The NHL, MLB, NBA and MLS issued a joint statement on Monday to announce that the leagues were limiting locker room access to just players and essential staff due to coronavirus concerns:
“After consultation with infectious disease and public health experts, and given the issues that can be associated with close contact in pre- and post-game settings, all team locker rooms and clubhouses will be open only to players and essential employees of teams and team facilities until further notice. Media access will be maintained in designated locations outside of the locker room and clubhouse setting. These temporary changes will be effective beginning with (Tuesday's) games and practices.
“We will continue to closely monitor this situation and take any further steps necessary to maintain a safe and welcoming environment.”
The leaders of sportswriters groups including the Professional Hockey Writers Association and Baseball Writers Association of America released a joint statement earlier on Monday about working to ensure that locker room access is not unnecessarily limited:
“We the entities covering pro and college sports in North America are concerned with the developing international outbreak of coronavirus and the need to contain it. We understand precautions may be necessary in the name of public health. We are intent on working with the leagues, teams and schools we cover to maintain safe work environments. We also must ensure the locker room access — which we have negotiated over decades — to players, coaches and staff is not unnecessarily limited in either the short or long term. We look forward to open communication with the leagues as, together, we deal with this serious health matter.”
The coronavirus has infected over 100,000 people across the world, killing close to 4,000 people, with all but 716 deaths occurring in China.
Coronavirus isn't technically considered an airborne virus as it does not circulate through the air, but it can be transmitted by respiratory particles that come from an infected person coughing or sneezing. The particles can linger on hard surfaces, making it possible to the virus to be transmitted if someone touches the surface then touches their mouth, nose, or eyes.
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