Arsenal Football Club is set to introduce stricter Covid-19 protocols after several staff members test positive for Covid-19.
With no players having been affected by the outbreak yet, so the Gunners’ Premier League meeting with West Ham on Wednesday evening is expected to go ahead as planned albeit stiff measures to curb any spread of the virus.
As reported by the Athletic, a “small number” of training ground staff returned the positive tests on Monday and the club is beefing up safety measures as a result. From now on players will be tested in their cars before being permitted to join the training.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta. | PHOTO: Getty Images |
Arsenal staff test positive for Covid-19, These measures were first introduced back in the 2019/20 season when football first got back underway after the beginning of the pandemic that affected the entire sporting world. That is not the only thing set to change either.
Last week the Premier League instructed clubs to also re-introduce emergency measures following a spike in cases across England. This includes stricter social distancing at stadiums and training grounds, as well as several other steps to curb the spread of the virus.
Arsenal is the latest top-flight club to report coronavirus issues with Tottenham’s recent games against Rennes and Brighton called off due to a sizeable Covid-19 outbreak.
It is a similar story at Manchester United, with the Red Devils forced to close their Carrington training ground. It is expected that their game against Brentford in midweek will be postponed too.
Arsenal captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. | PHOTO: Guardian |
Aston Villa has also had players test positive in recent times, as have Brighton and Leicester City.
Arsenal will be particularly concerned with the outbreak as they had to deal with a string of coronavirus-enforced absences at the start of the season. Ben White, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette were among those who were ruled out.
Manchester United vs Brentford is the latest game to be postponed by the Premier League after a number of the Red Devils players tested positive for the virus.
With the new Omicron variant now in the UK, tougher measures are needed to control the situation. UK Prime Minister Borris Johnson on Sunday, December 12 revealed that the Omicron variant has so far killed one person in the UK dismissing claims that the variant is a bit mild.
It should be remembered that in 2020, Premier League was suspended for a period of 100 days due to the virus and the League is determined not to go that path again.
Also, Read: Fred gives Rangnick a winning start at Manchester United against Palace.
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