Penn State Athletics continues to report that no student-athletes have tested positive for COVID-19, according to an update from the department on Wednesday.
According to a brief release, as of July 10, Penn State has conducted a total of 178 COVID-19 tests of student-athletes with 0 positive results and 31 pending.
Student-athletes are tested upon their return to campus and again if they were later to show symptoms of COVID-19. The athletic department plans to release testing results every-other week until the student body has fully returned to campus.
Penn State began its third phase of student-athlete returns on June 29, including the men’s and women’s soccer and women’s volleyball teams. The Nittany Lion football team is largely on campus while men’s and women’s basketball have also returned.
The first return phase began on June 8 with 75 football players. Precautions during all three phases included screening, testing, social distancing and other measures to prevent the potential spread of COVID-19 among student-athletes, coaches and support staffs.
Penn State Athletics has implemented and is enforcing the following protocols:
- Education for all student-athletes, coach and staff on Penn State’s COVID safety protocols.
- Mandatory daily health screening questionnaire and temperature check for student-athletes, coaches and staff.
- Required use of personal protective equipment (PPE).
- Adherence to social distancing guidelines for meetings and workouts, including the use of smaller groups for performance enhancement session.
- Enhanced cleaning for all athletics facilities.
- Limited and monitored access to facilities.
The next testing update is expected July 29.
