As schools across the country start preparing for a potential college football season, football programs continue to see waves of players test positive for COVID-19. On Friday, Texas Tech became the latest school to announce an outbreak of the virus.
23 Texas Tech football players and staff test positive for coronavirus
Texas Tech University’s athletic department announced that it conducted 197 COVID-19 tests of football players and staff. The results determined that 23 members of the Red Raiders’ football program had the coronavirus.
Fortunately, Texas Tech seems to have avoided a disastrous scenario. While the 23 cases is among the highest figures to be reported by colleges thus far, none of those with the virus have been hospitalized and 21 have recovered.
The situation will likely be one that the university will continue to monitor closely given Texas is experiencing record spikes in cases every few days. As a result, student-athletes in the area will likely be at greater risk of catching the virus.
COVID-19 cases among student-athletes
The NCAA’s Division I Council lifted its moratorium on voluntary athletic activities beginning on June 1. While it marked a significant step toward college football potentially returning this fall, it was followed by a series of outbreaks at major programs.
- Texas Longhorns announce 13 football players test positive for COVID-19
- The University of Colorado announced two of its players tested positive this week
- Six student-athletes at the University of Houston contracted the virus
- Two Kansas State football players worked out with teammates while they had the coronavirus
There is still plenty of time for players and staff who test positive for the coronavirus to recover and receive clearance. However, uncertainty still hangs over the 2020 college football season.