These Duke doctors are working with NFL, Big 12 to mitigate coronavirus spread among teams
In the more than two months since the suspension of all NBA activities ushered in an unprecedented era without sports, professional leagues and the NCAA have turned from preventative health measures to evaluating when, where and under what conditions teams could safely return to normal activities without increasing the possibility of an outbreak of the coronavirus strain.
The question is uniquely pressing for teams in the NFL, which may have had the luxury of thus far avoiding any major, coronavirus-caused disruptions to the league’s annual schedule — the April draft was held with teams working remotely — but must now create guidelines for juggling larger rosters and the physicality of practice along with the renewed daily interaction between players, coaches, trainers and support staffers.
To help steer the response to COVID-19 and provide recommendations for transitioning back into traditional team activities, the NFL has turned to Infection Control Education for Major Sports, or ICS,an independent organization run by two Duke University infectious-disease doctors, Deverick Anderson and Christopher Hostler.
As teams begin to ease into drastically altered preparations for the upcoming season, ICS has been the league’s go-to source for how to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus through testing, disinfection and environmental distancing.
“Sports teams and leagues have an acute need at this moment, and that is specifically related to COVID and how to reopen,” Anderson told USA TODAY Sports. “We believe that these teams can benefit from this type of systematic implementation of best practices moving forward.”
The NFL faced a similar situation seven years ago, when a series of potentially fatal staph infections, known as MRSA, spread through the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ locker room. One of the players infected, kicker Lawrence Tynes, cited unsanitary conditions in later suing the franchise, and settled for an undisclosed sum.
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To help steer the league’s response to MRSA, the NFL leaned on the expertise of the Duke Infection Control Outreach Network, or DICON, which had been providing the league with educational newsletters related to stemming the spread of infectious diseases. After pitching the NFL on installing systemic, league-wide guidelines, DICON entered into a contract as the league’s infection-prevention experts.
