Protocols must be strictly observed – Safa medical officer on Cosafa Cup hosting during third wave

Safa promise strict Covid protocols for Cosafa Cup

JOHANNESBURG, June 23 (ANA) – While South Africa battles its third wave of Covid-19 infections, the SA Football Association (Safa) says everything will be done to ensure the bio-secure environment of the Cosafa Cup next month.

The Cosafa Cup runs from July 6 to 18 in Nelson Mandela Bay, and as of Tuesday South Africa was recording 11 787 new Covid-19 cases per day on a seven-day average.

Safa’s chief medical officer Thulani Ngwenya said: “We are in the third wave, so it means our protocols must be strictly adhered to. Everyone that will be coming into the bio-secure environment will have to produce a negative Covid-19 certificate. That includes players, team officials, Cosafa staff and all volunteers.

Ngwenya added that at the end of the group stages, everyone that remains will have to have a second round of tests. There will be four rounds of testing in all.

“We cannot exceed 100 people at the venues, which includes the teams, broadcasters, medical personal and everybody involved on match-day.

“We will make sure everyone is adhering to the protocols. People showing symptoms of Covid-19 will be isolated and will be tested. The isolation period is 10 days, and after that they can be tested again to come back into the bio-secure environment.”

eSwatini and Lesotho will kick-off the tournament at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, on July 6, before hosts South Africa meet Botswana at the same venue later in the day.

Due to Covid-19 restrictions, all matches will be played without fans behind closed doors, while the limit on the number of people that can be on site at the venues means there will be no media present either. – African News Agency (ANA), Editing by Michael Sherman