Rugby union club tackles Covid- 19 with sanitisation tunnel for players
A YORKSHIRE rugby union club has become the first in the the Greene King IPA Championship to install a sanitisation tunnel to protect against coronavirus.
Doncaster Knights RFC’s players and staff can now walk through the ‘ Gateway PPT’ when they arrive for training and matches to help prevent the spread of Covid- 19.
The tunnel is also being used by the players’ families so they can safely watch the games live and visit the players at work.
The hope is that the sanitisation tunnels will play a major part in getting fans safely back into the stadium to support the Knights in person.
The Gateway PPT looks like an airport scanner.
When people walk through it, a thermo- imaging camera takes temperatures then the machine sends out an odourless, dry mist of a treated water- based solution
to disable bacteria and viruses. The process takes between three and five seconds and is completely safe.
Knights general manager Neil Holmes said: “The safety of our staff, supporters and customers is of utmost importance to us.
“We have now welcomed our mini/ junior and amateur sections back to Castle Park and hope to be able to welcome supporters back to watch the Knights soon.
“The sanitisation tunnel highlights our commitment to our stakeholders and is a key part of the extensive safety measures we are taking to safeguard all who visit Castle Park.”
Ministers are looking into ways sports stadiums can re- open safely, supported by the creation of a new working group within DCMS, the Sports Technical Innovation Group.
Christian Pearce, commercial director of Gateway PPT said: “The Gateway PPT provides Doncaster Knights’ players, staff members and families with the peace of mind that they are doing everything they can to protect themselves and others against Covid- 19.
“We are hopeful that in the not so distant future the Gateway PPT will be used by clubs across the league to welcome fans back to watch their favourite team live,” he added.