MLW To Utilize NBA’s COVID-19 Testing Process Once Returning To Action

August 18, 2020

MLW has been staying on top of matters, particularly when it comes to their handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and now the league plans to use a new testing process that was funded in part by the NBA.

MLW shared the following news on their website talking about SalivaDirect, a new test coming out of The Yale School of Public Health that has a 30-minute result time and 95% accuracy. It is what the NBA is currently using in their bubble league and what MLW plans to use in the hopes of restarting sooner than later:

On Saturday, the Federal Drug Administration approved a breakthrough saliva-based COVID-19 test capable of providing results within mere hours.

The Yale School of Public Health has come up with a test known as SalivaDirect. The newly developed test reduces turnaround times for results and should be available within weeks.

“This new development in diagnostic testing will provide us with lab results within a few hours,” said MLW’s chief medical physician Dr. Nelson Sweglar. “This particular test is going to help contain the spread and allow for rapid tracing and isolation in a more realistic manner.”

“We have been expecting this for a few months,” said MLW CEO Court Bauer. “This is going to dramatically change our ability to restart the league and assure the health and well-being of our athletes, staff and crew.”

Partially funded by the NBA, Yale’s SalivaDirect test has been used in the NBA’s bubble league this summer as a case study for the test. The results have proven the test to be highly sensitive, highly accurate (95%) and enabled the NBA to thrive in its restart.

“This is just the tip of the iceberg. We expect in a few months we will be able to receive results within around 30 minutes, perhaps without a lab being involved,” continued Dr. Sweglar.

SalivaDirect is expected to be available to MLW and other sports leagues within weeks.

As for MLW’s restart, Bauer remains cryptic albeit increasingly optimistic, “Stay tuned but we’re very close. Very.”

Dominic started at WrestleZone in April of 2018.
He is a book reviewer for The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, loves Penguins hockey, Pirates baseball and the lowly New York Jets.
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