The SEC — the most dominant conference in college football — has released its game plan for handling COVID during the 2020 football season.
The SEC includes teams like LSU, Clemson, Auburn, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, Texas A&M and others.
Here is the cheat sheet with all the major points.
— All players will be tested for COVID at least twice per week (Sunday and Wednesday). The SEC is exploring ways to implement a 3rd test closer to game day that would give accurate, rapid results.
— Same testing rules apply for coaches and support staff.
— Medical staff, officials and replay officials will be required to undergo 1 test per week.
— Other essential personnel who will be on the field will also have to be tested at least once per week, but the SEC is hoping to bump that number to twice and even three times per week.
MASKS
— All coaches, staff and noncompeting student-athletes are required to wear a facemask/neck gaiter on the sideline.
— Players are required to wear a neck gaiter to be used during “timeouts, conferring with coaches on the sideline, etc.
In other words, during play — the gaiter can be down around the neck, but during huddles and other close-quarter discussion situations, ya gotta pull the gaiter up over your mouth.
The SEC says referee must also have gaiters for similar situations.
— The SEC says face shields are not a suitable replacement for masks. It seems people on the sideline can use shields IN ADDITION to masks, but not as a replacement.
It’s nice to have these guidelines … but now the big question — will we actually get to see the protocols in action? Or, will the COVID pandemic wipe out the 2020 college football season before it gets started.
