Exeter City stop player and fan interaction due to coronavirus outbreak
Grecians take precautionary steps to prevent spread of disease
Stuart JamesPrint Sports Editor
15:22, 5 MAR 2020
Updated 15:29, 5 MAR 2020
Exeter City and Crewe Alexandra players did not do the customary pre-match handshake due to the coronavirus outbreak. - PHOTO: Tom Sandberg/PPAUK
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Exeter City have taken precautionary measures to stop any potential spread of the coronavirus by cancelling players visits and putting a stop to them signing autographs and posing for photographs on matchdays.
As the spread of the disease continues to grow, cases of coronavirus were confirmed in Devon earlier this week.
A statement on the club website read: "At Exeter City Football Club, we continue to monitor the situation with the coronavirus and the impact on our players, staff, fans and the local community and we are following Government and EFL advice.
"As a club we pride ourselves on fan and community interaction but due to the serious nature of this epidemic, as we enter this crucial time of the season and on the advice of medical experts, we have taken the decision to cancel any player visits that are scheduled until further notice.
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"On match days players have also been advised not to shake hands, pose for photos or sign autographs during this period.
"We apologise to anyone who had expected a player visit at this time, but we are sure people will understand the measures taken and we will look to rearrange any events we can."
Exeter manager Matt Taylor was in full agreement with the statement but expressed sadness that a community club like City has had to put a halt on such activities for the time being.
"We've had a meeting with the training ground personnel this morning with staff, players and volunteers and that was about prevention as much as possible," he said.
"Unfortunately, interaction and contact with fans, ourselves, our team-mates is going to be cut down to an absolute minimum and to only what's needed.
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"You may have seen on Tuesday night ourselves and Crewe didn't shake hands and it seems a strange thing to do, but it is a much needed thing at the moment in the football environment.
"It is a real shame because we have such a fantastic community club and it sounds like drastic action, but it needs to be taken to try and prevent it from spreading.
"We are not concerned about ourselves because we are quite fit, healthy young men, but a lit of these players have young children and elderly relatives, some have asthma and they are more at risk than ourselves, so it is prevention as much as anything.
"I think the club have to take it seriously and I am sure others will as well."