater good, when we should be questioning why governments still haven't developed a proper, balanced strategy yet. It sets a dangerous precednet for the next major crisis. I don't mean we should be being moon howler covid deniers, but I dont think it's wrong for people to be saying that enough is enough once hospital rates fall. There should be an agreement, that rates fall to a certain level for a certain *reasonable* period of time and we lift restrictions piece by piece throughout spring and summer.

Given how little I've been out over the past 10 months, I'd find the opportunity of a 2am vaccine quite exciting.

Working 9 to 5, what a way to vaccinate a population.

Exactly. I am mid-fifties and often get up in the middle of the night for a pish. I would be happy to get vaccinated before going back to bed.

The 42 club zoom call today would be interesting viewing. "As an ambitious full time team Partick Thistle demand that our wee box on the screen be larger than the part time teams"

Well I can only speak for myself, but the reasons for a declining number of hospitilisations is something that a myriad of experts will have to decipher, certainly in terms of vaccine efficacy. I am sure this is already being heavily monitored. But I am not prepared to tell my family they cant come into my home due to laws brought in for a state of emergency, whilst scientists have nice wee discussion about what might be the overriding reason behind declining hospital numbers. Now for the bit that can be perceived as a bit crass. I am not interested in the hand wringing zero covid bullshit. I am not prepared to accept everyone living under restrictions to prevent the spread of a disease for which we have multiple effective vaccines. When this was new, and we had nothing, no vaccine and no treatment.... Aye. Lockdown was the price we had to pay, but as Don's 1988 already said above, these EMERGENCY powers are now being banded about for use as a comfort blanket. Covid is quite simply a pathogen that exists from which some people have a chance of becoming seriously ill. Against this, these people(and everyone else) will be vaccinated. This is an unprecedented level of protection on top of already unprecedented measures to protect for almost a year now. Enough is enough. It has already been said on here by other posters, but if signs of vaccine effectiveness are not met with rolling back of restrictions at a pace commensurate with sturgeons "no restrictions a minute longer than neccessary" then I will be taking the rules into my own hands as far as I can. Clearly I cant make a pub or restaurant open, but I wont think twice about having folk into my house et cetera. Also, I am aware we are looking into the future here and I hope this is all just pessimism, but I am applying the form guide here again.

It's reassuring to see the general consensus among the good guys on here is that once the relevant vulnerable groups are vaccinated, and it has then been made available to the wider public, we will be returning to normal. This rather than peddling sinister, unobtainable, and dystopian fantasies of 'Zero Covid' being peddled by public health 'experts' like Devi Sridhar, Linda Bauld, and the clowns on 'Independent SAGE', whom I cannot believe are in their positions yet think it is somehow possible to eliminate a now globally endemic respiratory virus - which we also now have highly efficacious vaccines for. They have damaged my faith in science and Sturgeon better not try to pander to them for a moment. Roll on the resumption of living, and these nobodies returning to obscurity from whence they came.

I would gladly get up at 2am for a jag if it meant everyone getting back to normal more quickly. This constant 'oh we might do this' approach to everything from the SG is pathetic. We know you'll end up doing it at some point, just do it now ffs.

Nice to see you supporting your local team

How about he apologise to the 200+ clubs thrown under a bus because of him, the utter w**k.

Big fan of Gary's tendency to stick the boot in when required.

Matt Hancock is a dangerous moron cunt.

Whilst you might be right in that this is how it turns out, it should be acceptable to no one and met with French style, car burning protests, general strikes etc. It wont, but as soon as hospital numbers show positive effects of the vaccine, life should be battering on towards normal. Holidays etc might be subject to restriction for longer. That might be an inevitability but the idea that folk should accept life in Scotland under restriction indefinitely is shite and should me met with pure disdain and mass rule breaking until the message is received.

This might be the stupidest thing I've ever read in my life.

Rangers* supporter from Livingston shouting about Aberdeen. (c) Knightswoodbear

Classic Doncaster though. Continually telling all and sundry that he just does what the clubs want him to do before putting a statement out agreeing wholeheartedly with the SFA decision without any correspondence with the clubs. Guys a complete w****r.

Johnson was rightly criticised for his daft predictions of things being back to normal by *insert any date / time here* so if the SG make statements about vaccinating a certain number of people by a certain date and they fall short then they should also be rebuked for this failing.

Trying to phrase this as kindly and sensitively as possible, but they're not exactly the healthiest-looking 25 year old I've ever seen, with blood pressure issues being tucked away halfway down the article for good measure. Still a tragic death, of course, and condolences to the family, but what are the BBC's purposes for writing that article? "SEE? Anyone can die from it! Even you young people, so don't be selfish and go to the park!" Well, statistically, no that just isn't the case at all. Let's keep things in perspective here.

Could they not just have picked it up at one of the corners and let the water run off?

Said it before and will say it again. Celtic are a vile institution from top to bottom. Utterly fucking shameless.

Had an offer accepted on a flat I was looking at. After having a few bids on other places rejected early last year and coronavirus doing its best to f**k things up it's sweet relief to finally get something sorted.

He put the boot right into that clammy wee car salesman today. Susannah Reid also had a dig at him too, the look on Hancocks face was amazing. He's a man who doesn't think he should face that sort of scrutiny, but wouldn't be able to offer you a reason why he should be exempt. Fucking self entitled wretch. Proper scrutiny of his role in this pandemic would leave him utterly broken and toxic. Something we should all hope for. In our wildest dreams he might one day have to rely on a handout from Compass Group.

I dont agree re foreign travel. We should absolutely be allowing travel this summer providing we have the most vulnerable vaccinated. The only justification for not opening up is further mutation. We absolutely have to reach a point whereby the financial and wellbeing cost of staying lockdown is counteracted by the fact the most at risk are as protected as we can get them, by that stage the justification for the strongest measures absolutely no longer exists. But that shouldnt be due to the Scottish Government’s abject failure to properly roll out the vaccine and Freeman needs to go now.

The sheer sense of entitlement is astounding yet not one bit surprising. If that was a live interview his comments and choice of words could perhaps be excused but it was clearly edited and Lawell has watched it and gave it the go ahead. Claiming the current situation has affected Celtic more than others when other clubs are fighting to stay afloat just shows that football club up for exactly what they are, deluded, entitled arseholes.

There's a cracking new product out called a kettle. Allows you to make coffee in house.

@ Alan Burrows

I don't know him.

The lads ready to get muddy.

No, no.. he said Saints win, not Saintees win.

This is the crazy b*****d that was tweeting her location in the Capitol while they were hiding from the terrorists and that she was with Nancy Pelosi. She also believes in Qanon. There are literally sandwiches less stupid than her. She's absolutely unfit for office and anyone who votes for someone like that is a danger to democracy.

Yet has scored more goals than all 3 combined this season. It's amazing how shite he has become today.

Excellent. Welcome to Dens Nicky. Thank you.

They really are a disgusting club.

Order through the Just Greet app.

Top man for the update. Will leave now.

Fully expect Celtic to offer their ground to the Irish government.

You must remember that Rangers fans need to feel like they're 'big time' so having a rivalry with a diddy club is clearly beneath them. They're a little bit sensitive to that so just play a long and tell them we're too wee.

Can anyone posting pictures of DABs please put it in a spoiler, ruining my otherwise tranquil dark blue browsing experience. Thank you.

https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2021/01/12/from-arsenal-to-celtic-where-britains-elite-football-clubs-spent-the-winter-break/ Celtic have recently returned from a trip to Dubai, but where did Britain’s top clubs spend their time training? Elite football can take its toll on even the fittest of players. Wear and tear can affect performance over the course of a gruelling season, and so it’s no wonder clubs look forward to a winter break. It’s a chance to recharge the batteries, and to enjoy a bit of sunshine in the midst of a cold winter. From Arsenal to Tottenham Hotspur, here’s where Britain’s top clubs have been training this winter. ARSENAL Mikel Arteta’s men trained in London, because there’s a pandemic. CHELSEA Frank Lampard conquered Europe as a player, but his side remained in London due to the pandemic. LEICESTER Brendan Rodgers might be remembered by Celtic fans for a controversial departure, but he managed not to depart the country with his players and backroom staff at the height of a pandemic. MANCHESTER UNITED Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and his men spent a few days in Marbella. Last year, before Britain was involved in a pandemic. MANCHESTER CITY If there wasn’t a pandemic going on, Pep Guardiola might have taken his team abroad. But there is, so he didn’t. LIVERPOOL In a football landscape dominated by media-trained professionals who allow little of their personality to emerge during interviews, Jurgen Klopp provides a refreshing contrast with his eccentricity. He’s not eccentric enough to fly an entire squad plus backroom staff out to the middle east during a pandemic though. RANGERS Steven Gerrard’s side are yet to lose a match in this season’s Scottish Premiership, and the decision to remain at home rather than flying out for a training camp during a pandemic proves they haven’t lost their minds either. TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR Jose Mourinho’s side were the stars of an Amazon Prime documentary called ‘Tottenham Hotspur: All or Nothing’. Nothing is what was on Spurs’ winter break itinerary, as there is a pandemic going on. In other news, Celtic manager Neil Lennon, his assistant John Kennedy and 13 players are self-isolating after defender Christopher Jullien tested positive for Covid-19. The club travelled to Dubai for a winter training camp, a move which fans called “Sound, it’s not like there’s a pandemic going on” and was hailed by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon as “Exactly the sort of thing you should be doing during a pandemic lads”. Although one or two reservations have been raised, Celtic moved quickly to assure fans that the trip was definitely worth it because you get to sit on the sunbeds.

I’ve no idea why so many people are getting their knickers in a twist over this. I might be wrong, but is this not only the second time that Livi’s artificial pitch has had a match postponed because of the weather? I’ve been at two games, could be three, where matches at Pittodrie were put off because of flooodlight failure. Things out of everybody’s control happen. Ehm...maybe like a pandemic.

Wonderful seethe since lunchtime on the United thread regarding Nicky Clark. Ludo currently has them writing assessments on Mellon's signings thus far! Absolutely priceless. Regards

This was a big season for him, as the playing style had diminished in the last two seasons - albeit the league performances remained solid, with continued Euro qualification, which should NEVER be taken for granted. I am far too used to studying Bert's coefficient tables and the merits of whether I'd prefer Petrocub Hincesti or Skenderbeu Korce if a push came to a shove. Things were going so well, the fitba was bonnie - Hedges, Wright, Watkins movement superb, Ferguson/McCrorie nails - Hayes flying, Hoban unflappable - then injuries, more injuries, Cosgrove, another semi-final letdown against a crisis-ridden opponent, Brown's assault on Watkins (4 months absence and a bounce ball), Ojo, Main, Covid, league cup exit with Joe throwing one in, suspensions, disillusioned fans, Cosgrove & Main together, players going to St Mirren or second tier clubs ahead of us, social media pant-pissing, young players with new lease of life being snapped up by the buns for two soldiers and a sausage, even more social media rumours....etc Anytime we look good, things seem to quickly crumble.................still trying to work out what happened when McInnes got that Martindale-style eight wins in a row in 2015 - and a couple of weeks later St Johnstone are taking five off us at home. Gone off in a tangent here, but summary is Derek must stay (I was completely McGheed and have not recovered from Grassi, Casper, Ifil etc yet to want to take that type of gamble again).

One of the strangest call-outs my dad ever had as a fireman was when he had to go out to Fraser's high school a number of years back. Young Ryan had attempted to steal a can of Lilt from the vendy by reaching up through the hole the cans are dispensed from. His arm got stuck and after the janny had given up trying to free him, the school phoned the fire brigade to come out and help. My Dad and his colleagues entered the school with all the gear you'd need to cut someone out a savage car wreck and were about to set about the vendy until my Old Man suggested that maybe Ryan try letting go of the can. Lo and behold, his arm came free, much to the embarrasment of the head teacher who had called 999 in a state of panic. Fraser merely shrugged his shoulders, stuck 50p in the machine and got a can of Coke before walking past a stunned assembly of staff members on his way to double techy. Turned out he didn't even like Lilt. So, aye, he's not the brightest.