Ross McCrorie’s positive Covid-19 test, at a stroke ripping the heart out of Aberdeen’s midfield thanks to the closeness of his contact with Lewis Ferguson, immediately had a devastating effect on the Dons’ chances in this toughest of domestic fixtures – and possibly the rest of a three-game week beyond.
But its effect on football as a whole may be deeper and longer-lasting.
The number of players returning from international camps carrying the virus is as perplexing as it is conspicuous.
Any viral outbreak requires a case zero, but, given the stringent nature of the suppression protocols in place within the club game, it should follow that, if nobody is bringing coronavirus into national squads, nobody leaves with it.
At present, though, the international gatherings appear to somehow be acting as petri dishes, and with the potential for much wider dissemination once the players disperse among their various communities, the authorities must look into it before their indulged exemption becomes a hindrance to global public efforts.
This specific result, however, will be scrutinised more closely than most, as it is the second time McCrorie has returned a positive test.
The capacity for reinfection after a period of months – if conclusively confirmed in someone subject to such an extensive testing regime – would have to be a depressive factor in calculating the effect of immunity on controlling the virus, and thus the pace at which society can repair.
As McCrorie remains in isolation, we must hope that his case – and also this ragged, short-handed display – does likewise.
Aberdeen boss calls for mandatory Covid-19 testing when players return from international duty