CHURCHES, lunch clubs and more have been hit by coronavirus closures as organisations across the country work to safeguard the public.

Worshippers in several communities have been advised to look online for updates and to watch services over Covid-19 disruption.

Services were cancelled in Coatbridge, North Lanarkshire, after a young member of the congregation at St Augustine’s Roman Catholic Church tested positive for the illness. The individual had recently attended a large mass there and the building will now undergo a “deep antibacterial clean” to “mitigate any further spread of the virus among our parishioners”, according to Rev Fr Michael Kane, who advised members of the church to follow parish updates online.

And St Andrews Free Church in Fife announced it will move to livestreamed services over health concerns.

The Free Church of Scotland also advised members of the public “who can’t manage church” to visit the web services of Smithton Church in Inverness as an alternative to Sunday morning meetings.

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The moves come after the Scottish Government urged event organisers to cancel large gatherings from today. Although the devolved administration does not have the power to cancel events, it has issued new guidance asking that events involving 500 or more people are cancelled or postponed. That advice will remain in place indefinitely until the public health situation changes.

Comedian Janey Godley apologised to fans yesterday after two of her upcoming performances were postponed. More than 3000 people had been due to attend the gigs at the King’s Theatre in Glasgow as part of the annual Glasgow International Comedy Festival (GICF), which says all of its large-scale events are now off, pending new dates.

Godley told fans: “Your health is more important at this time.” And a GICF spokesperson said: “For shows that have been postponed, we will announce the new date as soon as it is confirmed. We thank everyone for their patience and understanding while we reschedule.”

On Friday the Scottish Professional Football League and Scottish Football Association announced all games have been suspended “until further notice”, along with all non-league and grassroots football. And several universities have told students to log in to lectures from home instead of heading to classrooms.

The Glasgow-based Royal Conservatoire of Scotland is amongst those to switch to remote learning and has cancelled all performances until further notice.

Principal Jeffrey Sharkey said: “I appreciate this is an unprecedented and anxious time for everyone and it is important that we work together as a supporting and connected community taking care of each other.”

Charities have also been affected, with the Glasgow Kiltwalk fundraiser now cancelled. It had been due to take place on April 24 and organisers said they would seek a new date “as soon as it is safe to do so”.

Meanwhile, West Dunbartonshire organisation Food For Thought said it will not run its twice-per-week community lunches “until further notice”. However, it will still dispense emergency food rations from its Dumbarton base, stating: “We have today finalised plans to ensure we are complying with national health advice and also being able to service those in our community who are living in poverty and in need of our service.”