Luton Town have changed their Christmas party plans amid to the emergence of the new Omicron variant of Covid-19, but boss Nathan Jones says his squad is currently free from coronavirus, as football waits to hear the impact of potential new restrictions.
Tottenham are one of the high-profile clubs to have been hit with an outbreak of cases, with eight players and five staff testing positive, while Prime Minister Boris Johnson last night announced fresh curbs that could hit Championship attendances amid the growing a rise in coronavirus cases.
But as the Hatters prepare to host league leaders Fulham, Jones has only the regular injury concerns to worry about, with Harry Cornick ruled out with a calf injury.
“Everything’s OK here,” the manager said on whether there are any coronavirus issues in the camp.
“Obviously, we’ve got to be very diligent because of the new variant and it’s the crowding round, hugging season as well, so we’ve got to be very careful.
“We’ve asked everyone to be diligent, we had a Christmas party planned and kind of changed it, it went a little bit more low key, with dinner, so you have to be diligent these days.”
The government announced ‘Plan B’ restrictions last night which will mean that, from December 15 and subject to parliamentary approval, any event with 10,000 or more attendees which require attendees to demonstrate proof of two vaccine doses or proof of a negative lateral flow test to be admitted.
It’s not yet know whether this will affect all Luton Town home games from the Boxing Day clash with Bristol City – as Kenilworth Road’s capacity is just over 10,000 – or whether the Hatters could potentially cap attendance at a maximum of 9,999. But the new measures, if passed by parliament, will affect most Championship clubs.
Asked about the prospect of potential restrictions inside football stadia, Jones said: “I hope not. We’ve managed to get to this point in controlling the virus. There’s a new variant, which we’re very aware of, but if people have Covid passports or if people do lateral flow tests, then they can be let into grounds, so there’s no reason why it shouldn’t be (full capacity).
“We have to live with this virus because it’s mutating constantly. So if we constantly shut down things, then we’re going to have a fearful world of Covid running it.
“If people run it and they think about it, and they’re sensible in the things they do, then there’s a way we can do this, but humans have to be sensible as well.
“The last thing we need is another lockdown or shut things down, because it’s not needed. Yeah, it’s growing and there are a few more cases, but we have to learn to control that.
“I don’t know the numbers but I’m not sure it’s as potent in terms of deaths, especially with the vaccine getting rolled out. I think it’s something we have to live with.”
Asked if there’s an onus on Luton Town players to get vaccinated, Jones added: “It’s the individual’s choice, we can’t force anyone to do that, it’s a lifestyle choice.
“We can control a lot about what they do here, in terms of what they eat in and around here, how they train. We advise them on sleep and everything.
“On vaccinations, we can have an in opinion on it, but we never force anyone to do anything, because that’s a lifestyle choice.
“We do encourage very vociferously they don’t smoke and drink alcohol 48 hours before a game and that is something that we will fine them on, but anything else is a lifestyle that they have to find their own path on.
“We know how many (players) have had the first one (vaccination) and had the second one. We do know, but that’s a private matter, it’s not something I’m going to come out and say.
“Iit’s a real touchy subject and some people have an opinion on what it is, and especially with the social media world that we live in at the minute, that can get out and suddenly people can be victimised or criticised, either way.
“So, that’s a private matter and it’s about the individual, not just about what we would like as a club.”
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