Despite Curacao going into a Lockdown due to increased instances of positive COVID-19 cases, the CONCACAF World Cup qualifiers for Qatar 2022 are still on schedule.
An emergency meeting took place on Tuesday 23rd March with all Representatives of the National teams currently in Curacao and the Director of Football Operations of the Curacao Football Federation, Hassnah Elhage, where strict new policies and procedures were detailed to ensure the continued smooth running of the Qualifiers.
Diligently, the BVI Squad was already going through a lot of the Health and Safety measures at their camp, but in line with the new demands will be ramping up precautions with the wellbeing of players and staff at the forefront.
Daily supervision of the entire party via temperature guns, social distancing, mask wearing, and constant sanitization will now have an added health questionnaire and visits from Health Department officials along with PCR tests being carried out.
The games are behind closed doors with teams and delegations kept apart, entry to the ground strictly controlled and extra space in the changing areas created to ensure all protocols can be maintained with a minimum of disruption.
“it is serious, and the Island is under great pressure re the latest outbreak of COVID” commented BVI Delegation Manager, Mr. Wendell Nicolls “On arrival here we had put all the necessary protocols in place and transitioning into the new rules from the Curacao Government and FIFA will not be a problem. The guys are in good spirit and ready to play.”
Nicolls was also feeling confident that the team will put up a good showing and any lockdown would not worry them.
“We have been in our bubble since we arrived and have only left the hotel for training purposes. We have an extra bus now to keep the players socially distanced, changed the meal arrangements and will comply with all that we have been asked to.”
The BVI face Guatemala on Saturday 27th March, in a game being shown live on JTV, Channel 55 as well as streamed via their Facebook Page from 6pm and then face St Vincent and the Grenadines on March 30th also at 6pm.