Outside the courts of Estoril Tennis Club, where the Millennium Estoril Open is played out until May 2, another “big challenge” takes place, practically with no pauses: the periodic testing of all actors involved in the tournament and the strict compliance with the Covid-19 prevention plans. “Up to now, everything is going smoothly”, stresses Carlos Palos , the intensivist coordinating the Luz Saúde infection control group, who is the Tournament Infection Control Officer, assisted by other three physicians. “Smoothly”, in this case, meaning that “there were no positive cases of Covid-19, not even people reporting symptoms or contact with positive cases”. Remember that no one enters the Estoril Tennis Club without a negative PCR test. Athletes, health professionals and elements of the organization are tested every four days or even, in some cases, every two days, at the Hospital da Luz medical center or at the official tournament hotel – summing around 1.000 tests by the end of the event . Moreover, temperature screening on entry is obligatory and everyone has to complete a daily questionnaire, via application, concerning the existence (or not) of symptoms associated with Covid-19. “In case associated symptoms are reported, we are immediately informed”, explains Carlos Palos. Unlike the matches that succeed one another in the clay courts, this “match” has multiple players, who have to articulate and collaborate in order to comply with every rules, some quite complex: “ The challenge is huge and implies a highly concerted action between ATP, the national organization, Hospital da Luz and Synlab ”. "The response time here is very important and that is why we are working with two laboratories, the central and the Hospital da Luz Lisboa laboratory", reveals Laura Brum , medical director of Synlab Portugal. “It is more demanding, as we are not at our usual stations, but it is challenging. We really like this type of participation in events”, she concludes.
