Ashes 2021 LIVE: Fresh COVID-19 scare- A new COVID-19 case among broadcasters has once again put the Ashes on the edge. A Journalist, who interviewed England’s Dawid Malan, tested positive. The Australian’s Peter Lalor reported an unidentified BBC staff member tested positive creating chaos for the media. Follow Ashes 2021 LIVE updates on InsideSport.IN
Ashes 2021 LIVE: Fresh COVID-19 scare as a journalist who interviewed Dawid Malan tests positive- Follow LIVE updates
“Reports a member of the visiting media has tested positive to Covid 19. People scrambling to see what this means for broadcast and print,” wrote Peter Lalor, a renown Cricket Journalist based in Australia.
What comes as a big relief, the journalist was wearing a mask during the interview. The local broadcaster ABC staff have been asked to stay in the hotel as the officials await COVID-19 reports of other broadcast crew. Commentators from other networks have been asked to stay in their hotels until the situation gets clearer.
“It sounds like anyone who was in the BBC box yesterday is being told to isolate. Waiting to hear more. Talk that ABC and BBC might have to call game off site,” Lalor added.
It sounds like anyone who was in the BBC box yesterday is being told to isolate. Waiting to hear more.
Talk that ABC and BBC might have to call game off site.
https://t.co/ApSUinkwiE— Peter Lalor (@plalor) December 19, 2021
“We have been advised that a member of a broadcast crew has returned a positive COVID result as part of their scheduled testing,” an Adelaide Oval spokesperson said in a statement.
“SA Health are aware and we have begun to trace and notify this person’s close contacts.
“In accordance with our pre- planning we are undertaking a deep clean of the relevant areas and are facilitating alternative facilities for relevant officials as required.”
Meanwhile, England & Australia cricketers are barred from eating out in restaurants after Pat Cummins was found to be in close contact with a COVID patient and ruled out of Adelaide Test. The new measures are part of stringent COVID rules but the players will avoid hotel quarantine. Cricket Australia has taken the step to lessen the chance of COVID positive cases as players are susceptible to missing matches if they are in close contact with COVID patients.
England’s former batter Kevin Pietersen, meanwhile, took to Twitter to react on the new case amongst broadcasters.
“Covid in the press box. Covid in the broadcasting team. Covid already got the Aus captain. I’ll be v v surprised if the Ashes finishes!” Pietersen wrote.
https://twitter.com/KP24/status/1472545157916631050?s=20
Everyone needs to be extra vigilant over COVID-19: Nick Hockley
Cricket Australia Chief Executive Nick Hockley has called on fans to respect social distancing and other COVID-19 protocols in the wake of the incident that ruled Australia captain Pat Cummins out of the second Ashes Test.
“Everyone now needs to be extra vigilant because we’ve had a very high-profile case of disruption,” Hockley told SEN radio.
“That’s where we need to make sure there’s social distancing, so we ask everyone to be respectful in the public.
“That’s the real shame because what we have seen is players wanting to interact with fans.
“But we’ve now got very clear protocols. As it comes to those on the field of play we need to make sure that people are operating in a really biosecure way.”
The emergence of the Omicron variant has seen COVID-19 cases on the rise in Melbourne and Sydney and, with the cities due to host the next two Ashes Tests, players will also be asked to exercise additional caution.
“We’re always on high alert,” Hockley said.
“I think it’s a wake-up call for everyone across the game. It’s a wake-up call for sport. It’s not unique to sport in Australia or around the globe. We’re seeing a fair bit of disruption.
“The decisions now we need to make within the protocols are making sure that when out in public the players are out in small groups, so we’re not taking out a whole team (with COVID) and that people are generally in outdoor settings, we’re socially distancing, and all those sorts of things.
“It’s our clear protocols supported by a really healthy dose of common sense.”
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Ashes 2021 LIVE: Fresh COVID-19 scare as a journalist who interviewed Dawid Malan tests positive- Follow LIVE updates
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(with inputs from Reuters)
