SourceBio International PLC (LON:SBI) said it has won a contract to provide coronavirus (COVID-19) testing services for elite rugby in England.
Under a deal with the Rugby Football Union (RFU) and Premiership Rugby Limited, the AIM-listed firm will provide virus testing services to the England senior men’s squad and support staff as well as to players and staff at all 12 Premiership rugby clubs.
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The company will provide COVID-19 tests to players and staff around training schedules and ahead of match days. Third party healthcare professionals sourced by SourceBio will take swabs from individuals, with samples then couriered to the group’s laboratory facility in Nottingham for PCR Testing, with results are turned around in less than 24 hours.
"We are very pleased to support elite rugby return to play protocols using our state-of-the-art laboratories to allow elite rugby in England to continue to safely operate within current social distancing measures,” SourceBio executive chairman Jay LeCoque said in a statement.
“We have been at the forefront of COVID-19 testing programmes since the beginning of the pandemic, supporting the NHS and private healthcare groups, but also helping many of our commercial clients to maintain a safe working environment and helping businesses to get back on track," the chairman added.
The RFU is also looking to roll out the testing service to clubs in the Championship, the next level down from the Premiership, who will be able to use this agreement to access the services provided by the Nottingham-based company.