THE SCOTTISH FA and SPFL Joint Response Group (JRG) have announced that this Saturday's Premiership fixture between St Johnstone and Aberdeen will go ahead - despite the Dons missing eight first-team players who have entered quarantine.
News of a positive test for coronavirus from a player at Pittdorie first broke on Thursday afternoon. That player is now self-isolating away from the rest of the squad following a confirmation test by the NHS.
Another member of Derek McInnes' squad has responded positively to a preliminary Covid-19 test and is now awaiting the results of a follow-up.
A further six players have been "in close proximity to the initial positive player" and will now enter a 14-day period of isolation.
Despite the setback, the JRG have made it clear that they expect Saturday's fixture against Saints to go ahead as originally planned at McDiarmid Park.
Rod Petrie, chairman of the JRG, said: "As we have said from the outset, public health is the absolute priority of the Joint Response Group. As soon as we were informed of the positive tests, the information was immediately referred to the Scottish Government via our chief medical consultant.
“Given the well-documented outbreak in Aberdeen it was imperative that we took the swiftest action to enable the local Health Protection Team to respond immediately.
“The Scottish Government’s instruction to the JRG was clear and unequivocal, as was our support of that instruction. Given the circumstances, we issue the strongest possible message to all clubs to ensure compliance with the twice-weekly testing procedure and Scottish football’s Return to Playing Protocol. It is imperative that everyone adheres to Scottish Government public health advice.”
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