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Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
THE head of Zifa and Premier Soccer League (PSL) medical committees Dr Edward Chagonda has warned fans that they risk being kept out of stadia if they continue to flagrantly flout Covid-19 protocols.

Chagonda said they have noted with concern that most fans that attended Castle Lager PSL matchday two games disregarded Covid-19 preventive measures such as wearing of masks and social distancing once they found their way into the stadium.

Social distancing, which is the practice of maintaining a greater than usual physical distance, such as a metre or more, from other people or avoiding direct contact with people or objects in public places, is said to be quintessential in flattening the curve during outbreaks of contagious diseases like Covid-19.

The SRC gave fans the green light to return to the stadia on condition that they present Covid-19 vaccination certificates, sanitise, maintain social distancing and wear face masks covering nose and mouth all the time while in the stadium.

Chagonda pleaded with fans to preserve the gains that have been made to ensure that football matches are not super spreaders by being responsible.

“The behaviour of some fans in stadia got us worried and the only thing we have to do now is to emphasise the need to be responsible because Covid-19 is still around. This behaviour of ignoring social distancing and masking up can’t be tolerated. What football fans must know is that their actions determine if they continue coming to the stadium to watch their teams or not,” said Chagonda.

“This is not a threat. If people don’t reform and continue to act as if things are normal, there’s a risk that fans will again not be allowed into the stadium, which is not good for football.

“Football needs fans and in the wake of a threat of an outbreak of a fourth wave, we’re appealing to fans to play ball by being responsible, maintain social distancing, sanitise and keep their masks on throughout the match until they get home. That way, they’ll minimise the risk of transmission, as we want football to be played in a safe space,” he said.

He said fatigue might have crept into some people, who had been religiously following Covid-19 protocols.
Chagonda emphasised that the problem of not maintaining social distance and wearing masks appropriately was not only peculiar to football fans in a stadium, but generally among the citizens in public places.

“Let’s progress as a country, be mature and be responsible. This attitude of relaxing is everywhere. People are behaving as if there’s no Covid-19, maybe because of fatigue, since this has gone on for about two years, but we have to conquer that fatigue.  Let’s conscientise each other, be our brother’s

keeper and let football be safe,” said Chagonda. He also appealed to fans to get to the stadia early for matches to avoid congestion at turnstiles and make it easy for compliance officers to control the situation with minimal delays. – @ZililoR.