Academic COVID-19 Testing
Important Message for NAIA Members
The NAIA is dedicated to making decisions in the best interest of student-athletes. Looking upon the upcoming fall season with time and safety in mind, NAIA has diligently searched for a testing company that will provide all the necessary supplies for testing rapidly, effectively, and efficiently. Precision Genetics is proud to have been chosen to take on the task.
The decision to implement a testing strategy safeguards against student-athletes exposing their team members, coaches, or staff to the COVID-19 virus. Testing allows teams to put safety first so they can focus on training, practice, games, championships, and a successful, healthy season.
The new partnership with Precision Genetics will allow NAIA members to access COVID-19 PCR tests for their student-athletes quickly and efficiently so you can meet the 7-day deadline recommended for testing.
About Precision Genetics
Precision Genetics is not only a diagnostic laboratory, we are a healthcare technology company with years of experience in the employee wellness space. We are able to deploy the same logistics and methods to employee wellness to get both students and employees back to school and work during the COVID-19 pandemic. Amongst our team of expert scientists, doctors, engineers, and finance strategists are former college student athletes that understand how important it is to remain healthy before, during and after the athletic season. We want to make sure you all feel as safe as possible during this time.
On April 3, 2020, Precision Genetics validated the Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) via the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to process COVID-19 test kits. Precision Genetics is now available to support state and local healthcare systems in need of public health surveillance and has priority access to test reagents from commercial reagent manufacturers which have received EUA from the FDA.
How It Works
Our program will work for your specific needs. We have set up options to fit your school’s requirements, season schedule, and workflow. Options for testing are:
Turnkey Testing Program
We send out a team of nurses and supplies to test your SA before the start of the season. Includes nurses to administer the test, collection kits (nasopharyngeal), cooler box, ice packs, shipping label, PCR laboratory processing and HIPAA secure results delivery system.
Full Testing Program
This program assumes you have your own medical or training staff that will be able to administer the test for each student. Includes collection kits (nasopharyngeal), PCR laboratory processing, and HIPAA secure results delivery system.
Basic Testing Program
The Basic Testing Program includes PCR laboratory processing and HIPAA secure results delivery system. This means that if you can source your own collections kits for your medical staff, we will provide you with quick and accurate testing only.
Next Steps
Contact Precision Genetics by August 1st if you wish to participate in our testing program and let us know the details about your school and athletes being tested. Our registration form below goes through all of the information we will need to set you up for testing and is available 24/7.
Once we receive your registration, we will:
- Contact your designated COVID-19 testing employee to set up the shipment of the test kits and supplies for the collection date, logistics for when you are using nurses for mass collection days, shipping arrangements, as well as logistics for the different testing schedules
- Set up training for your staff that is in charge of managing the test result information
- Communicate or share any communication artifacts you may need for your coaches, student-athletes, or athletic department staff
FAQ’s
What kind of test do you use?
We are running a real-time PCR test to detect the presence of COVID-19 in your sample. Nucleic acid extraction from Saliva or NP collection media using the KingFisher Flex Extraction with MagMax™ Viral/Pathogen Nucleic Acid Isolation Kit for viral RNA extraction followed by reverse transcription and real-time PCR using the QuantStudio 12K Flex PCR with TaqPath COVID-19 Combo Kit. Ct analysis to identify the presence or absence of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) RNA.
What is your turnaround time?
Once we receive the samples in the lab, we will return the results to you in 24-48 hours. We recommend that you overnight the samples to our laboratory so as to ensure they arrive at our lab by 3 PM EST the next business day.
How is COVID-19 spread?
It is thought to spread mainly from person to person, mainly through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes. These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs. Spread is more likely when people are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet). It may be possible that a person can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes. This is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads, but we are still learning more about this virus.
The virus that causes COVID-19 is spreading very easily and sustainably between people. Information from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic suggests that this virus is spreading more efficiently than influenza, but not as efficiently as measles, which is highly contagious.
What happens when one of our student-athletes tests positive?
Laboratories within the United States and its territories are required to report all positive results to the appropriate public health authorities. In addition, we recommend the student contact his or her primary care physician and the institution follows the protocols required by local and state authorities and the NAIA.
Does our institution pay for this test?
Yes, each institution is responsible for the cost of the tests although some students may be covered through private insurance or other programs. Precision Genetics has worked with the NAIA to provide options for reduced cost out of pocket payment for the test as part of a safe return to school initiative. We have 3 different programs to choose from each at different costs to help you assess which option best fits your athletic program.
How will our institution receive the results from the test sent to Precision Genetics?
The results will be delivered to designated points of contact at the college/university.
How do we ensure the 7 day mandate?
The samples will be collected 5-7 days prior to the date of the first competition in each sport. We ensure the supplies get to the school 10-15 days before the test date. The samples will then be shipped overnight in order to get to the lab the next day. Precision Genetics guarantees a 24-hour turnaround once the samples have been received but to be conservative, please allow 24-48 hours. *Other commercial and private labs may not guarantee this timeline.
What will be the designated collection date(s)?
The NAIA requires a negative test within 7 days of the first competition in each sport. Assuming your first competition is September 5 for all sports except football, specimens those athletes would need to be collected between August 29 and September 4. We recommend collecting and shipping no later than August 31 to allow for any unforeseen issues with transit. For football with the first contest of September 12, specimens could be collected from September 5-11. Again, to be safe, we recommend collecting and shipping no later than September 7.
If my regional hospital cannot meet the 7 day turnaround what can I do?
Contact Precision Genetics and let us know what you need and what program you want and we will guarantee your timeline is met.
Register Today
If you have further questions, please email covid19@precisiongenetics.com or call 877-654-6544 ext. 4. However, if you are moving forward with your Student-Athlete testing using Precision Genetics, please fill out the form below. After you have submitted the form, you will receive an onboarding email from our COVID onboarding team.
Have Questions About Us?
Our personalized approach to what we do extends beyond our genetics lab. We, the team, are committed to providing patients, providers, and other labs the quality services and results we put our name behind.
