Atlanta United today confirmed a second positive result for a First Team player following mandatory club testing on Friday. No additional positive results for players or staff were received Friday. The club announced its first positive result for a player on Thursday.
The second player was asymptomatic and has been in isolation since Wednesday, in adherence with MLS health and safety protocols which require at least two positive tests to ensure that the first result was not a false positive.
The team conducted non-contact, individual training sessions on Friday and Saturday, and will continue non-contact training on Monday. Mandatory COVID-19 testing will take place again Monday morning. If negative test results for all players and staff are received, the team will resume full team training on Tuesday.
Since Atlanta United began individual player workouts on May 6, the club has followed MLS health and safety guidelines, including proper physical distancing and sanitization during individual workouts, small group training sessions and full group training sessions. The club will continue to work in close consultation with the CDC, local health authorities and Major League Soccer regarding testing and training guidelines.
The club hasn’t named the two players and as positive test results skyrocket around Atlanta there will surely be more players to come. The entire southeast is a hotbed for the virus as numbers continue to climb yet nobody seems to be taking it seriously. Florida numbers are steadily climbing yet multiple sporting bodies plan on hosting their regular season matches in Orlando. At this point, MLS should probably hold off with a restart.