BREAKING: NASCAR has announced this weekend's race will happen without spectators
Original story:
Events at the Atlanta Motor Speedway regularly draw 100,000 or more fans - just the kind of setting health experts recommend avoiding as the coronavirus that originated in China spreads across the globe.
"We would recommend that there not be large crowds," Dr. Anthony Fauci of the National Institutes of Health said during a Congressional hearing this week. He warned that COVID-19 is far deadlier than seasonal flu, and that the worst is yet to come.
“We will see more cases and things will get worse than they are right now,” he said. “If we’re complacent and don’t do really aggressive containment and mitigation, the number could go way up and be involved in many many millions.”
NASCAR, though, is pressing ahead with this weekend’s Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500. The organization issued some guidelines with the deadly virus in mind, saying it “remains in daily consultation with public health officials and other prominent sports and entertainment properties” and has “added an infectious disease specialist to our consulting physician group to provide technical assistance and to inform policy.”
Washington state Gov. Jay Inslee has announced a ban on gatherings of 250 or more, including sporting events, in an attempt to quell coronavirus' spread. At least 24 residents of that state have died.
A one-mile radius of New Rochelle, N.Y., has become a containment zone.
Dr. Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, discussed coronavirus this week during a Congressional budget hearing.
“We are trying to get the elderly and vulnerable to kind of just step back and try to avoid being in crowded places, avoid travel. This is where we are right now,” he said in response to a question from Rep. Lois Frankel. “ This virus clearly can live in the environmental surfaces for some period of time.
Atlanta Motor Speedway, undaunted in the face of the growing threat, insists “the immediate risk of being exposed to the virus that causes COVID-19 is thought to be low, and that there is not widespread circulation in most communities in the United States,” and plans to give out hand sanitizer.
Here are steps NASCAR is taking in response:
The driver/ crew chief meeting “will be held in open air locations across all series and attendance will be restricted to drivers, crew chiefs, team owners and select officials and dignitaries.”
Driver media availabilities “will be changed to press conferences on the riser in the media center. Full field driver availabilities during qualifying, infield care center driver availability and post-race bullpen will remain in effect, but with a 6-foot buffer in place.”
Track Services meetings also will be held in open-air locations.
NASCAR recommends that access to team haulers be restricted to necessary personnel at team’s discretion and that driver appearances “be structured to ensure that drivers are visible to fans in an open-air setting.” Drivers should bring their own pens for autographs and sign items ahead of time, NASCAR advises.
Also, advance driver appearances “will be replaced with remote media activities and/or rescheduled for a later date in coordination with racetracks.”
“All individuals coming to the infield care center demonstrating symptoms potentially consistent with coronavirus will be appropriately handled by medical professionals. All facilities have been provided a standard operating process following CDC guidelines,” NASCAR said. “The health, safety and well-being of our industry, employees, media, fans and everyone associated with our events remains our top priority. We will remain diligent as we actively monitor this situation with medical experts and health officials.”
