Cash-strapped football clubs could be offered weekly Covid tests with lateral flow devices like those used in care homes, under plans being drawn up by the English Football League to stop the spread of the virus and avoid suspending matches.
Clubs in the EFL are desperate for more frequent testing to prevent the mutant strain of the coronavirus from spreading among players and staff, but many cannot afford it.
The EFL has been considering options to support the clubs with regular tests and a decision is expected this week. Officials are concerned that people infected with new variant of the virus transmit it more quickly.
Bristol City (right) and Luton Town have both reported positive coronavirus tests
Lateral flow testing is less accurate than the gold-standard PCR tests currently in use in elite football, but it is a fraction of the price, and could avoid the need for a ‘circuit break’ as more games are called off.
Hence, these tests are seen as a step forward if used in conjunction with the stricter protocols the EFL announced last week, to prevent the spread of the virus.
One club chief executive said the EFL had told him that the lateral flow test could offer a good level of protection.
Clubs spoken to by Sportsmail are encouraged by the development, even though the accuracy of the lateral flow method has been questioned
Fleetwood Town is another EFL club that has had to postpone matches due to coronavirus
Another chief executive said: ‘Ideally we would have PCR, but it is a step forward if it is backed up with rigorous protocols.
‘We would welcome testing on a weekly basis for players and staff, but we need to make sure this is supported by revised and enhanced protocols at both training grounds and in stadia.’
More than 50 matches in the EFL have now been postponed because of Covid outbreaks at clubs, with League One hit particularly hard.
On Monday, Sheffield Wednesday and Derby County announced they had closed their training grounds after Covid cases following the two sides’ Championship encounter on Friday, which the Owls won 1-0.
Sheffield Wednesday and Derby County closed their training grounds after Covid outbreaks
The new coronavirus variant has increased concern in clubs and among league officials, since it is believed to transmit from person to person much more easily and where sufferers have no symptoms they could pass it on unknowingly.
The new variant is fuelling fears that matches may have to be suspended in a ‘circuit break’, but such a move could result in the season being abandoned.
Clubs want to test more frequently, but many below the top tier cannot afford the regular £4,000 cost of testing their squads and staff.
Currently, the Premier League tests players and staff twice a week and the EFL tests periodically, or if a player shows symptoms of coronavirus.
A lateral flow test is quicker and cheaper than a PCR test for Covid, but less accurate
The EFL is examining ways it can support clubs and provide more regualr testing for Covid
Both leagues currently use the PCR test, which returns results within 24 to 48 hours and costs about £100 per person. It involves taking a swab from the nose or throat, which is analysed in a lab to determine if genetic material from the virus is present.
The lateral flow test, which was trialled in Liverpool and at universities last year and is now used in care homes and other settings, is less accurate, but faster to administer. It can between £5 and £20.
They are more like pregnancy tests, they are self-administered, do not require a laboratory and results can be available in 10 minutes.
The EFL is in discussions with the Professional Footballers’ Association abour financial support
The EFL is in discussion with the players’ union, the Professional Footballers’ Association, about helping to fund the additional tests. The two sides met on Monday.
The government has hailed lateral flow tests as a useful tool in detecting coronavirus, including the new variant. However, some analysts suggest they may miss up to half of all positive cases – or even more – and there have been several critical articles in scientific journals.
Professor Keith Neal, an expert in public health, said the success rate in detecting coronavirus will increase if the test is administered by the club doctor and it is more effective the more frequently people are tested.
Dr Susan Hopkins, senior medical advisor to Public Health England, has spoken in support of lateral flow tests but insists they are not a ‘silver bullet’ in stopping the spread of Covid
‘Lateral flow is not as sensitive as PCR so some case will be missed,’ said the Professor of Public Health and Epidemiology at the University of Nottingham. ‘This is user dependent so club doctor will be [more successful].
Dr Susan Hopkins, a senior medical advisor to Public Health England, has spoken in support of lateral flow tests on behalf of the government. She said: ‘Lateral flow devices alone aren’t a silver bullet for stopping the spread of the virus but we know they can help detect large numbers of positive cases quickly.’
Clubs in the Championship, Leagues One and Two undertake mandatory Covid testing this week using the PCR method.
It will be the first time the majority of players have been tested since November, raising concern that many cases of Covid will be uncovered leading to more postponements and potentially threatening the FA Cup third round.