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PrestersKtid

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Scotland's top flight clubs have been warned to forget about bringing their players out of lockdown next week unless they have extensive COVID-19 testing procedures in place.

The SPFL’s Premiership has been given the government green light to re-start training from next Thursday but so far only Celtic and Ross County have splashed out on their own testing equipment.

The top 12 held crunch talks with the SFA to discuss emergency plans to roll out testing for all players and coaching staff.

Record Sport understands the talks - hosted by chief executive Ian Maxwell and Hampden medic Dr John MacLean - took place amid concerns that the coronavirus pandemic may keep the country’s top division in lockdown beyond the proposed starting date of August 1.

A raft of options were put forward which will allow clubs to access crucial testing machines - and keep the cost of returning to action to a minimum.

But the top 12 are still facing bills of up to £5,000-a-week just to enable their players to get back to training this month.

Medical teams from across the country - along with some top flight managers - were involved in the conference call as they seek to establish a safe way for the game to get back up and running.

The Scottish government has given the green light for Premiership ;players to return to limited training from next Thursday but on the strict condition that appropriate testing procedures are put in place at each club.

So far, of the top 12, only Celtic and Ross County have stumped up cash to buy their own testing machines which are believed to cost in the region of £35k.

The other ten clubs have now be told to take urgent action before re-opening their training bases.

And they were given three options by Maxwell who has been locked in discussions with one leading medical firm who have offered to supply clubs with the expertise and equipment they need to get their players and coaching staff safely back to work.

A source told us: “The first option is to go down the same road as England’s Premier League clubs. That’s the most costly option and it involves the company taking swabs at training grounds and then coming back with results in 24-36 hours.

"Option two would see clubs take their own swabs and then send them off to the labs for results.

“And the third option is for a number of clubs from the same area to club together to buy the testing machines and share them. It would cost £25k for the machine but they can share that burden and then reduce the cost of each individual test to £50.

"Given the companies all over the country will soon be requiring to use this sort of testing there could even be a commercial opportunity for any clubs who have bought their own testing machines.

“But that’s something they can explore at a later date. For now, it’s simply about finding a way for testing to be rolled out across the top flight in order to work towards the proposed start date of August 1.

“So there’s not a lot of time for each club to decide how it plans to proceed. Training might be scheduled to return next week but it just can;t happen unless a rigorous, extensive testing process has been established and put in place.”

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/3-options-spfl-clubs-covid-22140602
 

according to this only Celtic and county have their own corona virus testing machines.

I know this has been mentioned elsewhere but without them testing could cost up to £5k a week. 

Could this be something that trust and TrustInKillie could prioritise as the next target? Do a fund raising drive? 

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10 minutes ago, PrestersKtid said:

Scotland's top flight clubs have been warned to forget about bringing their players out of lockdown next week unless they have extensive COVID-19 testing procedures in place.

The SPFL’s Premiership has been given the government green light to re-start training from next Thursday but so far only Celtic and Ross County have splashed out on their own testing equipment.

The top 12 held crunch talks with the SFA to discuss emergency plans to roll out testing for all players and coaching staff.

Record Sport understands the talks - hosted by chief executive Ian Maxwell and Hampden medic Dr John MacLean - took place amid concerns that the coronavirus pandemic may keep the country’s top division in lockdown beyond the proposed starting date of August 1.

A raft of options were put forward which will allow clubs to access crucial testing machines - and keep the cost of returning to action to a minimum.

But the top 12 are still facing bills of up to £5,000-a-week just to enable their players to get back to training this month.

Medical teams from across the country - along with some top flight managers - were involved in the conference call as they seek to establish a safe way for the game to get back up and running.

The Scottish government has given the green light for Premiership ;players to return to limited training from next Thursday but on the strict condition that appropriate testing procedures are put in place at each club.

So far, of the top 12, only Celtic and Ross County have stumped up cash to buy their own testing machines which are believed to cost in the region of £35k.

The other ten clubs have now be told to take urgent action before re-opening their training bases.

And they were given three options by Maxwell who has been locked in discussions with one leading medical firm who have offered to supply clubs with the expertise and equipment they need to get their players and coaching staff safely back to work.

A source told us: “The first option is to go down the same road as England’s Premier League clubs. That’s the most costly option and it involves the company taking swabs at training grounds and then coming back with results in 24-36 hours.

"Option two would see clubs take their own swabs and then send them off to the labs for results.

“And the third option is for a number of clubs from the same area to club together to buy the testing machines and share them. It would cost £25k for the machine but they can share that burden and then reduce the cost of each individual test to £50.

"Given the companies all over the country will soon be requiring to use this sort of testing there could even be a commercial opportunity for any clubs who have bought their own testing machines.

“But that’s something they can explore at a later date. For now, it’s simply about finding a way for testing to be rolled out across the top flight in order to work towards the proposed start date of August 1.

“So there’s not a lot of time for each club to decide how it plans to proceed. Training might be scheduled to return next week but it just can;t happen unless a rigorous, extensive testing process has been established and put in place.”

 

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/3-options-spfl-clubs-covid-22140602
 

according to this only Celtic and county have their own corona virus testing machines.

I know this has been mentioned elsewhere but without them testing could cost up to £5k a week. 

Could this be something that trust and TrustInKillie could prioritise as the next target? Do a fund raising drive? 

Reading the article, option 3 sounds the feasible one.

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1 hour ago, stewarty66 said:

Reading the article, option 3 sounds the feasible one.

It does for us. We are relatively close geographically to St Mirren. Hamilton, Motherwell, Rangers and Celtic. 

Option 3 however doesn't seem fair on Ross County who will end up having more cost than other clubs being so remote. Aberdeen, St Johnstone and Dundee United could theoretically do something centrally. As could Hibs and Livi.

Not sure what the machine's capacity would be but theoretically all of those clubs should be looking to engage with Celtic on purchasing a share of their machine or for using it at a reduced rate than option 1 or 2. 

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1 hour ago, Wrangodog said:

I suggested that on Twitter but got told the money from the Trust went to the club and they decide what to do with it. 

Hmm, could this possibly be a significant moneymaker for The Trust? Buy a test machine and rent it out to a range of clubs, including Kilmarnock who would get the money back through TiK . This machine will be paid for inside months.

in fact the purchase of the machine may well be funded through the Trusts charitable status as it is offering communities an arm of support in these times, this really should be investigated if it has not been already.

Edited by killie billies pal
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1 minute ago, jmthmsn said:

Should have added above that the Club have plans in hand where they don't need to pay for a machine, just the tests......which will of course, cost money also.

Jim,  my “cunning plan” above for The Trust to buy the machine and offer the tests elsewhere as well as Killie at a cost, with all of the money going back to Killie via TiK not work?

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18 minutes ago, killie billies pal said:

Jim,  my “cunning plan” above for The Trust to buy the machine and offer the tests elsewhere as well as Killie at a cost, with all of the money going back to Killie via TiK not work?

Totally get your cunning plan G.

It's just that the Club are devising their own where they won't have to pay the initial cost.

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1 hour ago, jmthmsn said:

Should have added above that the Club have plans in hand where they don't need to pay for a machine, just the tests......which will of course, cost money also.

They shouldn't be paying £25k for a testing machine. There are cheaper test machines available. Mobile ones are available (google genesig q16). The test kits can also be purchased. These are the mobile testing they are talking about for places outside of testing labs/hospital labs. £50 per test is a crazy price.

The key is to ensure the swab is taken correctly as the test machines and assays are very specific. That might be the reason they want to use a third party company at cost as they would assume the insurance and liability. Also have to be mindful that the idea of someone at a football club 4 months ago being involved in a process to detect a virus would have been a crazy suggestion but this is the situation we find ourselves in.

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FIFA sit of cash reserves of over $4bn, earned from football.  FIFA should be buying these machines on a geographical basis, to ensure football can be played in a once in 100 years pandemic.  Obviously that won't happen, so is for the owners to get together and see how they can pool resources.

 

On 6/5/2020 at 5:49 PM, psv_killie said:

They shouldn't be paying £25k for a testing machine. There are cheaper test machines available. Mobile ones are available (google genesig q16). The test kits can also be purchased. These are the mobile testing they are talking about for places outside of testing labs/hospital labs. £50 per test is a crazy price.

Issues with accuracy aren't they?  Seems likely the big machines will be more accurate than a mobile test and might be cheaper if you're looking to do thousands of tests in house.  To complete a season, they'll need to do thousands of tests, per club.

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Iirc the Ross County chairman was on sportsound yesterday and the testing equipment he bought can carry out other tests not just bacterial/viral counts . 
I wonder if it can detect feigned injuries ? Just as well Steve Smith has retired :) 
 

 

Edited by Bonbon19
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2 hours ago, RAG said:

FIFA sit of cash reserves of over $4bn, earned from football.  FIFA should be buying these machines on a geographical basis, to ensure football can be played in a once in 100 years pandemic.  Obviously that won't happen, so is for the owners to get together and see how they can pool resources.

 

Issues with accuracy aren't they?  Seems likely the big machines will be more accurate than a mobile test and might be cheaper if you're looking to do thousands of tests in house.  To complete a season, they'll need to do thousands of tests, per club.

qPCR machine will work the same way as the larger ones difference being volume. The accuracy is in the test kit which reacts to the sample. There are very accurate test kits (who approved) but it's as only good as the sample. If the swap /sample isn't taken correctly then you will get a bad result. That's the accuracy issue. This area is fast moving so there will be other tests coming to market soon however the US released a list of tests that the US are not allowed to use due to their inaccuracies. Some of them weren't even close! 

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1 hour ago, psv_killie said:

There are very accurate test kits (who approved) but it's as only good as the sample. If the swap /sample isn't taken correctly then you will get a bad result. That's the accuracy issue. 

I'd read somewhere, one of issues with all these tests (and inaccurate results) is Covid lives in lungs, but swabs are taken orally.  If you want a 'perfect' swab test, it kinda has to be a more invasive swab-the-lungs procedure.

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13 minutes ago, RAG said:

I'd read somewhere, one of issues with all these tests (and inaccurate results) is Covid lives in lungs, but swabs are taken orally.  If you want a 'perfect' swab test, it kinda has to be a more invasive swab-the-lungs procedure.

Ah that's quite invasive. Not sure what you read but if the virus is active and the swab is taken correctly then a qpcr machine with an appropriate test assay will pick up on it. It is possible that it won't pick up on the incubation period as it hasn't spread round the cells yet. Maybe that is the living in the lungs period? I'm unsure. 

Killie aren't the only club or business facing this testing issue. As I said it's fast moving so different tests / procedures will follow but I do think there is legs on the club teaming up with other clubs as has been suggested further up but also with other local businesses. 

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The PCR analysers don't do the tests themselves, you have to take into account the kits/reagents, quality control materials, callibrators, containment facilities, protective gear, a qualified Biomedical Scientist, access to Consultant Pathologist, utility costs, the list goes on. You can get to £50 a test quite quickly.

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