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Infectious disease expert: ‘Cancelling football will not cancel their risk of getting the virus’
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An infectious disease expert who sits on the SEC’s medical board says that cancelling the football season during the COVID-19 pandemic may not be the right answer.
Catherine O’Neal, an infectious disease expert at LSU, says that eliminating the fall football season does not eliminate players’ risk of being infected with the virus. Her comments come shortly after the B1G, Pac-12 and other conferences at the FBS level have postponed fall sports, including college football.
“Cancelling football will not cancel their risk of getting the virus,” O’Neal told ABC News. “They’re still gonna go to school. They’re still gonna go back home and visit with their family. Their still gonna stay social.”
PLANS TO PLAY: The Big 12 has announced they will move forward with fall sports, including the college football season, with the decision coming a day after two other power five conferences postponed seasons over COVID-19 concerns. @KayleeHartung reports. https://t.co/Dmei0Gdh8K pic.twitter.com/FEkvU4lsK2
— World News Tonight (@ABCWorldNews) August 13, 2020
As of right now, the Big 12, ACC and SEC are still planning to move forward with a college football season. But it may be the only fall sport that moves forward at this time.
On Thursday, NCAA President Mark Emmert said the association has canceled all fall championships for 2020, and will attempt to move those championships to the spring. Individual conferences, however, can still move forward with the season.
The NCAA’s decision does not affect FBS football.
Dustin grew up in the heart of Big Ten country and has been in sports media since 2010. He has been covering Big Ten football since 2014. You can follow him on Twitter: @SchutteCFB