RapidBio will have trained staff on site at an outdoor location twice per week, on Wednesdays and Thursdays.
When: Please plan on getting tested once per week. Wednesday or Thursday, 5:00 – 8:00pm
Where: John Lindell Ice Arena parking lot (if the weather is bad, they will be set up inside Lindell)
Register: You must preregister for each test through this link: https://patients.rapidbio.com/teams/
1. Select Register Now by the Royal Oak FC logo
2. On the next screen select either Standard (if you do have health insurance) or No-Insurance option. The test is free in either case. Make sure you have your insurance card, driver’s license, and social security number handy.
3. On next screen, select Royal Oak FC as your location
4. Select your desired time
5. Continue to follow prompts on each screen until complete
Testing Process – The test is not the “brain tickler” test. It is an anterior nasal swab (ANS), which is a non-invasive and pain-free collection method where the swab is inserted only 1⁄2 inch inside each nostril for 5-10 seconds. ANS is up to 5x more sensitive than saliva specimens. Samples can be self-collected by the participating individuals under supervision or collected by the testing company staff.
Type of Test - Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (rtPCR) is a laboratory technique to isolate and measure the amount of specific genetic material in a sample. This method is extremely sensitive & specific and is the gold standard for detecting COVID-19. While antigen tests are generally good at detecting an infection at its peak, rtPCR is able to detect an infection in the critical early days when a person is most likely to infect others.
Ahead of Testing - Parents must sign consent forms ahead of testing. They must also register for testing in a HIPAA-compliant patient portal. When registering, they must provide the player’s name, date of birth, and insurance information. The testing company will submit to insurance for reimbursement. If insurance information is not available, parents must provide the player’s SSN and state of residence, so that the company can seek reimbursement under the CARES Act.
Results – Results are available 24-48 hours after the test. Participating individuals will have access to all patient results. Individuals will receive text and/or email alerts to view their results in a downloadable PDF in the patient portal. The testing company will report all test results to State of Michigan public health officials, as required by law.
Alternate testing site – If a player is unable to make it to the scheduled outdoor testing dates, they may go to an affiliated testing location in Royal Oak for testing.
Positive Results - If a player tests positive, they will immediately need to quarantine following CDC guidelines.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: If testing has occurred for student athletes in school how will club soccer know? Should they do another test for club soccer?
A: We understand that many of our ROFC players also play on school teams that participate in weekly Covid testing. We do not want to burden everyone more than necessary, and one weekly test for both sports will suffice. We assumed student athletes would be given their test results, but we are learning this is only done in the case of a positive result. So, to make everyone’s life easier, we will allow the following process:
If your athlete tested at their school and you would like to use this for ROFC, please do the following:
- Send an email to [email protected] with the following information:
- Player name
- ROFC team
- School name and sports team name
- School Coach name
- Date of the test
- If you are notified of a positive test by your school, you must immediately notify both your ROFC coach and [email protected] right away. We will also need to know that last date that the player was around their ROFC team. Please follow all CDC quarantine guidelines.
Q: Do athletes, ages 18-19, who are fully vaccinated need to be tested starting April 2?
A: At this time, MDHHS is requiring testing for all athletes ages 13 – 19, even if they have received the final dose of an FDA-approved or authorized COVID-19 vaccine.
Q: What if I do not want my child to be tested? Can my child still play?
A: Athletes ages 13 -19 who do not follow the new testing requirements will be unable to participate in team sports activities where testing is required, per MDHHS.
Q: Should participants who have already had and recovered from COVID-19 still participate in testing?
A: Athletes who have recovered from a symptomatic laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis in the past 90 days and remain symptom-free may participate in team sports activities without testing if they can provide a letter from their doctor attesting that they fall into this category (the individual must have had a positive diagnostic test within three months and must have displayed symptoms. An antibody test is not sufficient).
Any participant that displays COVID-19 symptoms at any time, regardless of prior COVID-19 diagnosis, must stay home and self-isolate in accordance with CDC guidance. The participant must resume testing after 90 days from the date of symptom onset from the laboratory confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis.
Q: If an individual is under the age of 13 but plays on a team with 13-year-olds, should they be tested?
A: MDHHS recommends that all members of the team obtain testing, but the testing requirement only applies to athletes ages 13 -19.
Q: Do athletes still need to wear face masks while following these testing requirements?
A: Yes. Athletes, coaches, and other team personnel must wear a face mask at all times.
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