Elite athletes maintain peak performance after testing positive for SARS-CoV-2.

ABSTRACT

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has to date resulted in more than 200 million cases and more than four million deaths. Following a few months of hiatus, as part of the initial response to the pandemic, professional sporting activities resumed throughout the world. To ensure a safe return-to-play, the effects of SARS-CoV-2 infections on elite athletes were carefully monitored. Several elite professional athletes tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. A few reports of persistent and residual symptoms of infections emerged. However, peak athletic performance in elite athletes did not seem to be affected, with some athletes recording historical performances both in the weeks following as well as several months after contracting the novel coronavirus. This manuscript presents these data along with a discussion on the potential protective mechanisms in athletes. These findings raise further awareness about the importance of performing regular physical activity and maintaining a favourable body composition and overall fitness, and emphasise the need for public health initiatives and actions to promote a healthy lifestyle on a population level. Given that SARS-CoV-2, with its mutations, will be a chronic public health issue, preventive medicine measures such as advocacy and incentives to lead a healthy lifestyle are warranted as another shield, along with vaccines, in the arsenal against SARS-CoV-2.