Premier League clubs will not have to quarantine squad if a player tests positive for Covid-19

Premier League clubs are not expected to have to place their squads into a 14-day quarantine period if one of their players tests positive for Covid-19, according to the Government’s latest guidance.

The situation is due to be clarified on Tuesday during a key round of meetings with captains, managers and club doctors before the crucial next stage of Project Restart is voted on by the 20 clubs on Wednesday.

If agreed it could mean that clubs can move into the next phase – so-called ‘contact’ training – from Thursday, initially in smaller ‘clusters’ of two to three players before building up to full team training.

According to Government sources the crucial distinction, which can logically be applied to football and other sports, is that if a worker in a factory contracts coronavirus then the whole factory – or even a section of it – does not close down.

It means that there is, in the way the Government interprets it, a distinction between the people with whom you work and those with whom you live and to whom you are, therefore, in closer proximity and for longer. The nature of the interaction between those two groups is different, it is argued.

What happens if a player tests positive once there has been a return to close contact training has been the biggest unanswered question posed by Step Two of the "elite sporting returning to training guidance" that was released by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport after prolonged consultation late on Sunday evening.

Point seven of the guidelines states: “Due to increased risk of transmission under stage two conditions the Covid-19 officer must have a clear policy of managing a Covid-19 positive individual and abide by Government and PHE (Public Health England) guidelines and reporting requirements.”

Understandably this has led to questions being raised as to whether every player who has had any contact, however minimal, with an individual who tests positive will have to quarantine for 14 days which would clearly have jeopardised plans for football to return and potentially make it unmanageable.

Another important point that could be made is around the lower risk of catching the virus outdoors that has already been raised by the Government’s deputy chief medical officer, Jonathan Van Tam. He has publicly stated it is “categorically clear” being outdoors is safer than being in an enclosed space with people potentially carrying the virus. “It is absolutely a biological truism that outdoor environments are much less risk than indoor environment,” Van Tam, who has been involved in the discussions with players over a return to football, said. Given footballers largely spend time outdoors when they train and play then, again, there is logically a reduced risk than working inside all the time.

Of course it will be argued during the sets of meetings over the next two days that the nature of playing football, and the physical contact involved, is different from other forms of working where social distancing is clearly easier to observe.

However the testing regime, hygiene and social distancing measures and the Government guidelines are designed to help deal with those concerns. The next set of measures will include clubs being told they will need to carry out risk assessments for every training session.

There is also encouragement that from the 1,744 tests carried out so far on Premier League players and staff there have been only eight positives involving five clubs.

It is understood the protocols should a player test positive will be to isolate for seven days and then re-test with the club doctor and Public Health England ascertaining if anybody has been in close contact with the player. If there is a member of staff, such as a masseur, who has worked closely with the player then they will also be isolated but not the whole squad.

If the clubs vote through the Step Two protocols – as it appears they will – then the Premier League will move towards Step Three, which is the return to playing games with a hoped for restart date of June 19 or possibly June 26. These protocols will go out for consultation over the next week or so before being presented to the clubs.

There are two Premier League shareholders meetings this week with a second videoconference on Thursday to discuss the date when the season can restart, with managers pushing for more time, the TV scheduling, the rebates due to broadcasters and what should happen if the season is curtailed.