The National Football League says it is “closely monitoring” the Coronavirus ahead of the league’s spring meetings.
“We are closely monitoring developments and have been in contact with The World Health Organization, CDC and the NFL-NFLPA medical experts at the Duke Infection Control Outreach Network (DICON) Program for Infection Prevention,” league spokesman Brian McCarthy told Pro Football Talk. “We will continue those discussions throughout our offseason.”
The league was questioned over its reaction to the virus as preparations are made for the spring meetings scheduled for the first week of April in Palm Beach, Florida. Some are especially concerned that many of the owners might be vulnerable to certain risk factors for the virus.
The league is likely planning contingencies in case the virus lasts longer than a regular flu season.
The league’s 2020 season is only weeks away as the meetings are set for April 1, and the NFL Draft soon after that, both events will feature large numbers of participants and fans.
Several sports have already been impacted, especially the Olympics. The Russian gymnastics team canceled its participation at the World Cup gymnastics event in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, this month.
The Tokyo Olympics also face cancellation if the virus is still running rampant by July.
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