Lahiru Thirimanne and Joe Root
The new strain of COVID-19 that has hit the United Kingdom will not jeopardise England's upcoming tour of Sri Lanka even though the development is a cause of concern, the country's cricket board (SLC) said on Tuesday.
Sri Lanka Cricket's (SLC) medical team feels that the tour starting January 14 is on schedule but additional COVID-19 protocols might be enforced for the visitors either before leaving their country or after arriving here.
According to a report in ESPNcricinfo, SLC's medical team is expected to hold discussions with their English counterparts on Tuesday on the matter. "I don't think we should (look at the new strain as something that jeopardises the tour)," said Sri Lankan team's doctor Dr Daminda Attanayake.
"Yes, anxiety is high at this stage from everybody. But when you look at the scientific evidence, I don't think we should stop it. We might have to take extra precautions, but we don't need to stop the tour."
As per the current itinerary, the England squad is scheduled to fly to Sri Lanka on a chartered flight on January 2. After their arrival here, the tourists would be required to undergo a three-day isolated quarantine, and will only begin their training after testing negative.
The English players will mingle with their Sri Lankan counterparts only after 10 days. "When they come in they will not be in contact with my local people or the local providers, and they will be in quarantine. I don't see why we need to restrict them coming," Dr Attanayake said.
"(The new strain) will be discussed and we'll have to discuss how they come, and whether they will getting into a bio-secure bubble before they come, and before they get into their chartered flight. However, the protocols we follow when they are in the country, we are not going to amend."
