Big South Announces Updated COVID Return to Play Guidance
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (www.BigSouthSports.com) – The Big South Conference announced today updates to its COVID Return to Play guidance for the remainder of the 2021-22 athletic season, as approved by the league’s Council of Chief Executive Officers.
The Big South Conference Head Athletics Trainers and Team Physicians reviewed the CDC’s latest guidance on shortening the COVID isolation and quarantine periods, and in the interest of student-athlete health and safety have implemented the ability for individuals to “test out” of the requirement to wear a mask during practice and competition once out of isolation or quarantine. This new guideline is effective immediately, but local public health guidelines will continue to take precedence during the ever-changing environment caused by the pandemic. The Big South Conference will continue to evaluate its COVID Return to Play guidance and will make future adjustments as appropriate.
The specific changes to the Big South’s Return to Play guidance are indicated in bold italics below.
If You Test Positive for COVID-19 (Isolate)
Everyone, regardless of vaccination status.
Stay home for 5 days.
If you have no symptoms or your symptoms are resolving after 5 days, you can leave your house.
Continue to wear a mask around others for 5 additional days.
For competition and practice only, an individual may test out of the 5 additional day mask requirement if beginning on day 5 the individual shows two consecutive negative antigen tests 24-hours apart, or one negative PCR test.
If you have a fever, continue to stay home until your fever resolves.
If You Were Exposed to Someone with COVID-19 (Quarantine)
If you:
Have been boosted
OR
Completed the primary series of Pfizer or Moderna vaccine within the last 6 months
OR
Completed the primary series of J&J vaccine within the last 2 months
Wear a mask around others for 10 days.
Test on day 5, if possible.
For competition and practice only, an individual may test out of the last 5 days of the mask requirement if beginning on day 5 the individual shows two consecutive negative antigen tests 24-hours apart, or one negative PCR test.
If you develop symptoms get a test and stay home.
If you:
Completed the primary series of Pfizer or Moderna vaccine over 6 months ago and are not boosted
OR
Completed the primary series of J&J over 2 months ago and are not boosted
OR
Are unvaccinated
Stay home for 5 days. After that continue to wear a mask around others for 5 additional days
If you can’t quarantine you must wear a mask for 10 days.
Test on day 5 if possible.
For competition and practice only, an individual may test out of the 5 additional day mask requirement if beginning on day 5 the individual shows two consecutive negative antigen tests 24-hours apart, or one negative PCR test.
If you develop symptoms get a test and stay home