In early August the following statement was released through the White House regarding Pre-Participation Exams during the COVID-19 Pandemic. “The American Medical Society for Sports Medicine (AMSSM) convened an expert panel to 35 address the current evidence, knowledge gaps, and recommendations surrounding the COVID vaccination in athletes during the SARS-CoV2 pandemic. The group held a series of meetings beginning in July 2021 and reviewed the available literature while using an iterative process and expert consensus to finalize this Guidance Statement.” The guidance statement that was issued is intended to help provide clinicians with information on how to have conversations regarding COVID-19 or how to incorporate conversations regarding vaccinations into the Pre-Participation Physical Exams. The guidance statement in its’ entirety can be found by clicking the button below.
A number of organizations including the NATA, NFHS, and NCAA have supported the above statement. A complete list of organizations can be found below.
With the new forms, it is important to note that if an athlete has already submitted a physical for the upcoming 2021-2022 school year, it is not necessary for them to submit a new physical on the updated form. The new updated forms contain questions in the history portion that are specific to COVID-19 and a question on the physical exam regarding immunization. The forms can be accessed by clicking the buttons below.