Premier League stars with coronavirus symptoms to have lung and heart tests before return

Premier League players who have suffered COVID-19 symptoms will undergo additional testing for potential lung and heart problems as part of the return-to-play protocol.

Top-flight teams will discuss on Friday the detailed proposals to allow a “phased return” to small group sessions and then normal squad training before a proposed June restart.

The new rules include players needing to wear face masks or snoods in training and all footballs to be disinfected.

But before this “Training Return Date”, all clubs must undertake a risk assessment of every player “for potential respiratory and / or cardiac complications associated with COVID-19”.

For players who are suspected or confirmed sufferers, the preferred testing will see doctors in PPE carrying out blood tests and ECG (electrocardiogram) scans.

The protocol states: “All exercise will be stopped until blood results have returned to normal, which may take weeks or months as ongoing elevated blood results may indicate ongoing inflammation and as such risk of sudden arrhythmic death.”

Ian Hall, Professor of Molecular Medicine at Nottingham University, said: “Groups of individuals, including footballers, who have had COVID19 will include many who had disease which was very mild, with minimal symptoms, and a small number who had more severe disease, potentially resulting in a hospital admission with viral pneumonia.

“In general, disease has been more severe in patients who are elderly and have other medical conditions such as high blood pressure, heart disease or chronic lung disease.

“One would therefore expect most premier league footballers who had COVID19 to have had mild forms of the disease.

“I would predict most footballers will not have long term complications if they have had COVID19, but there may be a small number who have some reduction in physical fitness due to having had more severe disease.

“So monitoring simple indicators such as lung function and cardiac function would make sense.

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“Premier league footballers obviously require high levels of overall fitness, so even a small reduction in lung or heart function could have significant effects on performance.”

All players and staff will have to undergo COVID-19 tests at the Premier League’s expense within 48 hours of returning to group sessions at the training ground.

Any positive tests will see individuals isolated for seven days before a re-test.