Bristol Rovers boss Ben Garner has questioned whether a short postponement to the football season will solve much.
The Premier League and EFL appear set to postpone the season due to the coronavirus, with Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta and Chelsea star Callum Hudson-Odoi both having tested positive and a number of football clubs revealing in the last 12 hours that players had gone into self-isolation.
Speaking at 9am this morning in what was a developing situation, Garner revealed that the Gas were preparing to face Ipswich Town tomorrow until being told otherwise.
Yet with the chief medical officer for England revealing that the peak of the virus could well be 10 to 14 weeks' time, the Rovers boss questioned whether a short postponement would solve much.
"We're preparing obviously to play because we haven't been told otherwise," he said.
"We'll continue to do that unless we're told otherwise.
"I think it's a very difficult situation, it's something much, much bigger than football.
"People's health, health of loved ones, is the most important thing.
"The sort-term solution of cancelling a game or two, will that really solve anything? It's a lot bigger than us, it needs to come from the governing bodies and the government in terms of whether the season carries on or whether it doesn't.
"I think delaying it two weeks isn't really going to make a great deal of difference because, if anything, the situation has been forecast to get worse by then.
"Like I say, it's a lot bigger than me and my opinions don't really count for anything, we've just got to wait and hear what we've been told, and make sure we do the right things by our players, staff and supporters."
In a situation like this, sport takes a backseat in comparison to the impact the virus will have on society, and Garner said he wished everyone well as the UK gears up to eventually face the worst of the virus.
"That's the bigger picture," Garner said.
"Thoughts and prayers go out to anyone that has lost loved ones or is suffering at the moment.
"We just really hope and pray that things improve for everyone as quickly as they possibly can."
