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Student-Athlete
Health & Well-Being Initiative

Pac-12 announces further details of football game week testing protocols

Nov 2, 2020
 
Hallmarks of game-week protocols to protect health and safety include daily antigen testing, weekly PCR testing and game-day rapid result PCR testing in the event of a positive antigen test
 
SAN FRANCISCO – The Pac-12 Conference released today further details on its football game week testing protocols to protect the health and safety of student-athletes and all those connected to Pac-12 football programs.
 
Key elements of the testing protocols for football student-athletes include the following:
 
  • Daily point-of-care testing on each day of full practice, higher-risk of transmission activity, travel, and games;
  • Minimum once weekly PCR test (in addition to daily point-of-care testing). For football game weeks, the weekly PCR test will take place within 36 hours of game time for home team student-athletes and within 36 hours of travel departure for visiting team student-athletes;
  • Any positive daily point-of-care antigen test must be followed by a PCR test within 24 hours;
  • A third-party testing administrator will administer game day point-of-care antigen tests (and PCR tests as applicable) for each team and on-field officials;
  • Game day air ambulance service will be available in case any individual tests positive while traveling for competition; and
  • All testing protocols continue to be subject to state, local, and campus public health requirements.
A more detailed summary of the minimum testing requirements can be found below.
 
The return-to-play testing summary supplements the Pac-12 COVID-19 Medical Advisory Group’s return-to-play considerations and guidance, most recently published on September 24.
 
The Pac-12 previously announced its game cancellation policy on October 19.
 
PAC-12 COVID-ADVISORY GROUP
COVID-19 FOOTBALL TESTING SUMMARY
 
For football, minimum testing includes:
 
Student-Athletes
 
Coaches
Weekly/Practice
 
Weekly/Practice
1x week PCR test, and
 
2x week POCT for:
Daily point-of-care test (POCT)* each day of HROT activity participation (e.g., close contact practice)
 
-    Coaches who cannot socially distance
-    Any positive antigen test confirmed by PCR test
 
-    Any positive antigen test confirmed by PCR test
 
 
Travel
 
Travel
POCT day of travel 
 
POCT day of travel 
-     Results prior to boarding/departure
 
-     Results prior to boarding/departure
-     Plane/bus/car with multiple travel party members
 
-     Plane/bus/car with multiple travel party members
Competition
 
Competition
POCT on game day, results prior to contest
 
POCT on game day, results prior to contest
-     Contests starting 12 pm or earlier, tests may be administered within 24 hrs prior to game time.**
 
-     Contests starting 12 pm or earlier, tests may be administered within 24 hrs prior to game time.
 
 
 
 
Officials (FB, Single Conference Officials)
 
Travel Party^
Travel (if applicable)
 
Travel
PCR test prior to travel
 
POCT day of travel 
-     Coordinated by Conference office
 
-     Prior to boarding/departure
-     Plane/bus/car with multiple travel party members
 
-     Plane/bus/car with multiple travel party members
Competition
 
Competition
POCT on game day, results prior to contest
 
POCT on game day, results prior to contest
-     Contests starting 12 pm or earlier, tests may be administered within 24 hrs prior to game time.
 
-     Contests starting 12 pm or earlier, tests may be administered within 24 hrs prior to game time
Scrimmage
 
 
POCT on game day, results prior to contest
 
 
-     Contests starting 12 pm or earlier, tests may be administered within 24 hrs prior to game time.
 
^ Individuals in the visiting team "travel party" traveling together in same transport
 
* All references to POCT may be fulfilled through antigen test or daily PCR with 24 hr turnaround
** For tests administered within 24 hrs prior to game, individuals should remain in a controlled environment from testing until game time.
 

PAC-12 COVID-ADVISORY GROUP
COVID-19 TESTING SUMMARY
---
FOOTBALL SPECIFIC
 
GAME DAY TESTING
 

3rd Party Test Administrator: SafeSiteTM will administer game day antigen testing for each Pac-12 football game

Testing Groups: Antigen tests will be administered to:
 
  • Home team sideline group
  • Visiting team’s travel party
  • On-field officials
PCR Inventory: If there is any positive antigen test result on game day, SafeSite will have a limited capacity to perform rapid-result PCR tests for confirmation (2 per hour).
 
Test Logistics:
 
  • Each team will have a designated SafeSite coordinator and create a SafeSite account.
  • Coordinator will upload individuals to receive testing and will be the only individual with access to results.
  • Each student-athlete will need to sign HIPPA waivers and allow SafeSite to submit de-identified results to state/local public health administrations.
  • SafeSite will coordinate with each team’s designated testing contact each week to schedule the collection of testing specimens based on the time of the game, location of the team hotels, etc.
  • Antigen tests should be completed 4 hours prior to kickoff.
  • Testing will begin at least 6-8 hours prior to kickoff. For games at 12 pm or prior, the game day test may be administered the day prior to the game.
PCR MINIMUM REQUIREMENT
 
  • PCR Administration Window: Student-athlete weekly PCR will be administered as follows:
Home Team: Within 36 hours of the scheduled kickoff
Visiting Team: Within 36 hours of the scheduled travel departure time
Santa Clara Cty: Additional PCR upon arrival to Santa Clara County, California
 
POSITIVE ANTIGEN TESTS
 
  • Minimum Positive Antigen Test Confirmation/Clearance: Administer a PCR test within 24 hours of a positive antigen test result. If the PCR test is negative, the student-athlete may be reinstated to daily antigen testing cadence and may return to activity (subject to local/state regulations and if deemed appropriate by institution’s medical staff).
Example of the positive antigen test confirmation/clearance cadence
Red = confirmation of infection/placement into institution’s isolation/quarantine protocol
Green = ”false positive” and clearance to return to activity and resume regular antigen testing cadence 
 

A

 

B

Day 1*

Day 2

 

Day 1

Day 2

Antigen (+)

X

 

Antigen (+)

Antigen (-)

PCR (+)

 

PCR (-)

 

         

*PCR should be administered within 24 hours of first Antigen (+), which may occur the day following Day 1. Second antigen should not be administered until after PCR results are received.

 
  • Incongruent Antigen/PCR Tests:  Rare individuals who have multiple consecutive antigen positives test followed by at least two consecutive PCR negative tests administered over the subsequent 48 – 72 hours may move to a minimum 3x/week PCR testing cadence in lieu of antigen testing (subject to local/state regulations and if deemed appropriate by institution’s medical staff). A negative PCR completed within 48 hours of game time is required to participate.
 
Example of the incongruent antigen/PCR tests cadence.
Red = confirmation of infection
Yellow = multiple incongruent antigen tests
Green = “false positive” and clearance to return to activity and begin alternative min. 3x/week PCR testing cadence 
 

C

 

D

 

E

Day 1*

Day 2-3

Day 3-4

 

Day 1

Day 2-3

Day 3-4

 

Day 1

Day 2-3

Day 3-4

Antigen (+)

Antigen (+)

PCR (-)

 

Antigen (+)

Antigen (+)

X

 

Antigen (+)

Antigen (+)

PCR (+)

PCR (-)

PCR (-)

   

PCR (-)

PCR (+)

 

PCR (-)

PCR (-)

 
 
POST-RECOVERY TEST EXEMPTION
 
Post-Recovery Testing Exemption:
 
  • Current data shows that re-infection of Covid-19 after initial recovery may be possible, but the risk of re-infection may be lower.
  • Following recovery from Covid-19, individuals are exempt from surveillance testing for ninety (90) days.
  • A test should be administered upon presentation of any Covid-19 symptoms.
  • Post-recovery testing exemption periods are subject to local/state regulations and campus policies.
 
GAME DAY MEDICAL TRANSPORT
 
Game Day Transport for Infected Individuals:
 
  • Pac-12 has engaged AirMed International air ambulance service to provide game day transport for individuals who test positive while traveling for competition.
  • Each institution will designate a point of contact to work with AirMed for game day travel logistics.
 
ATTESTATION
 
  • A game day attestation form (online) will be submitted by each team physician and athletic director attesting that:
    • each team has complied with minimum testing requirements
    • no individual will be participating in the game who has:
      • received a presumptive positive test result (without clearance),
      • received a confirmed positive test result,
      • had high-risk contact, or
      • is exhibiting symptoms of Covid-19.
    • If an individual tests positive within 48 hours following a game, the institution will immediately notify the opposing team and the conference office to allow for appropriate contact tracing to be performed.
 
FACE COVERINGS
 
  • Face coverings must be worn over the nose and mouth by all individuals in the stadium and on the field.
  • Players may remove face coverings while in the field of play but must re-place their face coverings once they have returned to the sideline.
  • OK: surgical mask, cloth mask, gaiter (double layer or thick cloth)
  • Not OK: face shield (may be used with other face covering specifically for nose and mouth)