Fans with symptoms that could be coronavirus should not be going to football matches this weekend, Nicola Sturgeon has said.

While there are plans to cancel certain events, which could have more than 500 people gathered from Monday, sporting events, including the Old Firm derby on Sunday, can go ahead this weekend.

Ms Sturgeon said the decision on mass gatherings is about protecting the capacity of the emergency services including police and ambulance and not to prevent the spread of the virus.

However, she said the advice is for anyone with symptoms to stay at home for seven days.

She said: “If you have a fever you shouldn’t be at a football match on Sunday or any other day.”

Asked if it was appropriate for the Old Firm match to go ahead when advice is for people to be a metre apart if they have a cough, Ms Sturgeon said the advice is cancelling gatherings doesn’t have an impact on reducing the spread.

She added: “I’m not influenced or decisions skewed by any one particular match or event.”

Catherine Calderwood, Chief Medical Officer, said: "The First Minister has taken advice form me at every stage. We know stopping mass gatherings is not the best way to stop this."

She also told people with symptoms "stay at home and do not risk infecting other people".

Ms Sturgeon said there are no plans to close schools at the moment.

She said the wider implications on the wider workforce and key workers of a decision to close schools would need to be considered.

The First Minister said: “We are not advising the closure of schools.”