Dr. Anthony Fauci Thinks It Will Be ‘Very Difficult’ For Sports To Return This Year

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The leading public health expert on President Trump’s coronavirus task force, Dr. Anthony S. Fauci thinks it will be difficult to bring sports back this year.

According to the New York Times, Dr. Fauci said last week that a key variable will be whether or not the country can gain access to testing that quickly yields results.

Dr. Fauci mentioned that manufacturers had made great strides in developing such tests but it is not enough for major sports competitions to resume.

Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, the leading public health expert on President Trump’s coronavirus task force, said that it might be very difficult for major sports in the United States to return to action this year https://t.co/1yL9gHGKkY

— The New York Times (@nytimes) April 29, 2020

“Safety, for the players and for the fans, trumps everything,” Dr. Fauci said. “If you can’t guarantee safety, then unfortunately you’re going to have to bite the bullet and say, ‘We may have to go without this sport for this season.’”

Some leagues have announced that they will return to competition but will not have fans in attendance and they will be very strict in how they handle testing.

“I would love to be able to have all sports back,” Dr. Fauci said. “But as a health official and a physician and a scientist, I have to say, right now, when you look at the country, we’re not ready for that yet.”

The President and some state governors are looking at options to resume sports in empty stadiums but Dr. Fauci said that if sports returns prematurely that the country could return to where we were a few weeks ago.

Coronavirus Resources

• Have you or a family member been affected by coronavirus issues in Utah? KSL TV wants to hear from you. Contact KSL by emailing social@ksl.com.
• What is COVID-19? Here’s What You Need To Know To Stay Healthy
• What We Know And Don’t Know About The Coronavirus
• Four Common Coronavirus Questions Answered
• The latest coronavirus stories from KSL TV can be found at our Staying Safe: Coronavirus section.
• Your Life Your Health: How can parents prepare their home, children against coronavirus?

How Do I Prevent It?

The CDC has some simple recommendations, most of which are the same for preventing other respiratory illnesses or the flu:

• Avoid close contact with people who may be sick
• Avoid touching your face
• Stay home when you are sick
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue and then throw the tissue in the trash
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom, before eating, and after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing. Always wash your hands with soap and water if your hands are visibly dirty.
• If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.

How To Get Help

If you’re worried you may have COVID-19, you can contact the Utah Coronavirus Information Line at 1-800-456-7707 to speak to trained healthcare professionals. You can also use telehealth services through your healthcare providers.

Additional Resources

If you see evidence of PRICE GOUGING, the Utah Attorney General’s Office wants you to report it. Common items in question include toilet paper, water, hand sanitizer, certain household cleaners, and even cold medicine and baby formula. Authorities are asking anyone who sees price gouging to report it to the Utah Division of Consumer Protection at 801-530-6601 or 800-721-7233. The division can also be reached by email at consumerprotection@utah.gov.

Trevor Allen is a Utah Utes Insider for sports.ksl.com and host of the Crimson Corner podcast. Follow him on Twitter: @TrevorASports. You can download and listen to the podcast, here.