CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC

Imagine contracting Covid-19…

The fear must hit immediately – kaleidoscopically blooming visions of intensive care, ventilators and life support, seeded by months of blanket media coverage and government warnings.

For those lucky enough to have the luxury, there will be thoughts of family, of protecting loved ones, of self-isolating, of having to ride it out alone.

Talk about overwhelming.

But imagine if, on top of all that, the first minister greeted the news of your diagnosis by effectively calling you an irresponsible idiot while the rest of Scotland jeered from the sidelines.

For the pair of Covid-positive Aberdeen players whose night in the pub led to the postponement of their clash with St Johnstone, it’s reality.

Another six Dons stars – who remain, as yet, virus-free – were also on the receiving end of a two-footed, studs up, dignity breaker from Nicola Sturgeon over their weekend hijinks, with the group quickly branded the “Aberdeen eight”.

First things first – let’ s hope those infected come through unscathed.

But these players’ foolishness is as inarguable as their future notoriety is certain.

Their behaviour, in choosing to hit an Aberdeen bar on a Saturday night after a defeat to Rangers, would be questionable under normal circumstances.

In the middle of a global pandemic, it verges on indefensible.

The photos are out there on social media – pubs’ outdoor spaces packed to the gills, queues to get in, no heed paid to social distancing.

Frankly, why anybody would want to be there is a mystery.

St Johnstone should have been facing the Dons today at Mcdiarmid Park.

They have been dignified, which is to their credit, but had they called for the SPFL to award them the three points from today’s fixture, rather than accept it being rescheduled for August 20, they would have been well within their rights.

They have effectively been punished for the poor decisions of a group of Aberdeen players.

Should any more test positive – and should further games fall by the wayside – the entirety of Scottish football could end up counting the cost.