SA vs Ind: Close contacts of COVID-19 positive member won't be sent to isolation, to continue playing
Dec 22, 2021
New Delhi [India], December 22 : Cricket South Africa (CSA) chief medical officer Dr Shuaib Manjra on Wednesday clarified that if there are any positive COVID-19 cases within India or South Africa's camp midway during the upcoming series, the close contacts will continue to play and they would not be sent into isolation.
He also said that all the members involved in the series will undergo symptom screening and COVID-19 testing daily, and the tour will proceed as planned. India and South Africa will lock horns in three Tests and three ODIs. The first Test will begin on December 26 at the SuperSport Park, Centurion.
"There is an agreed medical protocol between Cricket South Africa (CSA) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Considering that everyone within the bio-secure environments (BSE) and the broader cricket ecosystem will be vaccinated, any positive case will isolate within their designated hotel room if clinically stable, or an alternate space within the hotel. They will remain under the care of their respective team doctors. Any contacts (close or incidental) will continue playing and training with non-pharmaceutical interventions strictly observed," the CSA provided Manjra's statement to ANI.
"All team members will undergo symptom screening and COVID-19 testing daily, and the tour will proceed as planned. Hotel staff have been living in their respective BSE's for at least seven days prior to the arrival of both teams and have tested on a daily basis prior to the arrival of the teams," he added.
COVID-19 variant Omicron was first detected in South Africa in late November. The World Health Organisation designated it a "variant of concern" due to an exceptionally high number of mutations.
"In order to promote a happy and comfortable BSE for the teams, CSA has ensured that the hotels that the teams are staying in have large outdoor spaces that allow for safe recreational activities and have allowed teams to travel with their families," said Manjra.
The Test series between India and South Africa will form part of the new cycle of the ICC World Test Championship. The updated schedule is as follows: First Test will take place from December 26-30 at the SuperSport Park, Centurion; Second Test will take place from January 3-7, 2022, at the Wanderers, Johannesburg; Third Test will take place from January 11-15, 2022, at the Newlands, Cape Town.
The first ODI will take place on January 19, 2022, at the Boland Park, Paarl; Second ODI will take place on January 21, 2022, at the Boland Park, Paarl; Third ODI will take place on January 23, 2022, at the Newlands, Cape Town.
