Here's an extensive #thread on how #BCCI put the bio-secure bubble in place when franchises first landed in #UAE for #IPL2020.

The Board issued a circular underlining dos & don'ts for the tournament & strict protocols to go with it. Below is the circular in detail...

#COVID19

As advised in the Overview of Health and Safety Protocols for #IPL, each team was required to form a Bio Secure Environment and to follow all the #BCCI protocols which will include: A) Testing; B) Health Passport; C) Contact Tracing.

#Testing: Delhi-based VPS Healthcare Group undertook all #Covid testing in UAE. Exclusive Testing room was set up in each Bio-Secure bubble and qualified nurses, wearing full PPE kits collected nasopharyngeal samples from team members.

On arrival at a #UAE hotel & before commencing training, all players / support staff self-isolated in their room and were subject to the below testing plan. During this period, team members were permitted to step out of room on day 3 & day 6 only to provide samples for PCR test.

DAY 1 – PCR Test – upon arrival at airport / team hotel; DAY 3 – PCR Test – in team hotel; DAY 6 – PCR Test – in team hotel

If all 3 tests were negative, players & support staff would exit isolation & enter the Bio-Secure Environment. If any tests were positive, concerned person would quarantine as per protocols. No team members would be allowed to train outside their rooms prior to this procedure.

Once the bubble was created --- Follow-up tests took over: Every individual in bubble will be tested twice in their 2nd & 3rd week & thereafter every fifth day for the remainder of #IPL2020. If testing day coincides with a match day, samples will be collected on the previous day.

Additional tests: Any number of additional tests may be conducted if required under then prevalent rules in UAE, Ex: Individuals traveling from Dubai to Abu Dhabi are required to display negative COVID-19 PCR report issued no more than 48 hours before arriving at the check post.

All teams have been asked to assign a dedicated “COVID management room” in their respective hotels (refer to the SOPs for the additional requirements for this room).

All RT-PCR tests will be conducted only in this room. All tests will be scheduled on IPL Health Passport app. The respective team doctors & managers will get a real time notification when a test has been scheduled, sample has been collected and when a report has been uploaded.

The team doctors and managers will have a team’s dashboard to review the team’s overall health and testing status via the Health Passport.

#HealthPassport: Chennai-based GEM3S have been appointed to create & manage a Health Passport for all IPL participants. Health Passport comprises a short questionnaire which participants are required to complete daily, to self-report their body temperature and symptoms (if any).

Any abnormal responses i.e. a raised temperature or report of any symptoms will trigger an alert to team Doctor & team manager who will be responsible to ensure the individual is isolated whilst procedures are put in place to conduct further tests & if necessary trace contacts.

Health Passport will be linked to the accreditation system and access to training venues and stadiums will only be granted if the Health Passport has been completed with no abnormal responses.

All participants including net bowlers, hotel staff servicing the teams & dedicated team drivers will be required to report daily on the Health Passport.

#ContactTracing: UK-based #Restrata were appointed for creating the Bio secure environment (Bubble) and to put in place a Contact Tracing system. The bio-bubble in UAE will extend across hotels, practice facilities, stadiums and bus transport in between each of these venues.

Bio-bubble will be created across the locations through a series of hardware locator devices. Each location will divided in to zones. This will allow for each zone to be managed with entry restrictions, zone capacity limits and communications.

Contact tracking system will be used if anyone tests positive or exhibits symptoms of the Covid-19 virus. The Restrata system works on a Bluetooth low energy (BLE) gateway.

Each participant will be provided with a fob (to be worn on the wrist at all times except while playing in a match) which will link with the gateway. The bluetooth fob will communicate using ‘peer to peer’- this will allow each fob to ‘hear’ if another fob is within 6ft.

Restrata will report those participants who have been in proximity (less than 6 ft) to the affected individual for more than 15 mins in preceding 3 days. Those who have been in contact will need to fulfil the requisite Health & Safety protocols (additional tests, monitoring etc).

Each franchise will have log-ins to Platform to manage their own staff. This will include setting up alerts for non-conformity, ability to manage trips through system, understand where all people are at any period of time, generate reports (ex contact tracing) etc.