It was reported earlier this week that WWE told their talent that weekly COVID-19 tests were no longer required. This included weekly testing for the main roster and twice-weekly for those at the Performance Center. It was unknown at the time if a vaccination qualifier was included in that, but the news ‘didn’t sit well’ with several people in the company.
The Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports that the WWE’s policy will be similar to the NFL’s policy, according to one official as well as another source.
The NFL’s policy was that players and staff members who are vaccinated had to have to negative tests 24 hours apart to return and had to be asymptomatic. Now, if someone takes a PCR test and a Mesa test and they can be taken in the same 24 hour period, they can be taken less than 24 hours apart. They can be taken at the same time, but with two different swabs. They have to be negative or have a CT value of 35 or greater. NFL chief medical officer Dr. Allen Sills said that those with CT values above 35 don’t give COVID to other people. Unvaccinated players have to have a ten-day quarantine period after a positive test.
WWE’s new policy is a little different. Antigen tests will be taken on the fifth day after a positive test, and there have to be at least 24 hours between the two tests. That means a total of six days absence if someone tests positive. However, with testing mostly cut back, a large percentage of cases without symptoms will be unknown.
The CDC recommended that vaccinated people who test positive only need five days in quarantine instead of ten. WWE officials said their policy is within the new CDC guidelines. The belief is that people are most contagious two days before showing symptoms and the first three days of symptoms. It’s also believed that Omicron isn’t as dangerous as past variants if someone is vaccinated, as most wrestlers are.
The memo sent to talent also stated that masks have to be warn by all talent, staff, crew or guests backstage. There would be mandatory fines for those who go without a mask. The new policy also recommended that everyone get a Pfizer or Moderna vaccine and booster, and those getting the Johnson & Johnson vaccine to get Pfizer or Moderna. All fully vaccinated people will be asked questions and “observed responding” before entering a venue. They will be required to self report any symptoms to WWE medical staff. Anyone with symptoms is required to take a COVID test.
Those who test positive and are not vaccinated will have to quarantine for ten days, as well as undergo heart testing before they can work again. Those who test positive and are vaccinated will be out for six days. On day five, if they are asymptomatic for 24 hours, they have to pass two Antigen tests at least 24 hours apart. Anyone in close contact with someone who tests positive can come to work but will be tested daily for five days if they don’t have symptoms.
That does pose a problem as the Antigen test doesn’t show false positives, but it’s believed that negative tests aren’t always accurate, with 46% of those with Omicron showing negative on those tests.
Either way, testing won’t be required unless a wrestler shows or self-reports symptoms. WWE had been testing all wrestlers, but only those listed as “talent” were being tested. WWE quietly stopped testing other employees who toured with the talent.
