CONFIRMATION OF POSITIVE TESTS: 6 August 2020

CONFIRMATION OF POSITIVE TESTS

The Joint Response Group has been informed that Aberdeen FC has returned two preliminary positive tests for COVID-19 among its playing squad. One player has now been confirmed as a positive by a follow-up National Health Service test, while the second player is awaiting the result of a follow-up NHS test.

In light of the First Minister’s increased restrictions imposed on the city of Aberdeen since a significant outbreak of COVID-19 this week, and following further investigation by NHS Grampian’s Health Protection Team, the Scottish Government has instructed that both players will require to self-isolate, along with a further six players found to have been in close proximity to the initial positive player.

The initial positive player will require to self-isolate for 10 days from yesterday, with the remaining seven players to self-isolate for 14 days from yesterday. This instruction for self-isolation has been unanimously endorsed by the Joint Response Group. In light of the action taken, and after consultation with Scottish Government, Aberdeen’s Scottish Premiership match against St Johnstone on Saturday will go ahead as scheduled.

Rod Petrie, Joint Response Group Chair: “As we have said from the outset, public health is the absolute priority of the Joint Response Group. As soon as we were informed of the positive tests, the information was immediately referred to the Scottish Government via our Chief Medical Consultant. Given the well-documented outbreak in Aberdeen it was imperative that we took the swiftest action to enable the local Health Protection Team to respond immediately. The Scottish Government’s advice to the JRG was clear and unequivocal, as was our support of that advice. Given the circumstances, we issue the strongest possible message to all clubs to ensure compliance with the twice-weekly testing procedure and Scottish football’s Return to Playing Protocol. It is imperative that everyone adheres to Scottish Government public health advice.”