Get up to speed with the latest news coming out of Premier League as new COVID rules and protocols are placed into action to combat the Omicron variant
The new Omnicron variant has crawled its way into the Premier League and the responsible authorities have enforced some new protocols to prevent the outbreak from spreading further. This does not mean that the matches will be played behind ‘closed doors’, Premier League will curb the existing laws to ensure safety.
Manchester United confirm that their Premier League match at Brentford on Tuesday will be postponed following a COVID-19 outbreak at the club. pic.twitter.com/7qhMIFaFUO
— B/R Football (@brfootball) December 14, 2021
Premier League 2021-22 COVID-19 Omicron Variant Cases And Positive Players
Premier League reported in a statement that 42 tests out of the 3805 have returned positive involving players and staff. Meanwhile, teams are facing a whole different challenge of keeping the players fit and protecting them from Covid. Many teams are suffering from the absence of crucial players due to injuries or Covid restrictions.
Official statement from the Premier League stated that-
“The safety of everybody is a priority and the Premier League is taking all precautionary steps in light of the recent rise in COVID-19 cases across the country.cThe League has reverted to its Emergency Measures and will increase the frequency of both Lateral Flow and PCR COVID-19 testing of players and staff.”
Many games were called-off at the last minute which included Brentford’s match against Man United, Tottenham’s Conference League game, and many others due to the sudden outbreak of Covid. Therefore, the Premier League is now solely focused on controlling the spread of the disease through new sets of laws.
Covid-19 Test Results So Far This Season
2 Aug-8 Aug – 3,118 tested; 9 positive
9 Aug-15 Aug -3,231 tests; 11 positive
16 Aug-22 Aug -3,060 tests; 16 positive
23 Aug-29 Aug -3,020 tests; six positive
30 Aug-5 Sep -1,952 tests; two positive
6 Sep-12 Sep -3,039 tests; three positive
13 Sep-19 Sep -3,154 tests; two positive
20 Sep-26 Sep -3,010 tests; one positive
27 Sep-3 Oct -2,927 tests; four positive
4 Oct-10 Oct -1,696 tests; zero positive
11 Oct-17 Oct -3,044 tests; six positive
18 Oct-24 Oct -3,209 tests; four positive
25-31 Oct -3,006 tests; four positive
1-7 Nov -2,953 tests; three positive
8-14 Nov- 1,647 tests; four positive
15-21 Nov- 3,188 tests; six positive
22-28 Nov -3,379 tests; seven positive
29 Nov-5 Dec -3,154 tests; 12 positive
Premier League 2021 Regulations: New Covid Rules, Testing, Guidelines, News And Safety Protocols
Premier League has laid down new laws to ensure the safety of the fans and players following a sudden outbreak of the disease.
What are the restrictions for fans?
All the fans are requested to submit the double-vaccination certificate or a negative test result before entering the stadium. Meanwhile, a few clubs are providing a Covid pass that will contain your vaccination certificate and tests will be carried out at the venue.
It is a shame that Premier League is pushing for the fans to be present in the stadium when the danger is looming. It just shows that the economical side of the game is getting affected and the league needs to generate revenue.
Temporary Shutdown?
Many sources have claimed that Premier League could be called-off if the situation becomes critical, but authorities have ensured that if the fans follow all the protocols, Premier League will go on. It will be interesting to see what happens in the next few days as the new Omicron variant showcases its wrath. Meanwhile, Premier League is working with the government authorities and are following all the safety measures to ensure safety.
Push For Vaccination
Premier League has made it mandatory for the fans to provide a vaccination certificate but has still not urged all the players to get vaccinated. The current situation is worrisome as nobody knows the exact data of vaccines administered to the players. Premier League should urge all the players to get vaccinated in order to contain the spread.
Postponement Procedure And Postponed Games
Many teams and coaches are upset with the timing of this decision as the fans travel a long way to catch the glimpse of their favorite superstars, and postponing the game could hurt the royalty of the clubs. This also means that the fans could be outraged and might not buy tickets.
Manchester United’s clash against Brentford was postponed at midnight which was a desperate move by the Premier League. Therefore, managers are requesting clarity over this situation as to when the matches will be called-off.