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The English Premier League (EPL) are set to obtain up to 1,600 COVID-19 tests a week for its 20 EPL clubs, as their Project Restart plan for the 2019-20 season continues intensifying.
It's been two months since England's top-flight matches were suspended indefinitely as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, with many EPL clubs still having to play 9-10 matches of the current campaign from March to mid-May.
The UK is Europe's worst-affected country in terms of coronavirus deaths: 34,636 as of 18:28pm (GMT) today, with 243,303 total cases - third-worst in Europe, behind Russia and Spain.
Sky Sports News' chief reporter Bryan Swanson tweeted a development an hour ago, one which has divided opinion given the country's inability to secure tests for all their key workers.
He said: "LATEST: Up to 1,600 Covid-19 tests a week for Premier League clubs. Each club can receive up to 80 tests a week, over two slots. Paid for by PL and conducted by Prenetics, part of 'Project Screen' programme."
A lot of people have tweeted unhappy responses to this update, suggesting that it's both unethical and doesn't make sense for the EPL to prioritise their players ahead of key personnel on the frontline.
That's especially important to understand given some players' unwillingness to play during the current crisis. Chelsea's Willian and Watford's Troy Deeney are among those who have revealed their fears - many players are opposing plans to resume the 2019-20 season.
This past Thursday, the UK government said it was opening the door to the possibility of professional football returning at some stage next month.
State of play in EPL table right now
Liverpool were six points away from earning their first EPL title since 1990, having enjoyed a record-breaking season under Jurgen Klopp.
Manchester City (game in hand), Leicester and Chelsea occupy the remaining Champions League qualification spots, though it's not so simple at the bottom of the EPL table.
Norwich, Aston Villa and AFC Bournemouth sat in the three relegation places, although the 19th-placed Villains had played a game fewer than their rivals after their Carabao Cup exploits this season.
If they won in that rearranged fixture, that would see them leapfrog three teams - Bournemouth (18th), Watford and West Ham into 16th. Deciding how to finish this season has proven to be difficult, considering everyone has different motives and the situation is not the same everywhere.
