NCAA preparing for possible coronavirus impact on men's and women's basketball tournaments

[BleedGopher]

per USA Today:

Amid concerns that a potential outbreak of the coronavirus in the U.S. could jeopardize major sporting events, the NCAA's Sports Science Institute has issued memos to its members directing schools toward Centers for Disease Control resources while maintaining preparations for the upcoming NCAA men's and women's basketball tournaments, which begin on Mar. 17.

"NCAA staff continues to prepare for March Madness but we are keenly aware of coronavirus and will continue to monitor in coordination with state/local health authorities and the CDC," said NCAA associate director of communications Chris Radford.

In the two memos issued to athletics directors, health care administrators, conference commissioners and head athletic trainers and team physicians, the NCAA shared links to CDC resources on travel, coronavirus symptoms and topics to discuss with campus leadership.

"Regarding championship play for the winter and spring seasons, the NCAA is taking concerted steps to maintain the first-rate delivery of NCAA championship experiences for participating student-athletes, team personnel and fans," read the second of the two memos, which was sent to member schools on Feb. 13.

NCAA preparing for possible coronavirus impact on men's and women's basketball tournaments

The NCAA is preparing for the upcoming men's and women's basketball tournament amid fears of a coronavirus outbreak.

www.usatoday.com

Go Gophers!!

 

[Pete smith]

25,000 people die from the regular flu each year. When the beer flu gets those numbers then I will cancel my wrestling tickets.

 

[Bigg Robb]

25,000 people die from the regular flu each year. When the beer flu gets those numbers then I will cancel my wrestling tickets.

People keep comparing this to the regular flu. While the 25k-30k number of people dying each year is correct, you need to put it into perspective. CDC claims that roughly 25% of the population gets the flu every year. The death rate for the flu is around 0.1%. Estimates put the new Corona strain around a 2% death rate. Health officials are claiming that it's, at least, as contagious as the regular flu. Thus, if roughly the same percentage of people were to get sick with the new Corona strain, there would be the probability of a million deaths in this country alone. There's a reason why governments are taking the drastic steps that they are. And yeah, time to fire Pitino.

 

[USAF]

Why is this information in a Gopher blog?

Ba-dum-tschhh

 

[GoGophersUMN]

People keep comparing this to the regular flu. While the 25k-30k number of people dying each year is correct, you need to put it into perspective. CDC claims that roughly 25% of the population gets the flu every year. The death rate for the flu is around 0.1%. Estimates put the new Corona strain around a 2% death rate. Health officials are claiming that it's, at least, as contagious as the regular flu. Thus, if roughly the same percentage of people were to get sick with the new Corona strain, there would be the probability of a million deaths in this country alone. There's a reason why governments are taking the drastic steps that they are. And yeah, time to fire Pitino.

That 2% number is almost certainly inflated by poor medical care at the start and failure to diagnose tens of thousands of people with mild symptoms.

But no one knows what the real number is or knows for sure that 2% is too high so the NCAA is smart to prepare and look into their options.