Tide’s Saban cleared for showdown THE QUOTE
Keeping an eye on the world of sports during the pandemic:
Alabama coach Nick Saban, who tested positive for the coronavirus Wednesday, was “medically cleared” to direct the second-ranked Crimson Tide on Saturday night against No. 3 Georgia.
Under the SEC’s health protocols, Saban was allowed to exit isolation far earlier than first anticipated because he was asymptomatic and tested negative for the virus three times in the days following his initial positive result. That streak of negative tests, administered through a conference-sanctioned laboratory, led Alabama and conference officials to conclude that Saban had a false positive result Wednesday.
Alabama also said Saban under went two additional tests that were processed by another lab and returned as negative.
“Coach Saban is medically cleared to safely return to activity effective immediately,” Dr. Jimmy Robinson, a team doctor, said in a statement Saturday, adding that Saban “remained completely symptom-free.”
The college football world was still stunned when Saban, 68, announced Wednesday that he had tested positive for the virus and entered isolation a this home in Tuscaloosa. The result came from what is considered the most reliable type of test for the virus: a polymerase chain reaction test, known as a PCR.
Saban — who was often seen wearing a mask during games — and university officials repeatedly asserted that he was not experiencing any symptoms, and he maintained an active schedule, coaching practice remotely and appearing on a radio show.
Under a new SEC procedure, a person who tests positive may, within 24 hours of that result, take a new PCR test. If that test shows a negative result, the person can take two more PCR tests, each separated by 24 hours.
If those tests also return negative results and the person remains asymptomatic, the player, coach or staff member “may be released from isolation and medically cleared to return to athletics activities only,” according to SEC guidelines.
“We ski outside in ultraviolet sun and in the wind, and it’s common for us to wear goggles, gloves and face coverings.”
— Dave Byrd, director of risk and regulatory affairs at the National Ski Areas Association, on resorts dealing with coronavirus restrictions