Reuters Health discusses two new reports indicating athletes who test positive for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, should take at least two weeks off from intense or competitive exercise and even more if they show signs of myocarditis.

HSS primary sports medicine physician, Brett G. Toresdahl, MD, who was not involved with the reports, provided commentary on the research. "The challenge right now is that the prevalence of cardiac involvement is unknown in mild cases of COVID-19, which comprise the majority of cases. Although the myocardial injury from COVID-19 is thought to be temporary, the period of time that an athlete is at increased risk of a cardiac event following COVID-19 infection is unknown,” he explained.

"If research could show that all but the most severe cases of cardiac injury due to COVID-19 resolve within a month, then the vast majority of athletes wouldn't require advanced cardiovascular testing," said Dr. Toresdahl. "Since there remain so many unknowns, erring on the side of over-testing during a time like this is reasonable when resources allow for it,” he suggested.

Read the full article at MDalert.com.