Football benefits from a ‘circuit breaker’ due to Covid outbreak-Byard

have tested positive for Covid-19 as well as

Paul Lambert

which resulted in postponing Monday’s League One clash against

and December 29’s battle with

.

The statement of the club announced that Lee O’Neill has most recently tested positive.

Ipswich physio

Matt Byard

was expecting more than five players to be affected by the virus and said: “

Personally, with so many clubs affected by this presently and this new strain development, football may benefit from a ‘circuit breaker’ before a return to playing securely

.”

Among the other clubs that have put their matches off because of positive tests are Peterborough and Sunderland.

Byard said: “

We have only had two cases here in nine months (Kayden Jackson and Matt Gill) so to get seven in one week is alarming.

“I have looked at every avenue and the only scenario for transmission has to be our match against Burton last week and because it seems to have been passed on in a matchday environment, it is confirmation of a new development.

“We are doing things the right way. We always have done.

“This new strain of the virus clearly transmits far quicker than the original Covid strain and we have the data and symptom profile that confirms that is what we are dealing with here.

“We have tested all the playing and coaching staff and from the results, we can detect the level of infection and see the patterns emerging, however it’s the speed of the transmission that tells us it’s the new strain.

“We will be re-testing all the staff on Wednesday who have previously tested negative and I do have concerns that there will be more positive cases.

“We have been complimented by the EFL for the procedures we have had in place at the training ground and on matchday – and that is one of the reasons they have become very concerned over the latest developments.

“I know the EFL are looking at bringing in extra measures, with maybe more testing for example. I have always supported routine testing to secure a return to playing programme.

“Personally, with so many clubs affected by this presently and this new strain development, football may benefit from a ‘circuit breaker’ before a return to playing securely.”

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