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The M.E.A.C., which is made up of 11 historically Black colleges, is the third Division I conference to suspend sports this fall, after the Patriot and Ivy Leagues.
Other leagues have announced plans to play conference-only schedules: The Big East announced on Thursday that its schools would exclusively play in conference for men’s and women’s soccer, men’s and women’s cross-country, volleyball and field hockey, following in the footsteps of the Big Ten and the Pac-12.
The Coronavirus Outbreak ›
Frequently Asked Questions
Updated July 16, 2020
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Is the coronavirus airborne?
- The coronavirus can stay aloft for hours in tiny droplets in stagnant air, infecting people as they inhale, mounting scientific evidence suggests. This risk is highest in crowded indoor spaces with poor ventilation, and may help explain super-spreading events reported in meatpacking plants, churches and restaurants. It’s unclear how often the virus is spread via these tiny droplets, or aerosols, compared with larger droplets that are expelled when a sick person coughs or sneezes, or transmitted through contact with contaminated surfaces, said Linsey Marr, an aerosol expert at Virginia Tech. Aerosols are released even when a person without symptoms exhales, talks or sings, according to Dr. Marr and more than 200 other experts, who have outlined the evidence in an open letter to the World Health Organization.
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What are the symptoms of coronavirus?
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What’s the best material for a mask?
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Is it harder to exercise while wearing a mask?
- A commentary published this month on the website of the British Journal of Sports Medicine points out that covering your face during exercise “comes with issues of potential breathing restriction and discomfort” and requires “balancing benefits versus possible adverse events.” Masks do alter exercise, says Cedric X. Bryant, the president and chief science officer of the American Council on Exercise, a nonprofit organization that funds exercise research and certifies fitness professionals. “In my personal experience,” he says, “heart rates are higher at the same relative intensity when you wear a mask.” Some people also could experience lightheadedness during familiar workouts while masked, says Len Kravitz, a professor of exercise science at the University of New Mexico.
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What is pandemic paid leave?
- The coronavirus emergency relief package gives many American workers paid leave if they need to take time off because of the virus. It gives qualified workers two weeks of paid sick leave if they are ill, quarantined or seeking diagnosis or preventive care for coronavirus, or if they are caring for sick family members. It gives 12 weeks of paid leave to people caring for children whose schools are closed or whose child care provider is unavailable because of the coronavirus. It is the first time the United States has had widespread federally mandated paid leave, and includes people who don’t typically get such benefits, like part-time and gig economy workers. But the measure excludes at least half of private-sector workers, including those at the country’s largest employers, and gives small employers significant leeway to deny leave.
The Power Five conferences have largely weighed in: The Atlantic Coast Conference won’t hold any Olympic sports until after Sept. 1. The Southeastern Conference has not announced plans regarding football, noting that its decisions would be made in late July, but it will postpone the start of volleyball, soccer and cross-country competition until at least Aug. 31. The Big 12 commissioner, Bob Bowlsby, said it was too early to make a call.
Regardless of whether games will occur in or outside the conference, the N.C.A.A. protocols call for participants in “high contact” sports to be tested for the virus within 72 hours of competition. Those sports include basketball, field hockey, football, ice hockey, lacrosse, rowing, rugby, soccer, squash, volleyball, water polo and wrestling.
Current guidelines support the polymerase chain reaction test through swabbing. If an athlete or official tests positive, self-isolation protocols apply.
Still, the N.C.A.A. guidelines as well as conference decisions are contingent on public health advisories, and they recommend that schools refer to their local officials for additional guidance.
“Any recommendation on a pathway toward a safe return to sport will depend on the national trajectory of Covid-19 spread,” said Brian Hainline, the N.C.A.A.’s chief medical officer.
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