I think the AFL has got this wrong.
Pinched this bit from "Science Mag"
"Over long periods of time, social isolation can increase the risk of a variety of health problems, including heart disease, depression, dementia, and even death. A 2015 meta-analysis of the scientific literature by Julianne Holt-Lunstad, a research psychologist at Brigham Young University, and colleagues determined that chronic social isolation increases the risk of mortality by 29%.
That may be because social contacts can buffer the negative effects of stress. Lab studies by Holt-Lunstad and others have found that having a friend present can reduce a person’s cardiovascular response to a stressful task. There’s even a correlation between perceived social connectedness and stress responses. “Just knowing that you have someone you can count on if needed is enough to dampen some of those responses even if [that person is] not physically present,” Holt-Lunstad says.
What effects, if any, might be caused by social distancing in response to the coronavirus is an open question. “I have a couple competing hypotheses,” Holt-Lunstad says. “On the one hand, I am concerned that this will not only exacerbate things for those who are already isolated and lonely, but also might be a triggering point for others to now get into habits of connecting less.” "
I think the argument that you potentially compromise the health of West Australian based footballers out of fairness to others, is not a defensible position to take. *
*unless they play for West Coast, in which case I may consider a process to form a Committee that reports to a Medical Adviser with a summary position being on referred to the Executive with the view to formulating long term strategies on this and other relevant issues. Gil could then ponder the options offered, in the fullness of time.
