June 11, 2021 – USA Swimming, the national governing body for the sport of swimming in the United States, and BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) (Franklin Lakes, NJ) have partnered to provide COVID-19 testing at USA Swimming events.
Rapid antigen tests using the BD Veritor Plus System will be conducted at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Swimming, as an additional safety measure beyond the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing that will also be a part of USA Swimming’s COVID-19 mitigation efforts.
These tests will also be used at 2021-2022 USA Swimming events where testing is required.
BD Veritor Plus is a portable, rapid and easy-to-use point-of-care antigen test that detects SARS-CoV-2 and provides results in just 15 minutes on a digital display. The on-site testing will be administered for USA Swimming by Premier Medical Group USA, a third-party provider that manages end-to-end testing, which will help overcome challenges that accompany testing in non-medical locations, the company says.
“We’re thrilled to be the official COVID-19 testing partner of USA Swimming and to play a part in keeping these athletes safe as they look to fulfill their Olympic dreams,” said Dave Hickey, president of Life Sciences for BD. “We are focused on helping people safely return to the activities they love – including our nation’s top swimmers. We hope this testing with the BD Veritor Plus System gives them peace of mind, so they can focus on being the first touch to the wall and achieving their dreams.”