Michigan Athletics break – Athletes, coaches, team personnel asked to quarantine

ANN ARBOR, me. – All athletics programs at the University of Michigan will have a 14-day break from Sunday, a school official confirmed Saturday night.

Read: New COVID strain provides a 2-week break from Michigan Athletics activities

The decision was made by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. All athletic activities in all sports – including games, team and individual training sessions – have been discontinued until further notice, for up to 14 days.

Team members – student athletes, coaches, and team personnel – are asked to immediately isolate or quarantine until further notice.

UM is currently connected to five of the six confirmed cases of the new B.1.1.7 variant of the coronavirus. School officials said some of the positive tests come from people involved in the athletic department.

The school said all five individuals are isolated and are either asymptomatic or show only mild symptoms.

“Canceling matches is never something we want to do, but with so many unknowns about this variant of COVID-19, we must do everything we can to spread it to student athletes, coaches, staff and to the student athletes of other schools,” said Warde Manuel. , athletics director for Donald R. Shepherd.

The school is working closely with the Washtenaw County Health Department and MDHHS on additional mitigation strategies to address the COVID-19 B.1.1.7 variant in the university community. The university will carefully consider additional mitigation measures.

There are many unknowns who are still being investigated by UM, local and state public health officials.

No decision has been made on how the intermission will affect scheduled games after February 7.

As of January 23, 2021, Washtenaw County has 14,573 confirmed coronavirus cases.

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