Spartan Stadium has converted into a COVID-19 testing facility to allow students living on or near campus to get tested. The entrance to the testing center is located at Gate B. Shot on Sept. 23, 2020.
On Friday afternoon, MSU announced that during COVID-19 PCR testing from Nov. 6-11, 15 student-athletes and two staff members received positive results.
During the time period, 92 student-athletes and five staff members were tested with 17.5% positive test rate.
"For the individuals who tested positive, daily check-ins with athletic training staff will continue while the individuals remain in isolation, with additional services provided as directed by the medical and administrative staffs," the MSU Athletic Department said in a release. "Further testing and physician follow-up will be required prior to returning to any level of workouts."
Since June, MSU has done 3,016 COVID-19 PCR tests on athletes and staff members. In total, there have been 174 positive PCR test results among staff and athletes total.
There are two types of diagnostic tests, according to the FDA website, molecular tests, such as the PCR test, that detect the virus's genetic material and antigen tests, that detect specific proteins from the virus.
Because student-athletes are tested through the university's clinical testing sites, the numbers above are included in MSU's COVID-19 dashboard.
In a data analyzation from The State News earlier this year, data was collected from June 15 to Oct. 16. In October, daily antigen testing began for the football and hockey team for the season, shrinking the amount of PCR tests administered each week.
Athletes outside of football and hockey are currently participating in Michigan State’s COVID-19 early detection program five times a week where athletes and students utilize a saliva test to detect COVID-19. Currently, students at Michigan State can only participate once a week.
After the saliva test is administered to athletes, they receive a recommendation whether they will need to take a PCR test or not.
As men’s and women’s basketball gets set to start near the end of the month, the Big Ten has not yet adopted a testing protocol for the season.
Men’s hockey will utilize the same antigen testing football is currently using as their season gets ready to begin on Nov. 19 against Arizona State.
Support student media! Please consider donating to The State News and help fund the future of journalism.
