Michigan Athletics paused – Athletes, coaches, team staff asked to be quarantined

ANN TREE, me. – All sports programs at the University of Michigan will be put on a 14-day break starting Sunday, a school official confirmed Saturday night.

Read: The new COVID strain causes a 2-week break in Michigan athletics activities

The decision was made by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. All sports activities in all sports – including games, team and individual training sessions – ceased until a new notification, up to 14 days.

Team members – sports students, coaches and team staff – are asked to isolate or quarantine immediately until further notice.

UM is currently connected to five of the six confirmed cases of the new variant B.1.1.7 of coronavirus. School officials said some of the positive tests came from people involved in the Athletics Department.

The school said all five people are isolated and either asymptomatic or have mild symptoms.

“Canceling competitions is never something we want to do, but with so many unknowns about this variant of COVID-19, we must do everything we can to minimize the spread among student-athletes, coaches, staff and student-athletes from other schools, ”said Warde Manuel, athletics director Donald R. Shepherd.

The school is working closely with the Washtenaw County Department of Health and MDHHS on additional mitigation strategies to address COVID-19 B.1.1.7 in the university community. The university will carefully consider additional mitigation measures.

There are many unknowns that remain under investigation by UM, local and state public health officials.

No determination has been made as to how the break could affect games scheduled after Feb. 7.

As of January 23, 2021, Washtenaw County has 14,573 confirmed cases of coronavirus.

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