New NCAA guidelines equate natural immunity from COVID-19 infection with ‘fully vaccinated’

The NCAA released updated COVID-19 guidance on Thursday for winter sports that recognizes athletes with natural immunity from previous coronavirus infection as equivalent to being “fully vaccinated.” The new guidance also defines “fully vaccinated” as having taken both primary doses of a COVID vaccine as well as a third booster shot.

“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.”

Under the new winter guidelines, the NCAA COVID-19 Medical Advisory Group defines “fully vaccinated” as any person who within two months has completed the primary dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine; with five months has completed the primary series of the mRNA Pfizer vaccine; or within six months has completed the primary series of the mRNA Moderna vaccine (two doses for both); and who has received a booster shot after the appropriate time period for each respective vaccine.

“A person who has had a documented COVID-19 infection in the past 90 days is considered the equivalent of ‘fully vaccinated,'” the guidelines also state.- READ MORE