England head coach Gareth Southgate has bemoaned being ‘shouted down’ over his suggestion earlier this year that his Three Lions squad should receive a coronavirus vaccine ahead of Euro 2020.
Mason Mount and Ben Chilwell will self-isolate until further guidance after coming into contact with Scotland midfielder Billy Gilmour, who tested positive for COVID-19 on Sunday.
The England pair were pictured with Gilmour in the immediate aftermath of their goalless draw with Scotland on Friday.
Southgate said: ” In terms of the testing we had PCR tests, the mandatory tests yesterday for the pre-game. We followed that up today because of the situation as a belt and braces to make sure we’re okay for people to travel together and eat together.
“In terms of the vaccinations, you will have to go back to what I said in March when I was shouted down. I did propose it but in March but I also said I understood where we stand in the pecking order. It’s more important the clinically vulnerable and everyone else receive those first.
“In actual fact the vaccinations wouldn’t stop you catching the virus so it might not stop this situation in fairness.
I wasn’t involved in any formal conversations, I just made an observation that given the tournament, we’re asking professional sportspeople to go into these sort of events and travel and go back to their families that there would be a point where they were at greater risk of catching the virus than others.
“That ship has sailed. Even if we had the vaccine, I’m told you can still catch it, the different variants, it’s just less dangerous.
“The reality is moving forward I don’t think a positive test will rule you out. The rest of the world is different in terms of the number of people vaccinated and the dangers of it.
“We’re abiding by all the regulations and that’s why the two boys are having to isolate until we have more information on where things stand.”
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