The Mayor of Liverpool says the city’s new mass-testing pilot scheme could pave the way to allow fans back into stadiums.
The entire population of Liverpool is to be regularly offered rapid turnaround coronavirus tests even if they are asymptomatic.
It is hoped the scheme, which will see 2,000 military personnel arrive in Liverpool to help with mass testing, will identify more cases among those without symptoms and drive down infections in the city.
If successful, it is thought the government will roll out the scheme in other cities.
Whilst the initial aim is to stop the spread of coronavirus, Mayor Joe Anderson is also looking at what the scheme can achieve in the future.
With the implementation of a new national lockdown, football fans will not be allowed back into matches until the new year - with no plans currently set over an exact date for them to return.
Yet, speaking in a Facebook live with the Liverpool ECHO, Anderson said that a successful mass-testing scheme could be adapted to allow fans to attend games.
He said: "For me, as well, looking ahead to post-lockdown and it being lifted, if this works and we can demonstrate it works, it can gives the government the potential to allow people to go into football stadiums.
"You could have some of these at the end of Goodison Road or wherever and have spaces where people get tested, then provided they get a negative result some people can go in.
"I'm not saying tens of thousands but at least maybe a few thousand people.
"So it can be used post-lockdown in a way so it's good for Liverpool to be part of this pilot experiment.
"I don't think there's anything other than win-wins in it for Liverpool."
