Updated 8/11/21

• The following Covid-19 athletics plan will be treated as a working document to allow for changes as new information becomes available from the CDC, NCAA, New York State and Erie County. This plan aims to mitigate health and safety risks while simultaneously acknowledging that intercollegiate athletics has inherent risk in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Across all activities there will be three cornerstone practices which include the requirement of face coverings in shared spaces, enhanced cleaning/hygiene, and continued physical distancing practices. This document was developed under guidance provided by the NCAA, the Center for Disease Control, the New York State Department of Health, Erie County and the AMCC and NEAC conferences. Medaille College will also be following the AMCC Covid Plan.

The following (CDC) definitions will be used within this document for the terms Isolation, & Quarantine:

Quarantine: An action to separate and restrict the movement of people who were exposed to a contagious disease to see if they become sick. These individuals may have been exposed to a disease and not know if they are infected, or they may have the disease but do not show symptoms.
Isolation: An action to separate individuals who are sick with a contagious disease from people who are not sick. Mitigating the spread of COVID-19 depends, in part, on isolating infected individuals and quarantining those individuals possibly exposed to the virus that causes COVID-19.

Vulnerable populations:
Medaille follows all CDC guidelines for vulnerable populations. Based on currently available information and clinical expertise, older adults and people of any age who have serious underlying medical conditions might be at higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19. Based on current information this includes individuals age 65 or older, those individuals regardless of age with underlying medical conditions such as moderate to severe asthma, heart conditions, diabetes, morbid obesity, chronic kidney disease, liver disease, individuals who are immunocompromised, or those individuals taking medication which can weaken the immune system.

Medical Care:
Medaille has a relationship with local healthcare systems for treating student athletes and university community members. WellNow Urgent Care is a walk-in healthcare provider that offers quick, convenient, and quality care for non-life threatening injuries and illnesses. They accept most insurances. Sister’s Hospital, a part of the Catholic Health System, is located down the street from the Medaille campus and can provide an array of services from emergency and urgent care, pharmacy, lab, x-ray, physical therapy, etc. Medaille College has also secured the services of a Nurse Practitioner who will be available M-F to provide telehealth counseling to all student athletes, write prescriptions for medications as needed. The Nurse Practitioner will also provide office hours by appointment on campus to see student-patients. Student athletes may also utilize their own healthcare provider/healthcare services, and facilities within their own communities. Referrals to specialists in the area will be provided as needed.



A. Testing
1. Medaille College will be using rapid antigen Covid-19 tests. All student-athletes regardless of vaccination status will be administered a rapid antigen test prior to athletics participation on campus.
2. All unvaccinated student-athletes and unvaccinated tier one personnel will be tested three times per week during the competition season. Tier one personnel includes coaches, athletic trainers, student-athletes and officials (determined by the NCAA). Vaccinated student-athletes and vaccinated Tier one personnel will not be tested unless symptomatic or at risk of a documented close contact with Covid-19.
3. Student athletes are expected to attend every required testing session. If not present, the student athlete will not be allowed to participate in that week’s games or practices.
4. Those who have tested positive and have the test result on file will not need to be tested again for 90 days unless symptomatic according to the CDC.
5. Should a student-athlete be having Covid like symptoms they should notify the athletic training staff ahead of their scheduled testing time in order to arrange for safe accommodations to be tested. The student-athlete should also immediately fill out the Medaille College online form for signs and symptoms.
6. If a student-athlete is contacted by a contact tracer through the county or college that they may have had a high risk close contact exposure they should contact the athletic training staff so the proper precautions and protocols can be taken. The student-athlete should also immediately fill out the Medaille College online form for close contact.
7. If community spread is determined to be substantial or high, unvaccinated student-athletes may be required to test three times per week outside of their competition season as part of surveillance testing.
8. If a team has a positive test or sustained increased transmission rate all tier 1 members including student-athletes will be required to test regardless of vaccination status.


B. Testing Results
1. Negative tests: If all tests come back negative for the team, practices and games may continue as scheduled.
2. Positive tests: If a test comes back positive that student-athlete or coach will begin the isolation process following the Medaille College protocol and the health department will be notified. Medaille College contact tracing will determine if other team members or coaches have been in close contact with the positive individual which would result in the need to quarantine.
3. Contact tracing for any positive tests will follow the Medaille College protocol. The athletic director will contact the opposing team’s athletic director and the Commissioner of the AMCC of a positive test to notify them of a potential exposure if necessary. Unvaccinated student-athletes will not be allowed to practice or compete for 10 days after a positive test on a specific team or tier one personnel who they have had contact.
4. A student-athlete who has tested positive for Covid-19 must be medically cleared by a physician in order to return to athletically related activity.

C. Quarantine/Isolation Guidelines
1. Please see the chart below that summarizes College protocols:

COVID PROTOCOLS	Vaccinated	Unvaccinated	Reporting Form
Positive Test Result	Isolate for 10 days	Isolate for 10 days	Positive Reporting
Signs and Symptoms	Stay home. Get tested within 24 hours of signs and symptoms. If + isolate. If negative, may return to work/school/normal activities.	Stay home. Get tested within 24 hours of signs and symptoms. If + isolate. If negative, may return to work/school/normal activities.	Signs and Symptoms
Close Contact	Asymptomatic individuals who have been fully vaccinated or are within 3 months of a positive COVID diagnosis, do not need to quarantine. Test 3-5 days after last exposure. Monitor symptoms for 14 days. Wear a mask. If symptoms develop within 14 day period, follow protocol for signs and symptoms.	Quarantine for 10 days upon close contact with a positive case. Resident students test upon entering quarantine. All individuals test 5-7 days after last exposure. Negative test result does not end or shorten quarantine period. Monitor symptoms for 14 days.	Close Contact

Campus safety officers are available during hours the health center is closed and are prepared to respond to emergencies and will utilize 911 as needed.

Student-athletes who are experiencing illness beyond what the college and health center are able to reasonably manage, may need a higher level of care, and/or may be required to return home, follow up with their primary care physician, or may need to be hospitalized.

2. Student-athletes and coaches who are living off campus will quarantine/isolate in their private residence.

D. Game Day Operations
1. All personnel associated with the game (e.g., coaches, game day staff, bench players, event staff) except the student-athletes actively engaged in competition unless where specifically mandated must wear face coverings or masks. Masks which cover the mouth and nose are required for all team meetings before, at halftime and after the game as well as on team benches. Face coverings must meet CDC recommendations, which include a minimum of two layers. Mask requirements will be monitored and enforced by game day staff, coaches and athletic trainers.

2. Locker rooms may be utilized but masks must be worn at all times. There will also be hand sanitizers provided for each team bench.

3. Team benches/seating will be socially distant if possible.

4. Spectators will be permitted at athletics contest but masks are mandatory indoor as well as outdoors.

5. Student-athletes should bring their own individual towel for use. Each participating team will be required to supply and manage their own towels during competition. Players and coaches will be responsible for getting their own individual towels, including during timeouts.

6. Water coolers will be provided for team sports on each bench/sideline. Student-athletes should bring their own water bottles. Visiting teams are required to bring their own water bottles and cups will also be provided.

7. There will be no pre- or post-game handshakes or other physical contact permitted between competing teams, staff or officials.

8. There will be no sunflower seeds or spitting permitted at any venue.

9. Officials are required to bring their own water bottles and towels. A room shall be provided that minimizes exposure to spectators and team members for pre-game, halftime and post-game.

10. All sports information event staff and student workers are required to wear masks. Gameday personnel shall be limited to the minimum number necessary and remain 6’ apart whenever possible. Seating charts for press boxes and scoring tables will be developed. Consideration may be given to utilizing stands for staff needs (e.g., Statcrew operations) when possible. The scorer’s table/press box (including table top and equipment) shall be cleaned and sanitized directly prior to the arrival of game day personnel. Hand sanitizer shall be provided at the scorer’s table. There shall be no shared food. Staff/media are expected to provide their own water bottles. There should be no sharing of equipment; if this is not possible, all equipment shall be sanitized after each individual use.

11. In cases where opposing institutions will only play against vaccinated student-athletes and coaches, unvaccinated student-athlete and coaches would not participate in that contest.

12. Non-conference opponents must submit their covid plans and testing protocol prior to competition to be reviewed by the Head Athletic Trainer. Head coaches must assist with obtaining these documents.


E. Traveling To Away Games

1. The athletic training staff will be responsible for maintaining testing records of every individual traveling on the road for each event. A game day clearance form will be required to be submitted before departing campus. Coaches may need to assist with this prior to departure.

2. The Athletic Director or their designee as well as the conference commissioner shall be notified immediately if a team is determined to be unable to travel.

3. NYS Covid-19 travel policy rules will apply unless granted otherwise by Erie County.

4. Masks will required to be worn at all times while traveling on buses or vans. There is to be no eating during transportation. If drinking is required it is recommended that a straw is used under one’s mask.



F. Considerations Related To The Discontinuation Of Athletics
Athletics may be paused or discontinued when any of the following may occur:

• A lack of ability to isolate new positive cases or quarantine high contact risk cases on campus.
• Unavailability or inability to perform symptomatic, surveillance and pre-competition testing.
• Campus wide, local community or intercollegiate athletics test rates that are considered unsafe by local public health officials and/or college administration.
• Inability to perform adequate contact tracing consistent with governmental requirements or recommendations.
• Local public health officials stating that there is an inability for the hospital infrastructure to accommodate a surge in hospitalizations related to COVID-19.
• 
  For additional information please refer to the Medaille College Health Services plan and the AMCC Covid-19 Plan that athletics will be following.
  
  This document was created and reviewed by:
  Susan Roarke, Director of Athletics
  Brenda Dean, Head Athletic Trainer
  Laura Edholm, Senior Associate Director of Athletics
  Amy DeKay, VP for Student Development