In all seriousness, I hope our players and all of you that regularly comment on this forum are well despite everything that's going on.
We're starting to move beyond one or two games being postponed, so I do wonder if we will get a temporary shutdown to maintain integrity of the league. We've already seen the mess it made in the Europa Conference League with Spurs. Infection rates are rapidly climbing, meaning people won't be able to play/coach/officiate even if they're not very unwell. Related to that, will the AFCON be able to happen if rates continue to climb in southern Africa, the UK, and elsewhere in Europe?
Every year we get moans about a winter break, the ideal one for players and families would be over Christmas and New Year Perfect time now to postpone league football until the New Year, play the first round of the FA cup and then restart league football, to ease congestion make FA games a one off decided on penalties if necessary Surely professional footballers could play two games a week for a couple of months
Home Premier League Statement: Burnley v Watford Date: 15/12/2021 By: Watford FC Staff MATCH DASHBOARD please log in to view this image It is with regret the Premier League Board has postponed Burnley FC’s home fixture against Watford FC, due to be played this evening (Wednesday 15 December) at 7.30pm. The decision was taken following guidance from medical advisers due to an ongoing COVID-19 outbreak within Watford’s squad. As a result, the club has an insufficient number of First Team players available to fulfil the match. The Premier League understands this decision will disappoint and frustrate fans who were due to attend this evening’s game and apologises for the inconvenience and disruption caused at such short notice. In considering any application to postpone, the Board considers a range of sporting and medical factors. Each decision is taken on a case-by-case basis with everyone’s health of utmost importance In light of the recent rise in COVID-19 cases across the country, the Premier League has reintroduced Emergency Measures. These include protocols such as more frequent testing, wearing face coverings while indoors, observing social distancing and limiting treatment time.
In which case, a side doubt, to the more serious issue at hand. What happens now? As in, how do they get "home?" Most must live in and around Herts / London. What a nightmare.
I had a friend who got covid. He had a close contact with someone, he tested 4 days in a row negative then positive on the 5th day. My (complete) guess is that all the squad tested negative each time but when they flew up a couple tested positive and then on 2nd tests 7 or 8 maybe tested positive having caught it on the trip up. Regardless of that, the whole squad and coaches and anyone else in the group have now to isolate for 10 days whether positive or negative.
Not sure on the isolation bit there, I depends on vaccination status From BBC website... When do I have to self isolate? Across the UK you must self-isolate for 10 days if you: test positive for Covid or have Covid symptoms are waiting for the results of a PCR test after developing Covid symptoms are an adult who has not been double vaccinated, who lives with someone who tests positive (or who has Covid symptoms) are an adult who has not been double vaccinated, who has been identified as a close contact of someone who has tested positive What are the rules for contacts? If you're a double-vaccinated contact of a positive case, the rules vary depending on where you live: England If you are double vaccinated and come into contact with a person with Covid (all variants), you should take daily lateral flow tests (LFTs) for seven days, whatever your age. The tests should be taken from the day you're notified by NHS Test and Trace, and the results should be reported online or by calling 119. If one of the lateral flow tests is positive, you'll need to self-isolate and take a PCR test to verify the result. If the PCR is positive, you must self-isolate for 10 days from the day you took the positive LFT or developed symptoms. Even if the lateral flow tests are negative, you are "strongly advised" to limit contact with others. The government has temporarily suspended the ability to order LFTs onlineamid high demand.
What was sad for those that travelled, turned into some joy for others. please log in to view this image
Reading that has confused me, as I never realised there were different types of tests / rules. So, are the players locked in their hotel in Burnley for 10 days? Or, what happens to them? Bus it home with the COVIDers at the back, some plastic seperating OKers and COVIDers? Or the COVIDers in with the luggage below? Two very Mexican solutions there, but, i can't see any other options. Strange....
