It’s really complicated and I think when people act like their opinion is obviously the right answer they are inevitably missing something. The bottom line is that we don’t know what the right answers are or we wouldn’t still be dealing with this. My personal opinion is that this shutdown seems inconsistent with the already-established protocols in place. I understand the concept that this variant needs to be treated differently but it sure doesn’t seem like much of the country is doing anything differently to deal with the new variant and so it becomes really questionable how much an action like this shutdown is actually helping. I think everyone would sign up for the shutdown if we knew it would help stop the new variant from spreading, but it seems like the general consensus is the new variant is going to be everywhere soon (if it isn’t already) and so in that case why not just continue with the same protocols?
People want to be, and should be, judged on their individual actions and performance. I am certain that the members of the basketball team, and any of the other teams, who have sacrificed and followed every protocol are furious that they are being grouped into the “Athletic Department” at the convenience of the powers that be. Certainly this situation is not so complex that the pieces can’t be pulled apart and separated to a level where the individual teams can move forward under individual protocols that are appropriate to the risk level and / or exposure level of that team. If there are teams that can clear the previously established protocols, and it is determined that they can compete safely, let them play. They want to compete and God knows I, like you, want them to compete or we wouldn’t be offering our unsolicited opinions on Dylan’s lovely forum. (Thank you for the content Dylan.)
Whatever the answer is, I’d like to see it paired with a commitment by the AD that respects and validates the exposure student-athletes have agreed to take on. Show respect to them by having a plan, making it a good one, and following it. It is very hard to see how allowing someone to step off a plane from a hotspot and proceed right back into their program would fit with any of those steps. It’s not hard to learn what processes are being followed in countries that have this under control, and those include both testing before departure as well as quarantine on arrival. The university should not have been surprised to learn that people can test negative two days before air travel and that’s still not sufficient.
It is worse than unfair. This new strain is almost certainly in the US and in MI and spreading fast. Israel which has an extensive testing regime and which has vaccinated nearly 50% of its population has reported that 50% of the new positives are due to the UK strain. The back and forth between US and UK happens at a pretty high volume. There is no way we can escape this new strain.
It has been caught among our student athletes because UM has an extensive and sophisticated testing regime available in few other places.
This shutdown is nothing but grandstanding and theatrics, without any analysis of the spread of the new variant and feasibility/effectiveness of approaches against that spread.
The main principle at stake here is that student athletes at Michigan and elsewhere and the rest of the state must be treated with a uniform policy. There is no such policy AFAIK.
For everyone’s reference, below is the current CDC Guideline on quarantine:
Reducing the length of quarantine may make it easier for people to quarantine by reducing the time they cannot work. A shorter quarantine period also can lessen stress on the public health system, especially when new infections are rapidly rising.
Your local public health authorities make the final decisions about how long quarantine should last, based on local conditions and needs. Follow the recommendations of your local public health department if you need to quarantine. Options they will consider include stopping quarantine
- After day 10 without testing
- After day 7 after receiving a negative test result (test must occur on day 5 or later)
After stopping quarantine, you should
- Watch for symptoms until 14 days after exposure.
- If you have symptoms, immediately self-isolate and contact your local public health authority or healthcare provider.
- Wear a mask, stay at least 6 feet from others, wash your hands, avoid crowds, and take other steps to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
CDC continues to endorse quarantine for 14 days and recognizes that any quarantine shorter than 14 days balances reduced burden against a small possibility of spreading the virus. CDC will continue to evaluate new information and update recommendations as needed. See Options to Reduce Quarantine for Contacts of Persons with SARS-CoV-2 Infection Using Symptom Monitoring and Diagnostic Testing for guidance on options to reduce quarantine.
Nor should there be. There are different circumstances and different factors in every situation. Short of shutting everything down, situations should be judged independently to find the best solution that allows safe play. If it is deemed that shutting it down is the only safe solution, so be it. Until then, don’t punish student athletes that are, reportedly, handling everything the way that they have been asked.
The key word to me is “local”. Local authorities are able to consider the details of the situation with first hand knowledge. They are able to interpret the facts and understand whether or not the basketball team has been in contact with another team. I, for instance, cannot determine that because I have no knowledge of how two teams at the University of Michigan conduct themselves when they are not on television. A “local authority” would presumably be able to make an educated medical decision about the amount of risk that would be involved with resuming basketball activities. I don’t consider MDHHS to be a local authority because, like me, they do not have first hand knowledge of the situation.
I have no problem for MDHHS to make decisions, but same rules have to be applied to every residents in the state, not selected individuals and organizations.
I was kind of hoping Monday would bring a decisive update from the AD. Doesn’t seem like we’re getting one
The update on Saturday was pretty decisive.
Yeah, I’m not as sure about that as you are Dylan. We went from what was being reported to be a two week pause to an up to two week pause quite quickly, without any clarification as to what, if anything, would end the pause before the two week period. I didn’t expect to hear today—things don’t ever move that quickly in this type of situation—but I do expect to hear more from the University this week.
Yeah, I just mean they aren’t going to put out a statement on Saturday night and put out a statement on Monday that says “just kidding”. I’m sure they are doing all of the things outlined in the memo including increased PCR testing and then will potentially make some decisions (or not).
Another thing to think about, epidemiologists probably don’t have a full grasp on how this new strain might affect people. Remember how cautious the Big Ten was with myocarditis.
First of all, of course this sucks.
I think the “pause” is the right decision. They clearly needed to revisit the protocols if there are that many cases within the department, and the prospect of letting games and practices continue that risk other individuals is pretty damning. They need to figure out how they want to proceed for sure (and I hope they go to the team-by-team route)…but there’s no way the University was going to put themselves at risk for super spreading by allowing certain teams to continue when dealing with so many uncertainties and a HHS recommendation.
I meant an update to that statement. “Until further notice and up to 14 days” left a lot of room. Still not clear how long we’re paused.
Clear info from our athletic department? That’s happened…checks notes…zero times in the past 
I tend to refrain from Warde pile-ons since they often boil down to “why doesn’t he make the football team win more games” but this was a pretty consequential lack of communication between our AD and the state. And internally, the sequence of the UK-based athlete flying back to AA and not quarantining should have never happened in the first place.
You are very correct on this. We just have to wait it out. Let me know when the field hockey coach gets the you know what.
Dylan - I know the team cannot practice, but what are you hearing, can the players practice in the gym by themselves. If they cannot use any UM athletic facilities, I wonder what they are doing to stay in shape and keep the shooting stroke. I wonder if they are going individually to other gyms around town? I cannot believe they are going to go two weeks without shooting hoops.