England's ENTIRE one-day cricket squad is forced into isolation as three players and four staff test positive - as Sajid Javid is set to unveil plans to end quarantine chaos with double-jabbed Britons 'treated in a different way'
- Covid-19 swept through the England camp following series against Sri Lanka
- Three players and four management staff have tested positive for the virus
- Entire white ball team will have to isolate, plunging Pakistan series into chaos
- However, show will go on with Ben Stokes to captain an entirely new side
- England are set to play Pakistan in three one day and three T20 fixtures in July
- Ex-England captain Michael Vaughan questioned why the Scotland football team wasn't required to isolate after Billy Gilmour's positive test at Euro 2020
- It comes amid debate over whether double vaccinated people should still have to isolate if pinged by the NHS Covid app
England's entire one-day cricket team has been forced to self-isolate after a Covid outbreak in the camp.
Three players and four management staff contracted the virus after a one-day match against Sri Lanka at Bristol on Sunday.
An investigation is now being launched amid claims that Covid protocols were breached in the lead up to the outbreak.
It comes as Sajid Javid today announced plans that could see an end to double jabbed Britons having to self-isolate.
Yesterday Boris Johnson said the Government would relax almost all of England's Covid rules on July 19 - dubbed 'Freedom Day'.
But Mr Johnson suggested periods of self-isolation would have to continue beyond that date.
However, Health Secretary Mr Javid today said the rules could be relaxed for those who have been fully vaccinated, and vowed to reveal plans later today.
The outbreak in the England squad means the whole 16-man squad and their management team, led by stand-in coach Paul Collingwood, will be forced to isolate for 10 days and will be out of the three-match one-day series against Pakistan, including a second game that is due to be staged in front of a full house at Lord's on Saturday.
England had named an unchanged squad for the three-match ODI series against Pakistan from the one that defeated Sri Lanka 2-0 over the last few days.
Captained by Eoin Morgan, it included experienced figures such as Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Jason Roy, Joe Root, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood and Adil Rashid.
Other players in the squad were Tom Banton, Sam Billings, Sam Curran, Tom Curran, Liam Dawson, George Garton, Liam Livingstone and David Willey. All will now enter isolation.
The first-choice players will almost certainly miss the three T20 games that follow too but coach Chris Silverwood, who was on his first break since becoming England supremo, will also rush back to take charge again now.
It means Stokes will have to come to England's rescue ahead of schedule following his return from a broken finger, with captain Morgan among those ruled out.
News of the England team's isolation comes as:
- Sajid Javid warned Covid cases could top 100,000 a day by August as he prepares to relax test and trace isolation for double-jabbed and even Professor Lockdown says he is 'optimistic' PM's Freedom Day 'gamble' will work;
- It was revealed that school 'bubbles' will be axed from July 19 just days before the end of term with pupils told to take daily tests if a classmate is positive;
- A study found that Pfizer vaccine efficacy has dropped in Israel amid rapid spread of Indian variant... but No10 insists two doses are still highly effective;
- It was revealed the Duchess of Cambridge 'was told personally she had been in close contact with Covid sufferer after taking her seat in the royal box at Wimbledon and left immediately'
England's white ball summer has been thrown into disarray after three players and four staff members tested positive for Covid-19
It comes as Sajid Javid today announced plans that could see an end to double jabbed Britons having to self-isolate
Only on Monday Morgan said Stokes would not be rushed and was almost certainly out of the white-ball international summer, with England protecting him ahead of the marquee Test series against India next month. Now all that has changed.
And a new 50-over team will be named on Tuesday, which could give opportunities to fringe players like Joe Clarke and Ben Duckett.
But even though England need a whole new squad they are unlikely to go back to Alex Hales, whose exile is set to continue.
The incredible news broke today when England announced that the rules had been broken and Covid had found its way into the white-ball camp following their demolition of Sri Lanka in six low-key T20 and 50-over matches.
So the strict ECB bio-secure bubbles that were so rigidly observed last year and led to the salvation of the international programme have been breached this time in the most spectacular manner and the implications are huge for England cricket.
But it is now back to the drawing board for the selectors as an entirely new squad is found for the Pakistan series.
The Covid isolation in the England cricket squad came just a couple of weeks after Scotland footballer Billy Gilmour tested positive for the virus at the European Championship but the rest of their squad played on.
Gilmour, 20, picked up the virus after Scotland's 0-0 draw with England at Wembley during the group stages.
England players Mason Mount and Ben Chilwell were forced into isolation because they'd been in close contact with Gilmour in the Wembley tunnel.
Yet no Scottish player was identified as a close contact and so no isolation was required.
Former England cricket captain Michael Vaughan pointed out the discrepancy in an Instagram video in the wake of the news today: 'Can someone explain to me how Billy Gilmour tests positive and not one member of the Scotland team has to isolate. Three England cricketers test positive and the whole squad's gone. Gone. How bizarre.'
The first ODI match is scheduled for Cardiff this Thursday with the tour then moving on to Lord's on Saturday and Edgbaston next Tuesday.
Three T20 internationals are then scheduled on July 16, 18 and 20 at Trent Bridge, Headingley and Old Trafford respectively.
The T20 matches form part of England's vital preparation for the World Cup, which is set to be staged in the United Arab Emirates in October and November.
England's Jason Roy, one member of the squad forced to isolate, had posted a picture of his vaccination certificate on Monday
Pakistan's players are pictured in training ahead of their white ball tour of England this month
Tom Harrison, ECB Chief Executive Officer, said in a statement: 'We have been mindful that the emergence of the Delta variant, along with our move away from the stringent enforcement of bio secure environments, could increase the chances of an outbreak.
'We made a strategic choice to try to adapt protocols, in order to support the overall wellbeing of our players and management staff who have spent much of the last 14 months living in very restricted conditions.
'Overnight we have worked swiftly to identify a new squad, and we are grateful to Ben Stokes who will return to England duties to Captain.
'We also recognise the impact this news will have on our First Class Counties and their Men's playing squads and thank them, along with our partners Sky and Royal London, for their ongoing support in dealing with this pandemic.'
It comes as Sajid Javid today said Britons who have been double jabbed 'can be treated differently' in terms of self-isolation.
The new Health Secretary suggested there could be new rules for fully vaccinated Britons come into contact with a person who has been infected with Covid.
Currently, people are required to self-isolate for 10 days if they are deemed to be a 'close contact' with an infected case.
But, speaking to Good Morning Britain today, Mr Javid said: 'The vaccines do mean we can take a more proportionate and balanced approach to the test and trace system.
'And that does mean those who are double jabbed can be treated in a different way.'
However, the Health Secretary did not give any more details, saying he would make an announcement in Parliament later today.
Close contacts who have the NHS Test and Trace app are notified when they have been deemed a 'close contact' of someone who has tested positive for Covid.
For those who don't the guidance involves anyone who lives with a person who has become infected with Covid, anyone who has had a face-to-face talk within a meter of a person who has been infected with Covid, or someone who has been within two metres of an infected person for more than 15 minutes.
However, in another round of interviews, Mr Javid today admitted coronavirus cases could top 100,000 a day by August as the government pushes ahead with 'Freedom Day' - but insisted the 'wall of protection' from vaccines can hold.
The Health Secretary gave the grim figure as he insisted Boris Johnson is right to continue with the dramatic unlocking on July 19, saying the hospitalisations and deaths were what mattered.
The PM was also given a boost this morning as 'Professor Lockdown' Neil Ferguson said he is 'optimistic' the 'gamble' of releasing restrictions will work - although he cautioned that cases could hit 200,000 a day and they might need to be reimposed if vaccines are slightly less effective than hoped and deaths surge.
Boris Johnson (right) was given a boost this morning as 'Professor Lockdown' Neil Ferguson (left) said he is 'optimistic' the 'gamble' of releasing restrictions will work
As well as the threat of severe illness, that scale of infections could cause chaos as people are 'pinged' by test and trace and forced to self-isolate.
However, in a round of interviews, Mr Javid revealed that he will be unveiling plans today to allow people who are double-jabbed to sidestep the isolation rules and do daily tests instead. Government insiders have raised doubts about whether the system can be in place for July 19.
Education Secretary Gavin Williamson is also due to set out proposals for scrapping school 'bubble' rules that have been causing huge numbers to stay away from classes.
Mr Javid said that by 'Freedom Day' he expects daily cases to reach 50,000 - nearly double the current level.
'As we ease and go into the summer we expect them to rise significantly and they could go as high as 100,000 case numbers,' he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.
'We want to be very straightforward about this... but what matters more than anything is hospitalisation and death numbers. That is where the link has been severely weakened.'
Last night Mr Johnson signalled a 'big bang' end to lockdown on July 19, saying it was now or never for a return to normality despite the pandemic being 'far from over'.
He claimed further delay would run the risk of trying to reopen in autumn or winter when 'the virus has an edge'.
And at a sombre Downing Street press conference, Mr Johnson warned against going 'demob happy' at the ending of most coronavirus restrictions on July 19.
And he toned down previous pledges that the path out of lockdown would be 'irreversible' – with restrictions potentially returning. A final decision on whether to press ahead on July 19 will be taken at the start of next week but seems almost certain to be approved.
Dropping the curbs will mean the end of all legal limits on socialising, which have wrecked family gatherings for 16 months, and the scrapping of social distancing rules that have hobbled pubs, restaurants and the arts.
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