Confirmed: Nakamba Available For Harare Tie As UK Gives A Waiver To Fully Vaccinated Players

Zimbabwe Warriors have received a big boost after the UK government relaxes Covid-19 quarantine rule requirements to fully vaccinated players.

A bespoke quarantine exemption that allows fully vaccinated players to be able to travel to World Cup qualifiers in countries on England’s red list without having to fully quarantine on their return, was reached on Friday between the UK government, Football Associations and the health authorities.

The new policy will allow UK based players who were only available for Ghana tie to travel to Harare for the second encounter, provided they are fully vaccinated.

“We have worked closely with football authorities to achieve an outcome that balances the interests of both club and country while maintaining the highest levels of public health and safety,” the British government said in a statement.

“Our best defense against the virus is vaccination and these new measures will allow fully vaccinated players to fulfill their international duties in the safest, most practical way possible, while allowing them to train and play with their clubs as early as possible upon their return.”

The Warriors were dealt a huge blow after all its UK based players that included Marvelous Nakamba, Tendayi Darikwa, Jordan Zemura, Brendan Galloway, Admiral Muskwe and David Moyo were refused to travel for the first two World cup qualifier matches against South Africa and Ethiopia in September due to UK’s Covid-19 quarantine rule requirements

Ghana is on the amber list for entering England, which means players are exempted for the 10 day quarantine rule required for those coming from UK’s red list zone, Zimbabwe included.

From Warriors’ UK contingent list, only Marvelous Nakamba has been confirmed fully vaccinated after his coach Dean Smith revealed at a press conference ahead of Aston Villa versus Tottenham encounter.