CPL’s bio-secure bubble success
Players practicing at the University of the West Indies’ bio-secure bubble training facility in St Augustine during the recent Hero 2020 CPL tournament.
PICTURE DR AKSHAI MANSINGH
PICTURE DR AKSHAI MANSINGH
Trinidad and Tobago recently saw the successful holding of Caribbean Premier League (CPL) T20 under the most trying of circumstances. The success of the tournament was not only in crowning a champion, but the ability to maintain a bio-secure bubble without any of the over 220 members testing positive for COVID- 19. This was achieved through careful planning and cooperation between the management of the CPL and the Government of Trinidad & Tobago through the Ministry of Health.
Approximately 170 overseas persons, from 18 countries and every continent, had to be airlifted into a country with closed borders. All had to monitor their temperatures for a fortnight, and test negative for COVID- 19 (PCR - Polymerise Chain Reaction - test) prior to arrival. Players were stratified, as those from CARICOM, who were deemed as low risk, and those from outside of CARICOM. Each group arrived on chartered flights and were transferred straight to the Hilton Trinidad hotel, which was the hub of the bio-secure bubble. The bubble consisted of players, coaches, support staff, technical crew for TV production and broadcast, as well as match officials. All had PCR tests done again.
The original plan called for two weeks of quarantine; the standard arrangement for anyone arriving in the twin-island republic. This was broken into one week of in-room sole confinement, with meals delivered three times a day and temperatures taken twice a day. The PCR test was repeated on day seven and on receiving all negative tests, players could move in small cohorts to well-ventilated areas in the property, to allow for exercise and gym activity. These movements were rostered and the areas were sanitised before the next cohort entered.
The bubble was extended to the UWI St Augustine Campus, which was the sole designated training facility for the competition, as the facilities were isolated and secure. There was no interaction between ground staff and players.
The original plan was that after two weeks of quarantine, the bubble would be lifted. However, during this period, Trinidad experienced a second wave of the virus, which necessitated the extension and reversal of the bubble. For the remainder of the competition, no one from inside the bubble was permitted to leave and no one from outside was permitted to enter.
The challenge then became that of how to incorporate the local Trinidadian players and staff, who were exempt from the initial quarantine but were tested twice before they entered the bubble. Having entered, they too were not allowed to leave.
In addition to the UWI facility, the bubble extension now also included the Brian Lara Cricket Academy and the Queen’s Park Oval, which hosted the actual matches.
At the match venues, there was clear separation between those in the bubble and those outside. Grounds staff approached the field from one end while the players entered and exited from another, with no contact between the two. Nonetheless, grounds staff constantly wore masks.
Local media were situated at separate ends of the grounds from those in the bubble and did not interact. Personnel with whom interaction was anticipated, for example catering staff and dressing room attendants, were all tested to ensure that they were negative. The bubble was successfully managed and players were able to leave for their respective countries with one final test to ensure their negative status. Many went on to the Indian Premier League in the United Arab Emirates, while others returned to their home countries. Persons faced further quarantine on their return home, despite having been within a bio-secure bubble.
This bubble is something that both the CPL and Trinidad and Tobago should be proud of, as most other bio-secure bubbles around the world have had players or staff return with positive tests. The concept of a centralised hub with extensions to those areas deemed necessary, like training and playing facilities, is probably more practical than having everything contained within one area. That was the case when West Indies toured England.
There, grounds were selected on the basis that they had a hotel situated within the premises, which enabled all activities to take place in one area. Not many places have such facilities, and the CPL bio-secure bubble can serve as a model for countries and organisations going forward.
There are, however, some aspects that need to be considered, such as the mental wellbeing of those who will be travelling from bubble to bubble, and country to country. Considerations for their mental wellbeing and provisions for further off-field activities will have to be incorporated.
This seems to be the way that sports would be able to conduct competitions in the near future and the Caribbean should be proud in having taken the lead.
Dr Akshai Mansingh is the Dean of Faculty of Sport at UWI and was the Tournament Chief Medical Officer for the 2020 CPL. Dr Mansingh can be reached at akshai.mansingh@uwimona.edu.jm
Approximately 170 overseas persons, from 18 countries and every continent, had to be airlifted into a country with closed borders. All had to monitor their temperatures for a fortnight, and test negative for COVID- 19 (PCR - Polymerise Chain Reaction - test) prior to arrival. Players were stratified, as those from CARICOM, who were deemed as low risk, and those from outside of CARICOM. Each group arrived on chartered flights and were transferred straight to the Hilton Trinidad hotel, which was the hub of the bio-secure bubble. The bubble consisted of players, coaches, support staff, technical crew for TV production and broadcast, as well as match officials. All had PCR tests done again.
The original plan called for two weeks of quarantine; the standard arrangement for anyone arriving in the twin-island republic. This was broken into one week of in-room sole confinement, with meals delivered three times a day and temperatures taken twice a day. The PCR test was repeated on day seven and on receiving all negative tests, players could move in small cohorts to well-ventilated areas in the property, to allow for exercise and gym activity. These movements were rostered and the areas were sanitised before the next cohort entered.
The bubble was extended to the UWI St Augustine Campus, which was the sole designated training facility for the competition, as the facilities were isolated and secure. There was no interaction between ground staff and players.
The original plan was that after two weeks of quarantine, the bubble would be lifted. However, during this period, Trinidad experienced a second wave of the virus, which necessitated the extension and reversal of the bubble. For the remainder of the competition, no one from inside the bubble was permitted to leave and no one from outside was permitted to enter.
The challenge then became that of how to incorporate the local Trinidadian players and staff, who were exempt from the initial quarantine but were tested twice before they entered the bubble. Having entered, they too were not allowed to leave.
In addition to the UWI facility, the bubble extension now also included the Brian Lara Cricket Academy and the Queen’s Park Oval, which hosted the actual matches.
At the match venues, there was clear separation between those in the bubble and those outside. Grounds staff approached the field from one end while the players entered and exited from another, with no contact between the two. Nonetheless, grounds staff constantly wore masks.
Local media were situated at separate ends of the grounds from those in the bubble and did not interact. Personnel with whom interaction was anticipated, for example catering staff and dressing room attendants, were all tested to ensure that they were negative. The bubble was successfully managed and players were able to leave for their respective countries with one final test to ensure their negative status. Many went on to the Indian Premier League in the United Arab Emirates, while others returned to their home countries. Persons faced further quarantine on their return home, despite having been within a bio-secure bubble.
This bubble is something that both the CPL and Trinidad and Tobago should be proud of, as most other bio-secure bubbles around the world have had players or staff return with positive tests. The concept of a centralised hub with extensions to those areas deemed necessary, like training and playing facilities, is probably more practical than having everything contained within one area. That was the case when West Indies toured England.
There, grounds were selected on the basis that they had a hotel situated within the premises, which enabled all activities to take place in one area. Not many places have such facilities, and the CPL bio-secure bubble can serve as a model for countries and organisations going forward.
There are, however, some aspects that need to be considered, such as the mental wellbeing of those who will be travelling from bubble to bubble, and country to country. Considerations for their mental wellbeing and provisions for further off-field activities will have to be incorporated.
This seems to be the way that sports would be able to conduct competitions in the near future and the Caribbean should be proud in having taken the lead.
Dr Akshai Mansingh is the Dean of Faculty of Sport at UWI and was the Tournament Chief Medical Officer for the 2020 CPL. Dr Mansingh can be reached at akshai.mansingh@uwimona.edu.jm