The Ohio State University athletic department has revised its safety protocols in the face of the Omicron variant, emphasizing that student-athletes receive a booster shot to be considered fully vaccinated and mandating a five-day isolation period for individuals who test positive for COVID-19.
The revised protocols, which were obtained by The Columbus Dispatch through a public records request, redefine the athletic department's vaccination, testing and contact tracing guidelines. They stipulate that student-athletes who are more than five months removed from a second dose of the Moderna/Pfizer vaccine or two months from a Johnson & Johnson vaccination and have not received a booster are only considered partially vaccinated. Individuals who have both, or who have been infected within the previous 90 days, are considered fully vaccinated.
Fully vaccinated individuals can return to play five days after a positive test provided they either do not show symptoms or have mild symptoms that are improving and are not required to retest, the Dispatch reported. Individuals with incomplete vaccination status or unvaccinated individuals who test positive must pass an antigen or PCR test five days later before being able to return to play.
Any unvaccinated student-athlete will also have to receive cardiac clearance from a university doctor as part of their return to action following a positive test.
