SEC Releases Fall COVID-19 Protocols, Football Requires Semiweekly Testing
Today, the SEC announced its initial COVID-19 management requires for fall athletics through recommendations by the SEC's Return to Activity and Medical Guidance Task Force.
Due to the fluidity of the pandemic, the SEC's testing procedures and medical guidance are likely to change, the SEC stated in its release today. For now, SEC guidelines will include testing, procedures for infections and contact tracing and protocols for quarantine and isolation.
For high-risk sports, including basketball, football, soccer and volleyball (Polymerase chain reaction) PCR testing will occur twice a week in-season, including six days and three days prior to competition.
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In addition to the current semiweekly standard, the medical task force "recommends exploring alternative testing methods that will accommodate a third test," the SEC stated in a release today. This applies to student-athletes and others in direct contact with the program.
“Our Medical Task Force is producing an effective strategy for testing and monitoring, which complements the vigilant day-to-day efforts of our campuses to establish and maintain healthy environments in which our student-athletes can train and compete,” said SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey in a statement released by the SEC.
“Our health experts have guided us through each stage of preparation for the safe return of activity and, together with the medical staffs embedded within our athletics programs, we will continue to monitor developments around the virus and evolve our plan to meet the health needs of our student-athletes.”
Among the sports listed above, masks will be required for all coaches, staff and non-competing personnel on the sideline and physical distancing will be employed to the extent possible.
The SEC will require quarantine following close contact exposure in student-athletes with prior confirmed COVID infection. Individuals will need to be quarantined per the national guideline of 14 days.
In July, the SEC announced that student-athletes who elect not to participate in fall athletics (opt out) during the 2020 academic semester due to health and or safety purposes related to COVID-19 will continue to have their scholarships honored by the university and will remain in good standing with the team.
Earlier this week, two Florida Gators football players hinted at the possibility, and Pac 12 football student-athletes drafted a letter with a list of demands in order to play football this fall.
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There will very likely be many changes to procedures for testing and otherwise as research evolves regarding COVID-19.
