A member of Parliament has been arrested, partygoers around the country have been heavily fined and even two mountaineers were penalised by the plods – all for breaking Covid restrictions.
Fair enough.
But as we enter a horrific period, with cases of the virus soaring and deaths increasing, Celtic’s playing and coaching staff went ahead with a trip to Dubai for their winter training camp.
The plans were put in place long before the newly imposed lockdown, but there were no attempts by the sport’s authorities to block the excursion.
Had they cancelled their Middle East mini-break and announced that “we’re all in this together” it would have played well with their fans and the wider public.
So far, so bad.
But it was the comments of Deputy First Minister John Swinney that puzzled the Scottish people.
The latest restrictions would not prevent the Celtic party from returning to Scotland as planned and there would be no period of quarantine when they do get back this weekend, he insisted.
Something about elite sport being treated differently.
There are numerous examples of people, footballers among them, who have been forced to play by the rules if they’ve even come into contact with anyone displaying Covid symptoms.
But, while this trip was booked some time ago and would have cost an arm and a leg, should it still have gone ahead?
Just think of the tens of thousands of people unable to see their loved ones in hospital and care facilities and in their own homes for fear of spreading the virus.
Despite that, the Scottish Government seems reticent to come down hard on Celtic.
Instead, Mr Swinney told us: “Frankly, I don’t think it’s a very good idea to be doing that at this stage.”
He added that when the public was being asked to adhere to the rules, everybody had to demonstrate leadership. Everybody expect the Scottish administration, it seems.
Margaret Ferrier, the SNP MP, was cut adrift by her party for breaking the regulations in September when she travelled from Glasgow to the House of Commons for a debate.
She has now been charged by the police for her irresponsible actions. And two climbers, stuck on Buachaille Etive Mor on Hogmanay, were subsequently rescued then hit with statutory Happy New Year fines for breaching Covid travel restrictions.
They had driven 42 miles from Oban, a little less than the 4,850 miles from Celtic Park to Dubai.
Neil Lennon, the team’s manager, has complained lately that his players had been rather inconsistent.
A bit like the Scottish Government really.
Gateways to council making a fortune
We have a tough year ahead as a nation – the continuation of the Covid crisis, working from home and pretending you like it (even when the kids are causing mayhem), increasing job losses and bleeding ears from those putting Scottish independence at the top of their agenda.
Aside from the pandemic, however, a major concern will be how to rescue the economy.
But for local authorities, I have a cunning plan which may appeal: pop-up bus gates.
We know how much dosh they rake in from fines.
When last we were told, hundreds of offenders at the Market Street-Union Street junction in Aberdeen had produced tens of thousands of pounds for the city council from fines.
In Glasgow, similar cash cows delivered an impressive return of £5.4 million in 2019 from five of the driver traps.
So, come on Aberdeen, grab your chance.
Place a series of bus gates around the town, change them every few weeks without warning and watch the money roll in.
We recognise it’ll make you unpopular, but you have never been big favourites among your council tax payers.
You’ve nothing to lose and much to gain.
And, if you use it to upgrade our dreadful, pot-holed roads, all the better. I know… that last bit’s just silly.
Delivery of vaccine really that simple
Ideas are pouring in over how the mass vaccination programme will be rolled out and where recipients might receive their Covid inoculation.
Pub owners like BrewDog, never far from a publicity opportunity, have offered their premises, for example.
But what about having medics at the end of the supermarket checkout who take you to one side, administer the jab, ask if you’ve seen the two-for-one offer on chocolate digestives, and move you on?
The best tongue-in-cheek suggestion is to arm delivery drivers with the vaccine, hand over the parcel and add: “Ready for your jab?”
This article originally appeared on the Evening Express website. For more information, read about our new combined website.
