Pac-12 Announces Rapid Testing Breakthrough, Results In 15 Minutes

The Pac-12 announced today it has partnered with Quidel Corporation to "implement up to daily testing for COVID-19 with student-athletes across all of its campuses for all close-contact sports." We're talking rapid, frequent testing that will "significantly reduce the number of contact traces required and the breadth of contact tracing required."

]Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott told media today he's hopeful this means a return to competition before the January 1 date that the conference had pinpointed before the introduction of the rapid testing.

“This is a major step toward the safe resumption of Pac-12 sport competitions,” Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott said in a statement. “The availability of a reliable test that can be administered daily, with almost immediate results, addresses one of the key concerns that was expressed by our medical advisory committee, as well as by student-athletes, coaches and others. At the same time, our partnership with Quidel, the industry leader in point-of-care antigen testing, will provide crucial research data that will benefit our members’ communities as well as the entire country.”

Scott added on a conference call with media that this would allow schools "to know every day, before every athletic practice or game, that everyone participating tested negative for COVID-19."

Schools will be receiving rapid testing machines by the end of September and will get results back in 15 minutes. Scott added on the call that he's been in touch with Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren and dropped this nugget: “I’ve said to Kevin, a high priority for the Pac-12 would be trying to align our seasons."

Local health departments would still have to sign off on a Pac-12 return to football plan, but Commissioner Scott is indicating he thinks a football season of some sort could take place.