Coronavirus testing is not among the recommendations laid out by the SEC's 14-person Return to Activity and Medical Guidance Task Force, and Dr. Stevan Whitt explained the rationale behind leaving it out.
In an interview with The Athletic's Peter Baugh, Whitt offered his take on COVID-19 testing: "The problem is, with our testing, it doesn't tell us anything."
Whitt, who is an associate professor at the University of Missouri, laid out several reasons why coronavirus testing isn't as effective as many assume. The nasal swab PCR test, in particular, won't likely register a positive test in the first few days after someone has been exposed to COVID-19 or before they show symptoms, and the tests are known for both false positives and false negatives when test athletes as well.