Between one health constraint and another, the England squad will have Wembley Stadium full amid the Covid-19 pandemic and still enjoy the benefits of a ‘unique crowd’ in this final stage of the European Cup. Up to 60,000 fans will be in the semi-final against Denmark tomorrow (7), but the Danes can’t go.
The one-fan scenario is the effect of two opposing policies in containing the coronavirus in the UK: one of increased care against delta variableWhich led to a significant increase in cases of COVID-19 virus in the country; The other, not so much. Anyone coming from another country needs to be quarantined, but anyone who is already in London can collect in the thousands in both the semi-finals (6) and tomorrow, as well as in Sunday’s final (11).
In this scenario, the 60,000 fans who will participate in the match against Denmark will be overwhelmingly English. The same applies to the final, especially if England qualify. In practice, the Danes, Italians or Spaniards can only see their choice at Wembley if they have been in the UK for more than ten days – so since before the Euro Round 16, they are two stages behind – and with two negative Covid-19 tests.
In addition to all this, since Brexit, England is no longer part of the European Union, so the exodus of foreigners will already face difficulties even if there is no pandemic in progress.
In addition to the health risks amid an increase in cases, the sporting score of all this is an unusual advantage for England. Of course, the host country tends to have the fans in their favor in any international competition, but the semi-finals and finals at Wembley with a large crowd and no visitors during the pandemic add to this advantage. The Euro is played in 11 stadiums, but the England national team has played outside London only once in five matches (in the quarter-finals against Ukraine).
The delta variable of fear increases with clusters
The UK recorded around 161,000 cases of the new coronavirus last week (from 28 June to 4 July), a 146% increase in 15 days and the highest number of positive diagnoses in the country since January, when the second wave of Covid-19 was losing steam. over there. . Also last week, Brazil recorded 364,000 new cases – figures from the World Health Organization (WHO).
There is concern in the UK because of delta variableA mutation in the coronavirus has been shown to be more contagious. Specialists warned that it is still early days, but Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced yesterday (5) the suspension of the mandatory use of masks and social distancing for the 19th.
In Scotland, the Department of Health has linked nearly 2,000 cases of COVID-19 to European Cup matches: two-thirds of those diagnosed (1,294) have traveled to London to play a game against England, including 397 people who are said to have entered Wembley are already infected. , but still asymptomatic.
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