Episode Two, #BDonLocation Highlights Role of COVID-19 Testing at USA Swimming Events

Many athletes perform their best when they feel the energy and support of their fans in the stands. But when the COVID-19 pandemic struck, in-person attendance at many athletic events was no longer an option, including many USA Swimming competitions. It has been difficult for swimmers like Lilly King and Jared Daigle to not have their usual support systems at these events, since that’s who they swim for – the people who love them. It has also been a difficult reality for their fans and family members, who want nothing more than to cheer them on in-person as they compete for a chance to achieve their dreams.

“Throughout her swimming career, since she was seven years old, we had been to almost all of her meets,” said Ginny King, Lilly’s mother. “The hardest part of 2020 was probably that period of time when she had to stop training and competing – and it was hard on all of us.”

However, thanks in part to COVID-19 testing of the athletes, USA Swimming was recently able to welcome spectators back to what was the most important event in many of these swimmers’ careers, as they competed for a chance to make the team that would go to Tokyo – and for Lilly, would see her bring home two silver and one bronze medal.

A new episode of BD on Location – an original content series that showcases the realities of reopening during the COVID-19 pandemic – showcases how testing helped enhance the safety of these events so our country’s fastest swimmers could compete with their fans and family members cheering them on. As the official COVID-19 testing partner of USA Swimming, rapid antigen tests using the BD Veritor™ Plus System were conducted on the athletes as an additional safety measure beyond the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing that also took place.

“Jared said to us, ‘I’ll be in the pool for less than two minutes. You’re going to drive 19 hours to see me swim for less than two minutes?’” said Maria and Yvette Daigle, Jared’s parents. “We didn’t care if it was 30 seconds. We were going to drive and be there to cheer him on!”

Check out the full episode at BDonLocation.com and be sure to stay tuned, as new episodes will be released regularly. Each one will focus on how different organizations are overcoming the challenges of the reopening process—and the role COVID-19 testing is playing in keeping their operations safe. 

About BD Veritor™ Plus System for Rapid Detection of SARS-CoV-2

The BD Veritor™ Plus System for Rapid Detection of SARS-CoV-2 Assay has not been cleared or approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The test has been authorized by FDA under an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for use by authorized laboratories. The test has been authorized only for the detection of proteins from SARS-CoV-2, not for any other viruses or pathogens; and the test is only authorized for the duration of the declaration that circumstances exist justifying the authorization of emergency use of in vitro diagnostics for detection and/or diagnosis of COVID-19 under Section 564(b)(1) of the Act, 21 U.S.C. § 360bbb-3(b)(1), unless the authorization is terminated or revoked sooner. For more information on the BD Veritor™ system, please visit bdveritor.com.