A day after saying he believes Major League Baseball must finish its suspended season by the end of September in order to avoid the threat of a second wave of the coronavirus, Dr. Anthony Fauci offered some words of advice for the NFL during an interview with CNN.
Speaking with CNN chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases said he thinks the NFL would be wise to try to adopt a “bubble” model, similar to what the NBA is planning to set up in Disney World in Orlando at the end of next month.
“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 said. “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.”
After Dr. Fauci’s comments about the NFL began circulating on the internet, President Trump weighed in with his opinion.
Tony Fauci has nothing to do with NFL Football. They are planning a very safe and controlled opening. However, if they don’t stand for our National Anthem and our Great American Flag, I won’t be watching!!!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 19, 2020
Some NBA players, most notably Kyrie Irving, have raised red flags about the league’s plan to restart, although they appear to be more rooted in social justice concerns as opposed to worries about health and safety.
As of now, NFL players are due to report to training camp on July 22 with the league’s first preseason game, the annual Hall of Fame Game in Canton, set to take place on August 6. Though the 23,000 tickets for the early August game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Dallas Cowboys sold out in an hour, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine conceded earlier this week that fans would probably not be able to attend.
“Having a crowd that size, I think is highly unlikely,” DeWine said. “Certainly, it could not occur today. It would be very dangerous to do it today.”
Subscribe here for our free daily newsletter.
Whether you’re looking to get into shape, or just get out of a funk, The Charge has got you covered. Sign up for our new wellness newsletter today.
