Michigan Athletics on hiatus – Athletes, coaches and team staff have been quarantined

ANN ARBOR, me. – All University of Michigan athletic programs will be put on a 14-day hiatus starting Sunday, a school official confirmed on Saturday evening.

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The decision was made by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. All sporting activities in all sports – including games, team and individual training sessions – have been suspended until further notice, for up to 14 days.

Team members – student athletes, coaches, and team staff – are urged to self-isolate or immediately quarantine until further notice.

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

The school said the five people were in isolation and were asymptomatic or had only mild symptoms.

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

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

Many unknowns remain under investigation by UMs, local and state public health officials.

No decision has been made on the impact of the break on games scheduled beyond February 7.

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

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