PL clubs 'to provide lists of players in isolation' as covid-19 crisis escalates

The Premier League has sent a seven-point plan to club doctors in a bid to combat coronavirus — and warned players who disregard advice and leave the country that football will go on without them should they be unable to return.

A memo seen by Sportsmail from the top flight’s medical adviser outlines a number of measures club doctors should adopt to ensure players are looked after.

They have been told that players should be strongly advised not to go abroad — not only because of Government advice but also because the league want to avoid a situation where players are unable to re-enter the country when matches resume.

Should that be the case, the competition will ‘not consider the postponement of a match as a result of one or more players either being unable to re-enter the UK due to travel restrictions or self-isolating as a result of international travel contrary to this advice’.

That measure was agreed by clubs last week, when the season was put on hold until April 30.

The plan, signed off by medical adviser Mark Gillett, sets out a number of other guidelines. Clubs are told to ‘risk stratify’ staff to ensure high-risk groups are not exposed to avoidable sources of infection.

Players are also told to identify which of their friends and relatives are likely to be in a higher risk group and to minimise risk accordingly.

Training-ground contact and activity should be minimal, the memo adds, with home-based fitness programmes encouraged.

Club medical staff have also been asked to keep a register of players in isolation and update the league on a weekly basis.