NCAA Now Requiring Booster Shots To Keep 'Fully Vaccinated' Status

The NCAA announced new COVID-19 guidelines for winter sports Thursday, changing the requirements to be considered "fully vaccinated."

As the Omicron variant spreads throughout the country, Tier 1 individuals (student-athletes, coaches, athletic trainers, physical therapists, medical staff, equipment staff and officials) must have had the following to retain full vaccination status:

Those who have been infected with COVID-19 within the past 90 days are considered the equivalent of "fully vaccinated."

"The omicron variant has presented another surge of cases across the country," NCAA Chief Medical Officer Brian Hainline said. "This guidance was designed to align with the latest public health directives. Given how the pandemic continues to evolve, it's important that staff on member campuses continue to work with their local and state health officials on protocols most suitable for their locations."

Apparently, the NCAA is forgetting one major fact: the virus spreads just as rapidly among the vaccinated as it does the unvaccinated. This simple fact was clearly not taken into account with the new close contact guidelines, which make little sense.

Per the release, non "fully vaccinated" close contacts must quarantine at home for five days if asymptomatic. On the flip side, "fully vaccinated" close contacts do not have to quarantine but are subject to masking for 10 days unless actively training/competing.

OutKick founder Clay Travis weighed in on the new guidelines via Twitter.

"The NCAA has just announced that all college athletes must be covid boostered to be considered fully vaccinated," Travis wrote. "This is pure madness. College athletes have zero risk from covid."


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Nick Geddes is a 2021 graduate of the University of Central Florida with a bachelor’s degree in Journalism. A life-long sports enthusiast, Nick shares a passion for sports writing and is proud to represent OutKick.