Friday morning, the Southeastern Conference announced the COVID-19 management requirements for fall sports. These requirements are recommended by the SEC’s Return to Activity and Medical Guidance Task Force.
Some of the requirements include a PCR surveillance test administered twice a week during the season which will be three to six days prior to competition (for football), masks requirements for coaches, and players on the sidelines while requiring social distancing at the highest extent possible. Putting things into perspective, football, volleyball, and soccer athletes will be required to be tested twice a week while volleyball and soccer athletes will be tested one to three days prior to their competition. Cross country athletes will be tested once a week with one to three days prior to competition. Masks for cross country are required at the start of the finish line but can be removed once the right amount of distancing has happened.
In a statement issued Friday morning, SEC commissioner Greg Sankey said, “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. Along with these protocols and requirements, each school is required to have a COVID-19 Oversight Officer who will be responsible for overseeing and ensuring compliance with the SEC’s COVID-19 management requirements while also educating.”
The SEC indicated while these measures are being used, they will be updated accordingly as new information becomes available. Student-athletes who decide not to participate in the Fall 2020 academic semester because of COVID-19 health or safety concerns will continue to have their scholarships honored by their University and remain in good standing.
For a full list of requirements and protocols issued by the SEC Return to Activity and Medical Guidance Task Force, check out the link below.
http://a.espncdn.com/sec/media/2020/SEC%20Task%20Force%20Recommendations%20Fall.pdf
