The NCAA’s COVID-19 Medical Advisory Group has released its new COVID-19 protocols guiding college sport, with updates for ‘fully vaccinated’ people and recommended procedures after positive test results.

Among the updates sees the new definition of fully vaccinated people to include people who are within two months of receiving the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, five months of receiving the Pfizer vaccine, or six months of receiving the Moderna vaccine, as well as anyone who has received the booster dose and anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19 within the last 90 days.

The NCAA has also begun recommending five days of strict quarantine following a positive test if an individual is asymptomatic or ‘recovering’, with no requirements for fully vaccinated close contacts to quarantine, and unvaccinated close contacts to quarantine for five days.

The move is part of a wider push from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to introduce shorter isolation periods for all individuals.

NCAA chief medical officer, Brian Hainline, said the guidance protocols were developed in consultation with the NCAA COVID-19 Medical Advisory Group, American Medical Society for Sports Medicine Working Group, and Autonomy 5 Medical Advisory Group in line with broad recommendations from the CDC.

“The omicron variant has presented another surge of cases across the country,” 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,” he said.