Anthony Fauci, the country’s top infectious disease expert, is warning that it could be “very hard” for the NFL to return this fall unless the league is in a “bubble.”
“Unless players are essentially in a bubble — insulated from the community and they are tested nearly every day — it would be very hard to see how football is able to be played this fall,” Fauci told CNN on Thursday.
The football season is scheduled to return in September, around the same time that experts are warning of a possible resurgence of the virus in the fall, coinciding with the flu season.
“If there is a second wave, which is certainly a possibility and which would be complicated by the predictable flu season, football may not happen this year,” Fauci added.
The NBA has put forward plans to essentially create a “bubble” for its players, with frequent testing, as it is slated to restart its season on July 30 at an ESPN sports complex at Disney World in Florida.
The NFL has not announced any similar plans. The league did say in a statement to CNN that it is taking the concerns raised by Fauci seriously.
“Dr. Fauci has identified the important health and safety issues we and the NFL Players Association, together with our joint medical advisors, are addressing to mitigate the health risk to players, coaches and other essential personnel,” said NFL chief medical officer Allen Sills.
He said the league would have a “comprehensive and rapid-result testing program” but offered few other details.
“Make no mistake, this is no easy task,” he added. “We will make adjustments as necessary to meet the public health environment as we prepare to play the 2020 season as scheduled with increased protocols and safety measures for all players, personnel and attendees. We will be flexible and adaptable in this environment to adjust to the virus as needed.”