It's time to stop testing healthy players!

[REV-G]

I counted the players on the Canadiens who as of New Years Day are out because they tested positive for covid-19, and the number was 16 plus one coach. Out of 23 players on a team, 16 of them tested positive. We have players who were in the ECHL this year, wee called up to Laval and now because so many players tested positive are getting their first starts in the NHL. To me that is making the NHL look bush-league. What's going on now seems totally absurd and there may be a reason for it. It seems other leagues have figured it out so shouldn't the NHL be able to figure it out as well? 

 

The NFL and the NBA stopped testing healthy players, those who had no symptoms of being sick with covid-19, because they were getting way too many false positives, players who tested positive but never developed any symptoms and sat out, missed games and quarantined for it turns out, no reason. 

 

The NBA and NFL said they followed the science that said these tests were not developed to be used on healthy people, but to confirm in sick people, those who already had symptoms,  whether it was covid-19 or some other type of flu. That makes sense. It's what we've always done. We've never ever tested everyone to see if anyone was sick.

 

The NHL has continued using these tests on healthy players and the result is more than half the players on some teams have tested positive, with the majority from what I've read, never exhibiting symptoms. 

 

This past week GM Steve Yzerman and a growing number of players are calling for the NHL to follow the example of the NFL and the NBA and other leagues and stop testing healthy players who have never exhibited any symptoms of being sick. 

 

The entire World Juniors tournament was cancelled because 4 players tested positive. I would bet that they did not have symptoms. And instead of just quarantining those who did test positive, like the NHL does, they quarantined the entire team. And thus the whole tournament was canceled and those who did so are being heavily criticized by the players and fans. 

 

I hope the call to stop testing healthy players and people grows to the point where they begin testing those who are sick to confirm what they have and leave the healthy people to continue on with life. It's what we've always done. In the words of Kevin O'Leary, "Let's stop the madness!"   

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

It’s well documented that people can carry and transmit Covid without showing symptoms. That is a reason for testing everyone. Maybe, rather than complain, NHLers should be grateful to be in the privileged position of having access to testing, unlike many of us.

 

What % of tests show false positives? If the percentage is very high, then there is something in what you say. If it’s not particularly high, then testing is a common-sense approach. I would pay little attention to what other leagues do; the United States has gone down a completely insane evidence- and science-denying rabbit-hole and nothing emanating out of that madhouse should be a guide to how to deal with Covid.

 

[xXx..CK..xXx]

There’s also the issue that it’s not hard to somewhat hide some mild symptoms if you want to work. If you only get tested when you show symptoms, well maybe there would be some players who wouldn’t want to get tested while simply having a “runny nose”. 

[Habsfan89]

I always believed that this was released into the air and we all breathed it in and it's in our system. The way it effect or system is when we get sick and our system is weak.  If you're  not sick and have a heather immune system it won't effect you. 

 

What needs to happen is that we need to put a band on people going out when they are sick. Even if that means giving them their full pay for days missed when sick.  This way sick people can't get others sick and their will be more healthier people than sick and this virus can't spread. 

[tomh009]

1 hour ago, The Chicoutimi Cucumber said:

What % of tests show false positives? If the percentage is very high, then there is something in what you say. If it’s not particularly high, then testing is a common-sense approach. I would pay little attention to what other leagues do; the United States has gone down a completely insane evidence- and science-denying rabbit-hole and nothing emanating out of that madhouse should be a guide to how to deal with Covid.

As long as they are still using PCR tests (and I believe they are), the accuracy is very good indeed.

 

I think REV-G is confusing false positives with real but asymptomatic positive cases.

[REV-G]

My intent was not really to debate the PCR tests, but more to point out that the NHL is testing healthy players and getting a huge number of players testing positive who are saying they have no symptoms. And for me the integrity of the league is being degraded. 

 

However if you do just a little research, beyond what the local news and government officials and the WHO are saying, you will quickly discover, even on google, that scientists around the world are saying PCR tests were not developed to be used on healthy people. That's why the NHL has such a high percentage of players testing positive and has had to shut down while other professional leagues are still operating with just a few sick players.

 

To me it's obvious, but you have to look beyond the general narrative. The evidence is out there if you look just a little bit for it. Maybe it's just me, but do you not see the difference over what's happening with all this in the NFL, NBA versus the NHL. To me it's pretty clear. That's why the call from players and some management is beginning to grow to stop testing healthy players. 

[GHT120]

1 hour ago, REV-G said:

My intent was not really to debate the PCR tests, but more to point out that the NHL is testing healthy players and getting a huge number of players testing positive who are saying they have no symptoms. And for me the integrity of the league is being degraded. 

 

However if you do just a little research, beyond what the local news and government officials and the WHO are saying, you will quickly discover, even on google, that scientists around the world are saying PCR tests were not developed to be used on healthy people. That's why the NHL has such a high percentage of players testing positive and has had to shut down while other professional leagues are still operating with just a few sick players.

 

To me it's obvious, but you have to look beyond the general narrative. The evidence is out there if you look just a little bit for it. Maybe it's just me, but do you not see the difference over what's happening with all this in the NFL, NBA versus the NHL. To me it's pretty clear. That's why the call from players and some management is beginning to grow to stop testing healthy players. 

 

GOOGLE is dangerous.

[tomh009]

8 minutes ago, GHT120 said:

GOOGLE is dangerous.

One can always find a scientist or a doctor who agrees with whatever conclusion one is looking to confirm. That doesn't necessarily make it correct.

[hockeyrealist]

To this point, the NHL, NBA, NFL are built on a game. A GAME for kids that a select few get paid handsomely to play and earn massive fortunes for rich people, corporations.

The fact that our elderly and vulnerable population are dying in isolation, alone and without proper medical support while people worry about a GAME speaks to the ####ed up society we live in.

Not enough Covid testing, prevention happening so kids can go to school yet a bunch of grown men playing a kids game can travel all over the world, spreading Covid all over, and then complain about being tested too frequently?

people are waiting in lines for hours on end to get turned away due to lack of test kits, businesses all across the country are shuttered and mental health is at an all time low for many of the population. 
Yet, there are unlimited test, treatment and prevention for these athletes and elite few. Special travel arrangements to get them from one country to another while regular citizens are/have been stranded all over the world. 
Hockey is a game and currently a waste of resource, money that could be put to better use helping fellow citizens.

Listening to entitled, rich athletes whining about not going to the Olympics or being tested too frequently is bullshit.

Mg grandfather died alone in hospital waiting for treatment that was delayed due to limited resources, he was a veteran, won medals for bravery and saving lives and died alone because even family were not allowed to see him.

#### these entitled pricks, go get a real job and wait in line for hours for a rapid test like the rest of us.  Kids can’t even play a game, can’t get to class in person, elderly dying alone and people bitch about professional athletes having to be tested too frequently, what a joke.

It’s a kids game played by rich men to generate wealth for the 1%.   Hockey (NHL/semi pro/junior level) has lost any high ground it ever held.