The Pac-12 updated its protocols to cut the quarantine time for athletes to return following a positive COVID-19 test from 10 days to as early as five days, potentially allowing basketball season to proceed with fewer interruptions.
The Pac-12’s new policy, which follows updated CDC guidance that also cuts the recommended quarantine time to five days, asymptomatic players who test positive must isolate for five days and wear a mask for the next five days but can play without a mask after five days if they also have a negative PCR test.
Symptomatic players who test positive must isolate for at least five days until symptoms have improved and wear a mask for another 10 days — but can also play without a mask after five days if they have a negative PCR test.
While the policy for those testing positive does not vary for unvaccinated or vaccinated athletes, it does slightly for those who are exposed to someone with a suspected or known COVID-19 case.
Vaccinated and boosted players who are exposed do not have to quarantine and “should” wear a mask for 10 days, the Pac-12 said, or they can play without a mask if they have a negative PCR test taken each of their first three days following exposure.
Unboosted players who are exposed can play without a mask three days after exposure but must also have negative PCR tests on days three, four and five. Unvaccinated athletes must wait five days after exposure and then test negative before returning without a mask.
Pac-12 schools are also subject to local health policies that may be stricter or add additional requirements, and local government/health policies have varied widely within the conference’s footprint. Arizona has generally been following only Pac-12 guidelines while communicating with local health officials.
Under both the Pac-12’s former and current policies, vaccinated players are not subject to “surveillance testing,” or routine testing if they are not symptomatic, as they were last season.
However, unvaccinated players are required to take a PCR test once a week or three antigen tests.
All UA men’s basketball scholarship players are vaccinated and boosted, according to athletic trainer Justin Kokoskie, so they are subject to the least restrictive protocols.
The Wildcats have not had to pull out of a game for COVID reasons so far this season, though three games were postponed because of opponents’ COVID-19 issues: Dec. 2 against Washington at McKale Center, Dec. 30 at UCLA and Dec. 2 at USC.
The Pac-12 rescheduled the Arizona-Washington game for Monday at McKale Center.
