BCCI to facilitate 30,000 RT-PCR tests during IPL 2nd phase, medical staff to stay in same bubble

In
fact,
the
Dubai-based
health
care
company
is
also
in
charge
of
emergency
treatment
of
players,
sports
medicine
experts
and
even
air
ambulance
support
during
the
tournament
that
starts
on
September
19.

To
avoid
players
moving
out
of
the
IPL
bio-bubble
for
any
kind
of
medical
emergency,
the
nursing
and
medical
staff
will
be
accommodated
in
the
same
hotel
bio-bubbles.
The
rescheduled
IPL
will
have
RT-PCR
testing
every
third
day,
instead
of
every
fifth
day
during
the
last
edition
in
the
UAE.

It
is
learnt
that
to
cater
to
the
needs
of
the
players
and
other
participants
of
the
IPL,
it
has
set
up
a
100-member
multidisciplinary
team
for
sports
medicine
and
COVID-19
management.
Two
medical
teams
comprising
doctors,
nurses,
paramedics
and
laboratory
technicians
will
be
assigned
to
each
stadium
for
every
match.

Ahead
of
the
arrival
of
the
players,
VPS
Healthcare
completed
testing
for
over
750
hotel
staff
across
14
hotels
in
Dubai
and
Abu
Dhabi.
On
August
13,
it
started
testing
the
players
of
the
Mumbai
Indians
and
Chennai
Super
Kings
teams.

With
the
updated
protocol
requiring
players
and
officials
to
get
tested
once
every
three
days,
the
healthcare
provider
anticipates
over
30,000
PCR
tests
this
year.
It
has
the
capacity
to
conduct
2,000
PCR
tests
for
the
IPL
each
day,
with
a
turnaround
time
of
6-8
hours.

Moreover,
to
ensure
secure
bio-bubbles,
nurses
and
other
medical
staff
are
accommodated
in
the
same
14
hotels
as
the
players
till
the
end
of
the
tournament.

Dr.
Shajir
Gaffar,
CEO
of
VPS
Healthcare
(Dubai
and
Northern
Emirates),
said,
“Our
team
is
completely
equipped
to
take
care
of
the
medical
needs
of
the
IPL
participants.

“The
UAE
has
a
good
strike
rate
in
seamlessly
conducting
high-profile
sports
events
during
the
pandemic.
Even
in
these
challenging
times,
the
country
is
setting
new
benchmarks
in
expertly
managing
international
sporting
tournaments
through
its
state-of-the
art
stadiums,
watertight
measures,
and
well-trained
personnel.

“With
the
second
leg
of
the
IPL
and
ICC
T20
World
Cup
happening
back-to-back,
the
UAE
can
solidify
its
pioneering
position
as
a
safe
global
sporting
destination.”