South Carolina Athletics Coronavirus Update

The safety and well-being of University of South Carolina student-athletes, fans, coaches and staff are at the forefront of establishing any policy for Gamecock athletics events.  The situation with the Coronavirus is fluid with details and information changing daily.  The information in this update is meant to supplement the release sent out today by the University and available on sc.edu. 
 
For the latest information on Gamecock Athletics, follow @GamecocksOnline on Twitter and South Carolina Gamecocks on Facebook, GamecocksOnline.com and local media outlets.
 
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All in-season intercollegiate athletics competitions will go on as scheduled.  In an attempt to ensure that our community remains as healthy as possible, we encourage patrons at all of our athletics venues to take precautions such as:
 
•  Washing 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.
•  If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Always wash hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty.  All Carolina athletics venues will have hand sanitizer stations.
•  Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
•  Stay home when you are sick.
•  Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
•  Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces with any disposable wipes.
•  Cleaning of visibly dirty surfaces followed by disinfection is a best practice measure for prevention of COVID-19 and other viral respiratory illnesses in households and community settings.
•  If you have recently returned from a country with ongoing COVID-19 (coronavirus) infections, monitor your health and follow the instructions of public health officials.
•  Per guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control people over the age of 60 with preexisting medical conditions should avoid attending events with large crowds because they are at greater risk of complications related to COVID-19.
 
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Colonial Life Arena on the University of South Carolina campus is likely to be selected as a host site for the first and second rounds of the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Tournament. As the situation with the coronavirus progresses, University administrators will be in constant communication with the NCAA. The NCAA makes decisions on their events based on the best, most current public health guidance available. Neither the NCAA COVID-19 advisory panel, made up of leading public health and infectious disease experts in America, nor the CDC or local health officials have advised against holding sporting events. In the event circumstances change, the University and NCAA will collaborate and make decisions accordingly. At this time, we are moving forward as scheduled.
 
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In an attempt to keep student-athletes and fans safe from potential spread of the virus, pre-game and post-game handshakes between Gamecock athletics teams, opposing teams and fans will be stopped until the Coronavirus warnings are ceased.