It’s far too easy to dismiss the coronavirus pandemic as the flu if one hasn’t been in contact with someone who has Covid-19 symptoms, and as this international football break has shown, the spread of the virus is still prevalent.
Whether the football authorities will take a long, hard look at the ongoing situation is a moot point given that they’re stuck between a rock and a hard place at the moment.
For the economy and the mental health of the football going public, there are valid reasons to keep the game front and centre and indeed to begin to open up football grounds to supporters again.
However, the safety of all concerned still has to come first.
Gareth Bale highlighted the issue once again after giving his Tottenham team-mate, Matt Doherty, a hug after the Wales v Republic of Ireland game, only to find out that the latter then tested positive.
“It’s a slight concern for everybody when you’ve been playing someone and you’re in close contact with them on the field,” he told Sky Sports.
“Maybe you’re not long enough with them to catch it, but you’re a bit wary.
“It’s good news that everyone’s come back and tested negative and now we can just concentrate on the game on Wednesday.”
Despite the weight of public opinion, the ‘new normal’ for football should only be executed once the authorities can be certain that the same won’t cause a new outbreak of the virus.