Article

House Call: Athlete Testing for COVID-19

Author(s):

What effect may professional athletes receiving asymptomatic tests have on the public perception of the coronavirus?

Many Americans’ first interpretation of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) threat was linked to news of celebrities testing positive for the virus—before the national rates of infection made headlines, asymptomatic actors and professional athletes did.

The latter group, who were mostly tested in team- and franchise-wide screenings following the cancellation and suspension of professional sports leagues throughout the last month, may face a particular set of issues not fully understood by fans or younger fellow athletes.

In an interview with HCPLive®, Dermot Phelan, MD, director of Sports Cardiology at Atrium Health’s Sanger Heart and Vascular Institute, discussed the impact of asymptomatic professional athletes receiving COVID-19 testing, the effect this may have on public perception of the disease, and what risks infected athletes of all tiers may face.

Namely, Phelan stressed COVID-19’s morbidity—at a time when most are concerned about its mortality.

“We’re certainly concerned there may be significant limitations, long-term, for those people who get COVID-19, and whether this is affecting their lung capacity,” he said.

Phelan also provides advice on mantaining cardiovascular and immunologic health through exercise during the pandemic, and what to do if symptoms present.

Related Videos
Steve Nissen, MD | Credit: Cleveland Clinic
Harpreet Bhatia, MD: Benefits of Universal Screening for Lp(a) Levels
Benjamin Scirica, MD | Credit: Brigham and Women's Hospital
Heather Johnson, MD: How to Combat Misconceptions of Statin Drugs in Your Patients
Nihar Desai, MD | Credit: HCPLive.com
Laurence Sperling, MD | Credit: Emory University
Tom C. Nguyen, MD: Evolving Roles of TAVR, SAVR in Aortic Valve Disease | Image Credit: Baptist Health
© 2024 MJH Life Sciences

All rights reserved.