IPL 2021: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has confirmed that it will not be able to organise COVID-19 vaccination for Virat Kohli & Co, who are busy with the ongoing series between India and England, and also others involved in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021. According to a release by the Indian cricket board, said until most of the population is vaccinated and immune to the SARS-CoV-2 virus, precautions will have to be taken to minimise the risk.
“The vaccination program against COVID-19 is underway in India and vaccines are currently being administered to the at-risk population viz. front-line workers, health care professionals, people over the age of 60 years and those between the ages of 45-59 years who have comorbidities like cardiac ailments, diabetes, cancer, etc. Until most of the population is vaccinated and immune to the SARS-CoV-2 virus, precautions will need to be taken to contain the spread of COVID-19 in the community,” Cricbuzz reported.
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Furthermore, the players who are part of the Indian and England squad have been advised to directly join their respective franchises bio-bubble to avoid quarantine. If someone exits the bio-bubble, he will have to go under a seven days quarantine before they join the rest of the squad.
IPL 2021: Mandatory quarantine for IPL team owners
The IPL team owners will have to serve the seven-day quarantine before meeting their team.
Moreover, the BCCI officials and operations teams will not be part of any bubble. Therefore, they will not be allowed to interact in person with any player, team support staff, match management teams and broadcast crews.
IPL 2021: No danger of virus from cricket balls
The BCCI informed that the chances of transmission of the virus via cricket ball is low. However, the cricket board also clarified that players will not be allowed to apply saliva to the ball.
“New scientific study of cricket balls as potential vectors of the novel coronavirus showed the risk of transmission to be very low. If the cricket ball goes in the stands or outside the stadium, the 4th umpire will provide a replacement from the library of cricket balls. The previous ball when returned will be sanitized with alcohol-based wipes and/or UV-C by the 4th umpire and placed in the library,” Cricbuzz reported.