UK is testing returning athletes for antibodies but not COVID-19. Here’s why.
The University of Kentucky is one of at least three Southeastern Conference schools that elected not to test asymptomatic athletes for COVID-19 upon their return to campus for voluntary workouts.
UK, along with Arkansas and LSU, are testing for coronavirus antibodies but are not specifically testing for the virus unless returning athletes are symptomatic or are known to have been in contact with someone who has tested positive, a decision the Washington Post highlighted as part of a report last week regarding variations in testing procedures across college football as athletics departments reopen for voluntary workouts.
Many schools are requiring that players take both tests upon their return.
“Our current protocol was developed specifically for this step of the process,” Guy Ramsey, UK’s director of strategic communication, wrote in an email to the Herald-Leader. “In this step of voluntary workouts, we are able to institute and monitor safety measures like social distancing and the use of personal protective equipment.
“There are limitations to diagnostic testing, including a relatively high rate of false negatives in asymptomatic patients. Additionally, diagnostic testing only gives a result for that specific point in time. That is, an individual could test negative one day and positive a day or two later.”
Those schools choosing not to administer COVID-19 tests for asymptomatic individuals was decided in part based on research from a study published in May and funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins Health System and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The goal of the study was to estimate the false-negative rate by day since infection. It concluded that “care must be taken” when administering reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction tests — the nasal swab test — and using those results as a basis for removing precautions intended to prevent transmission, “particularly early in the course of infection.”
“If clinical suspicion is high,” the study says, “infection should not be ruled out on the basis of RT-PCR alone, and the clinical and epidemiologic situation should be carefully considered.”
UK also was worried that if an individual were to test negative that they might forgo other mitigation measures like social distancing and wearing of masks due to a false sense of security.
Ramsey stressed that current procedures aren’t forever procedures. They’re applicable to the voluntary workout period and could, and likely will, change in the coming weeks as players start to come into closer contact with one another for regular practice and workouts.
“As we move forward in this process, instituting and monitoring safety measures becomes more difficult, particularly when teams begin to practice,” Ramsey said. “For that reason and with the university’s plan for all students taking shape, we fully expect moving to more aggressive diagnostic testing in future phases. It’s also important to note that we are actively monitoring all developments and will continue to follow all SEC guidance.”
A final group of football players returned to campus on Monday. Overall, 106 football players went through the initial screening process and six tested positive for COVID-19 antibodies. Those six underwent further evaluation and were cleared to participate.
This story was originally published June 22, 2020 at 7:35 AM.
