Gillingham manager Steve Evans believes now is the time for football to take a break.

The game at elite level has continued to be played despite many areas of the country moving into Tier 4 restrictions.

The Gills have so far avoided the worse of the issues, with just one game postponed after a positive test for Boxing Day opponents Peterborough United. Young goalkeeper Joe Walsh is self isolating after being in contact with a person who tested positive while injured striker Dominic Samuel has also been infected.

Few in the division have avoided the impact of the virus. Lincoln City manager Michael Appleton had to watch his team from home at the weekend after testing positive, on a day where another handful of matches were called off.

Wigan Athletic are the latest League 1 team to suspend matches because of the virus.

Games in the Premier League are also being called off, including the match between Burnley and Fulham on Sunday. West Brom manager Sam Allardyce has called for a circuit breaker. Four top flight games have now been postponed because of Covid, which has brought the subject to the national attention.

Newcastle United captain Jamaal Lascelles and another of their players Allan Saint-Maximin have both been suffering from the long-term effects of coronavirus.

In League 1, Accrington have had six games called off because of it and their manager and chairman have said the season needs to be extended.

When asked about the possibility of a circuit break, Gills boss Evans said: “I was anti it three weeks ago, totally against it, I thought we should play, I thought there were procedures if you had any issues but I think now it has got out of control.

“Look at the games postponed. When you see the Premier League games getting cancelled, four or five hours before kick off, you know the country has a problem because they are the elite, they do get tested twice a week. They call us elite (below the Premier League) but they must have dreamt it, we don’t get tested.”

Mass testing among EFL teams is set to take place this week.

Evans continued: “I see now everyone is getting tested between January 4-6, hallelujah! Thanks very much Football League. I bet they have been tested in Preston, those in the head office at the EFL. They have to go in and do a job but so have we.

"The elite is a load of rubbish but in terms of a circuit breaker I agree.

“The majority of fit young men don’t have a problem but I listened to Steve Bruce (the Newcastle manager) tell me about their boy, who is an absolute machine, and that he is still struggling to breathe properly. This virus is proper, proper nasty. We should have a break, then come back and see where we are, but Boris should have shut the country down anyway, but that’s politics.”

Former Gills player Bruce, speaking about his players' condition, said: "If anybody needs reminding of how serious this is, then we have witnessed it. Long-term Covid is something which you wouldn't think possible in young, fit, athletes.

"They go for a walk for half an hour and then they want to go back to bed. It's as brutal as that."

Ipswich Town boss Paul Lambert is among those who have recently tested positive, one of a number at the League 1 club. He commented that people's lives are being put at risk by not getting tested regularly.

Their physio Matt Byard, speaking during the outbreak, called for a circuit break, saying: "This new strain of the virus clearly transmits far quicker than the original Covid strain and we have the data and symptom profile that confirms that is what we are dealing with.

"I know the EFL are looking at bringing in extra measures, with maybe more testing for example. I have always supported routine testing to secure a return to playing programme. Personally, with so many clubs affected by this presently and this new strain development, football may benefit from a ‘circuit breaker’ before a return to playing securely."

Gillingham keeper Walsh is expected back in training on Friday and available to return to the substitute bench for the visit of Burton Albion the following day.

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