Professional and top-tier college athletes in Oregon are tested about 1,700 times a week combined, while some health care workers are struggling to just receive one, according to a report.
The Portland Trail Blazers, Portland Timbers, Oregon Ducks and Oregon State Bears are tested multiple times per week. The Trail Blazers get tested daily, the top schools get tested six times per week and the Timbers four times.
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The Oregonian reported Thursday that some health care workers within the St. Charles Health System, which operates four hospitals in the central part of the state, have yet to receive one single COVID-19 screening test. A spokesperson for the hospital system told the paper that about 18% of its workers have been tested.
Cost appeared to be part of the issue.
St. Charles told The Oregonian that it costs about $140 for PCR tests, which is supposed to be the more accurate test over the rapid antigen test. Some Oregon universities are reportedly paying $23 tests for the rapid tests.
Gov. Kate Brown, a Democrat, hasn’t pushed for regular testing despite the concerns. Charles Boyle, a spokesman for the governor, told the newspaper that a negative COVID-19 test doesn’t necessarily mean you’re safe from getting the coronavirus.
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“At this time, the advice we have received from health care experts at the Oregon Health Authority and the Governor’s Medical Advisory Panel is that asymptomatic testing is not a reliable way to screen for COVID-19, due to the potential for false negative test results. Instead, they have advised that upholding strict infectious disease standards is one tool to protect health care workers,” Boyle said.
Corey Sattler, one nurse in the state who is dealing with the lack of testing, told The Oregonian he doesn’t hold it against the teams and the schools for having so much testing but he just wishes that there would be more for people in his profession along with other people who have to be on-site for work.
“The only thing that I can see stopping this from becoming a reality is money,” Sattler said. “It’s not that it isn’t possible.”
The NBA has put in strict rules for dealing with the coronavirus after March’s outbreak shut down the league – and all of sports to go along with it. Penalties for breaking the rules could result in forfeiting games or loss of draft picks. Players, coaches and essential staff will have to stay away from bars, lounges, clubs, live venues, gaming venues, public gyms, spas and pools.
Players are tested daily and have been urged to get the flu shot.
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Major League Soccer was administering nearly 20,000 tests each week to its player during the season. The league restarted its season in the bubble in Orlando before having teams travel from stadium to stadium.
The Oregonian noted that the Pac-12 Conference secured testing for football and basketball teams to get their seasons off the ground.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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