Dr Maarit Valtonen, Chief Physician of Team Finland explained:

"We used Dragonfly tests to exclude potential pathogens in athletes with mild respiratory symptoms. The main aim was to prevent possible viral outbreaks and to increase the quality of care by differentiating the etiology of respiratory symptoms. The athlete’s respiratory health is especially crucial in high ventilation‑rate sports like cross‑country skiing. In winter endurance sports, respiratory symptoms are also very prevalent. Some respiratory pathogens may increase the risk of cardiac complications. Dragonfly's precision gives the team and the athletes themselves the necessary confidence in situations where respiratory symptoms are present. Dragonfly can distinguish different respiratory pathogens from a single sample. Virus diagnostics improves treatment of infections; being able to differentiate between viral and bacterial conditions reduces 'just in case' antibiotic prescriptions. Dragonfly is compact and compared to a PCR machine easy to transport. We have also found that training new users 'on a go' is straightforward. We will be expanding testing to other disciplines. We envisage Dragonfly being especially useful in team sports and major sport events where the risk of contagion is relatively high. Early recognition is essential in prevention of a wider epidemic outbreak. "