Hamilton head coach Brian Rice has confirmed they will be without Lee Hodson as the full-back has to self isolate as he lodges with the St Mirren player who has tested positive for coronavirus.
Hodson has joined Hamilton on loan from Gillingham but will now miss their Scottish Premiership encounter at Livingston as he self isolates for 14 days.
The 28-year-old is staying with St Mirren goalkeeper Jak Alnwick, as he looks for a house, and when his positive test result came through Hodson immediately informed Hamilton.
Hodson has tested negative for coronavirus, as have all the players in Hamilton’s squad, but as he shares a household with someone who has tested positive, he must now follow Government guidelines and self isolate.
Rice said: “Unfortunately Lee has been in contact with someone who has tested positive, so the rules are he needs to self isolate for 14 days.
“It’s unfortunate but it’s the world we live in at this minute. It won’t be the first time and it won’t be the last time I’m sure in the coming months.
“Lee was in on Monday morning and we got tested. Lee had a negative test but the track and trace system has been flagged up and he has to self isolate.
“The rest of the players have been tested and come back negative. We hope it’s an isolated case for us.
“Lee actually lodges with the lad, he’s doing him a favour until he gets a place up here for his family to live.
“It’s well documented now a player from St Mirren has tested positive and Lee is obviously in that household.
“I knew first thing on Tuesday morning. As soon as the lad at St Mirren got his test result, he contacted Lee right away and Lee told us straight away and we dealt with it from there.”
Rice insists clubs are doing all they can to keep players safe but with the rise in coronavirus cases it shows how easily they can be affected.
He said: “When they are in here we can look after them and keep them safe but as soon as they leave here they just become part of everyday life.
“We’d love it if they came here, trained, went home, stayed on their own, never spoke to anyone or met anyone but it’s just not feasible for that to happen, not at our level.
“Lee’s very frustrated, he’s only just come to the club and played a few games. He was down the road in London seeing his family as they are still down there but he’s disappointed to miss training and miss the next couple of weeks.
“But we totally understand the situation, there’s no gripes about it from us. The rules are the rules.
“I don’t think it will be the first time and it certainly won’t be the last. I think there’s more to come.
“Alex Gogic, for example, missed a Hibs game and the lad missed his international debut probably as well.
“So it affects all clubs and it will keep affecting all clubs until we get on top of this.”
