Tuesday, November 02, 2021
Study on contagion in soccer
Good news for Kimmich and Co.
According to one study, there is a very low risk of corona infection when playing football. A group of scientists has been researching for more than a year on behalf of the German Football Association. The results are also good news for Joshua Kimmich’s health – in part.
According to a study commissioned by the DFB, there is only a very low risk of contracting the coronavirus when playing football. This is the result of a research group led by national team doctor Tim Meyer and Florian Egger from the Institute for Sports and Preventive Medicine at Saarland University. The study data, however, relate to a period in which the significantly more contagious Delta mutant only became the predominant virus variant towards the end.
“Outdoor sports activities, even if they involve contacts, have a very low risk of infection and are therefore a very safe option for sport and exercise during the pandemic,” said Meyer, who is also chairman of the medical commission of the DFB, in a statement from the association from Tuesday. “In order to guarantee training and matches in football, hygiene measures can therefore be limited to situations outside the field of play.”
Bad news for Kimmich too
From August 2020 to March 2021, the scientists collected data from 104 games and training sessions in which at least one player who was infected with the coronavirus took part. In two cases, a transmission in the field could not have been completely ruled out. However, there were other options – for example a joint bus ride without a mask – which those affected indicated as likely transmission routes. Video analyzes of the games and training units examined had also shown that infection-related contacts on the pitch are rare and usually last less than three seconds.
Bayern Munich’s midfield star Joshua Kimmich recently stated that he had not yet been vaccinated against the corona virus. This should apply to around ten percent of Bundesliga soccer players. They are far more likely than vaccinated people to be infected with severe symptoms and long-covid symptoms, which sometimes restrict athletes for months. The good news for Kimmich and Co.: The possibility of infection on the soccer field is therefore very low. The bad: The professionals travel through Germany and the world and are therefore exposed to a much higher risk of infection in many moments than with football.