Covid-19 – EasyCov test and VOGO digital solution: moving towards a faster return to play!

EasyCov owns all assets to support the decontainment, particularly in the sports market, making the resumption of professional training and competitions easier.

The Coronavirus health crisis has hit strongly the sports industry. Opportunistically and in order to contribute to overcoming the crisis, VOGO has taken part, with its technological skills and expertise, in a consortium integrating the biotechnology company SKILLCELL et du CNRS (Centre National de Recherche Scientifique).

This consortium has given birth to EasyCov, a major innovation combining the EasyCov saliva test and the digital solution developed by VOGO, that integrates an application dedicated to the colorimetric analysis of test results and a data management portal (HDS).

First worldwide release: from June 25^th, 2020, the EasyCov screening test, distributed by Inovie Group, enables large-scale rapid tests to be carried out for screening campaigns in laboratories or on the pitch, an important asset for “Back-to-Sport”.

An innovative screening process for Clubs’ entire staff

The EasyCov screening test is fast (about 1 hour), painless and relocatable (can be performed on-site), offering a clear advantage to clubs and organizers of sporting events (Leagues, Federations …).

o For staff: athletes, as well as the whole management and administrative team can undergo the EasyCov saliva test.

o Implementation of the test:Before training sessions or competitions, so that any person attending in the sports arena is proved not to be a vector of Covid-19, and that the practice of sport is carried out in the best possible sanitary conditions.

o Advantages : reliable, easy to set up, and quick to deliver results.

And for spectators ?French government has already authorised the resumption of professional training sessions for collective sports clubs and is planning a gradual reopening of stadiums and racecourses with a reduced and maximum capacity of 5,000 people from July 11^th, 2020.

This means that screening spectators prior to a match can become crucial, depending on health procedures implemented by event organisers.

First reference with the MHB, European Handball Champion 2019

Monday June 29^th, 2020: The famous French handball club  MHB opens the way with the EasyCov rapid saliva test.

The entire staff and players of the MHB (Montpellier Handball Club) underwent the EasyCov test before heading back to Bougnol arena, to start the 2020/2021 season peacefully.

” All tests turned out to be negative, which is very good news for the rest of our summer preparation,” says coach Patrice Canayer. “These results were provided by an innovative procedure and painless saliva test, called “EasyCov”.

By participating to this first implementation, the MHB hopes that the EasyCov test will allow a wide screening of as many clubs as possible in the next few days, aiming at resuming the game in complete peace of mind and safety.

Easy to implement and quick results for clubs

For example, everything can take place in the players’ changing room:

A medical operator collects a saliva sample from an athlete, heats it to 65 degrees in two dedicated tubes, and gets the result within 1 hour by analyzing the color of the last tube:

Orange color: Negative Covid-19 test.
Yellow colour: Positive Covid-19 test

The VOGO digital solution then takes over:

o VOGO EasyCov Reader

The EasyCov Reader application allows to automate the colorimetric analysis of the EasyCov test and to digitalize the result.

The application is connected with the following EasyCov portal:

o VOGO EasyCov Portal

The VOGO solution also integrates a secure health data management (HDS) portal, which allows :

• In the pre-analytical phase to prepare patient data and the list of people to be tested
• In the analytical phase to receive the numerical result of the test
• In the post-analytical phase to ensure interoperability with all external health information systems (e.g. the Laboratory’s LIS) and competent authorities,

EasyCov, also a screening test for EVERYONE!

Building of the fast and complete screening chain, EasyCov meets many expectations. The test is particularly useful for control campaigns in the context of activities with high human density, such as :

• Health (hospital staff, nursing homes, etc.),
• Events: sport, culture,
• Security,
• Transportation (Airports, train stations, border controls,…)

EasyCov contributes everytime stakes are high in terms of protecting individuals, simplicity, mobility and economic recovery in a global sense.

As a conclusion, EasyCov has all assets to position in the heart of the decontainment process and screening systems for COVID-19.