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Michigan State athletics conducts 71 PCR COVID-19 tests, finds 4 positive results

November 6, 2020
<p>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.</p>

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.

Photo by Lauren DeMay | The State News

From Oct. 29 - Nov. 5, Michigan State athletics conducted 71 PCR COVID-19 tests, resulting in four positive tests among athletes and zero staff members testing positive for a 5.6% positivity rate.

Since allowing athletes back on campus in June Michigan State has conducted nearly 3,000 PCR tests, with 148 positive results among athletes and nine positive results from the staff.

After testing positive, athletes will receive daily check-ins from the athletic training staff as they remain in isolation. Athletes will need to have multiple negative results before returning to team related activities.

Since these tests were conducted through Michigan State, they will be added to Michigan State’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.

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