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sports Diabierna 11 September 2020

Return of football renews fears over more virus spread

to tell the crowd that play
would not continue until fans
complied with mask and so-
cial-distancing requirements.
“If you want to attend the
game then agree to the poli-
cies that are in place,” Lewis
said Thursday. “My guess is if
the people can’t follow those
policies then they’re going
to end up not having specta-
tors.”
In other developments:
—The University of Wis-
consin-Madison is moving
all classes online and quaran-
tining students in two of its
largest dorms as it deals with
rising cases of COVID-19.
According to UW-Madison
data, 1,044 students and 26
employees have tested posi-
tive for the virus since Aug.
6. The city-county public
health department said there
are at least 46 separate out-
breaks currently tied to UW-
Madison.

—France, Greece and Israel
are seeing surges in coronavi-
rus infections. French health
(AP) — Are you ready for with scaled-back crowd sizes said Ali Mokdad, professor of Dr. Amesh Adalja, an infec- authorities reported 9,843 in-
some football? like Kansas City. health metrics sciences at the tious diseases expert at the fections from the coronavirus
The kickoff of the NFL University of Washington in Johns Hopkins Center for in 24 hours, the highest daily
season Thursday with Across the country, many Seattle. For players, coaches Health Security in Baltimore, tally since the end of France’s
17,000 fans in the stadium high schools have started and fans who venture into said the NFL has the re- lockdown in April.
illustrates the nation’s de- football, but states like Cali- stadiums, a safe season hinges sources to protect players by In Greece, health officials an-
termination to resume its fornia and Illinois cancelled on what else people are will- testing them frequently. He’s nounced the highest daily to-
most popular sport in the the entire season. There have ing to give up to lower the more concerned about fans tal of COVID-19 infections
middle of a pandemic that been scattered outbreaks case numbers and control the cheering in the stands. Yelling since the start of the pandem-
has already killed nearly among players, including level of community spread spreads virus particles in the ic, with additional restrictive
200,000 Americans. an entire football team and that could breed problems. air. Even with a lot of empty measures imposed in parts
marching band in a small seats in a stadium because of of northern Greece to com-
The topic has led to passion- town in Alabama that had to “If we want to enjoy our capacity limits, fans may need bat outbreak clusters. There's
ate debates at the state and lo- go into quarantine because football, we have to sacrifice, to stand in line for bathrooms also a new record number of
cal level, including whether of exposure to the virus. or let go of certain things we or concessions where it’s dif- cases in Israel with just over
to allow high school seasons Pennsylvania lawmakers have used to do before — such as ficult to stay 6 feet apart. A 4,000 Thursday. The news
to proceed and how many been sparring this week with bars and crowded restaurants few fans could carry home comes as authorities consider
fans to allow in professional the Democratic governor and places like this where we the virus and spread it to the imposing another full lock-
and college stadiums. over coronavirus legislation know infection is more likely broader community. Try- down ahead of the Jewish
While Major League Baseball that would give individual to happen,” Mokdad said. ing to stop an outbreak with High Holidays.
and the NBA have played districts and private schools Kansas City Chiefs president contact tracing could swamp
without fans, the Super sole authority to decide how Mark Donovan said that he a public health department. — U.S. health officials have
Bowl champion Kansas City to conduct football and other hopes the opener will send a “You’re going to get cases and started two new studies to
Chiefs were allowed to open sports.For football-obsessed message to the country that exposures,” Adalja said. “At a test blood thinners to try to
the season Thursday night fans, the start of the season is teams can safely return to the big event like a football game prevent strokes, heart attacks,
against the Houston Texans a relief after being cooped up playing field during a pan- or a concert, you’re going to blood clots and other com-
at 22 percent capacity. The for months — an opportunity demic. He and other Chiefs have chains of transmission plications in COVID-19 pa-
remainder of the NFL teams to gather with friends at bars, executives had a phone con- that could get started and you tients. Doctors increasingly
start their seasons Sunday go to games and tailgate par- versation with NFL Com- have to have the infrastruc- are finding blood clots in
with restrictions that vary by ties or head to sportsbooks to missioner Roger Goodell in ture to do the contact tracing. people who died from CO-
stadium, with some games place bets. which he expressed confi- Otherwise, it’s difficult to VID-19, along with signs of
devoid of fans and others dence in the team’s plan. keep exposures from setting the damage they do to kid-
Sportsbooks are expecting “The commissioner said it off chains of transmission.” neys, lungs, blood vessels, the
Like us on a record-breaking season best. He said, ‘You’ve got the heart and other organs.
in terms of the amount of best fans in the NFL and I Athletic Director Jeremy Hospitals have been giving
Facebook money wagered, driven by a know you’ll take pride in do- Lewis got a firsthand look seriously ill patients anti-
public that’s eager for action ing this right,’" Donovan said. at the health risks associ- clotting drugs to try to pre-
after months of lockdowns. “His message to our fans on ated with football gather- vent this, but “quite frankly,
And with each of these gath- the call was just that. We need ings last month when fans at we didn’t know how best to
erings comes a greater health you to do it right. The sport American Fork High School treat it” in terms of which
risk. For fans, watching foot- needs you to do it right. And in Utah were disregarding drugs or doses to use and at
ball on TV can be done safely frankly, America needs us in mask and social distancing what stage of illness, said Dr.
and is a welcome way “to go Kansas City to do this right requirements during a game. Gary Gibbons, director of the
back to normal things in our so we can prove that we can So Lewis grabbed the micro- National Heart, Lung and
facebook.com/bondianoticia lives that we love and enjoy,” do more of this.” phone during a quarter break Blood Institute.