A new brand of speedy coronavirus tests could offer some hope of fans returning to Premier League matches and other games in English football before March.
According to the Telegraph, the company Prenetics, who have been responsible for testing Premier League players since football got going again in the summer, has developed mobile testing centres to help fans take rapid COVID-19 tests once they become available.
MORE: Journalist quotes Cristiano Ronaldo’s family labelling COVID-19 pandemic a “fraud”
The pandemic has hit football clubs hard, with some in the lower leagues likely to face a battle to stay afloat if spectators cannot return to stadiums in the next few months.
The roll-out of tests that give results in 15 minutes could be a game-changer for fans wishing to attend games, and it would be very welcome indeed to see even a reduced crowd back in grounds soon.
Football was suspended altogether between March and June, and while it was great to see it come back, it just hasn’t been the same without the presence of supporters cheering their teams on and responding to major incidents.
It is vital, of course, that this can be done safely, but the potential for faster coronavirus tests and a large number of testing centres could mean it is finally more realistic to get people into stadiums without the risk of spreading the virus.