It was difficult to get this sucker up my nose.
It’s been a year since we started our 2 week lock down to stop the spread of COVID. In that time, I have never had any COVID symptoms. At least, none that didn’t exist prior to that time. During the past year, I’ve never had to be tested for COVID.
Last Saturday, I was one of the USATF officials at the UMW track meet.
The NCAA and USATF have some very good procedures in place for athletic events. Athletes, coaches and officials are considered part of Tier 1. I was officiating the High Jump using the moderate risk procedures.
With these two criteria, I was required to have the COVID quick test performed 90 minutes prior to the start of the meet. The Tier 1 participants, not being tested on Saturday morning, were tested on Friday, no more than 24 hours prior to the meet.
The COVID quick test is the swab up the nose, circling counter clockwise 5 times and then repeat in the other nostril. The swab is placed on the test paper. 15 minutes later, I passed the audition.
I wondered, is it my counter clockwise or the providers counter clockwise? What if, I go clockwise?
In its normal form, the high jump is considered a moderate risk of COVID spread. Though all participants were required to wear masks at the venue and we were able to keep our distances, jumpers could remove their masks while competing and everybody landed in the same pit, which could be contaminated.
Reading the protocols, there is a method where the high jump would be considered low risk. In this protocol, while jumping, each jumper would need to provide their own tarp to cover the pit.
I’m glad I passed the audition with a negative COVID test.