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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowOnly 15 of the more than 28,000 COVID-19 tests conducted over the course of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament were positive, the organization announced Tuesday afternoon, one day after the tourney wrapped up with Baylor University capturing the championship at Lucas Oil Stadium.
“[It’s] giving us great confidence that we’re sending teams and staff home and back to their communities safe and healthy,” said Dan Gavitt, NCAA senior vice president of basketball, at a news conference.
The positivity rate was just .05% over the 28,311 tests that were given. That includes testing done throughout Monday. Indiana University Health conducted the NCAA’s local testing.
“Indianapolis has, of course, always been our home here for the last 15-plus years for the NCAA and a regular host for NCAA championships,” Gavitt said. “I think that was just deepened so much over the last month,” with “the willingness to go to great lengths to have successful championships here.”
The biggest logistical challenge to the tournament? Safely housing, feeding and moving 68 teams living in four hotels to and from competition venues, he said.
About 173,592 people attended the tournament’s 66 games—about a quarter of the total number of fans that attended the last tournament, in 2019, Gavitt said. The venues limited capacity at this year’s games to 22% or less because of the pandemic.
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Even with masking and social distancing, there was a March Madness COVID spread. Thankfully the number was low, but in the constant crowds, each of those infected may have infected 100 or more others and more still in taxi cabs, in airports, and on planes in their travel home.
I hope the Marion County continues mask wearing and social distancing precautions until at least 80% are vaccinated. Even then I’ll wear a mask. I’ve grown so accustomed to it that I now feel unprotected without it. More importantly, tens of thousands of Hoosiers come into Marion Co. from surrounding counties to work, visit friends and family, to attend college, attend church, and to attend sports and entertainment venues. Our capital city’s herd immunity will be compromised by suburban counties observing fewer precautions.
As the state’s major economic engine, Marion County also has greater responsibility for public health and safety. An ounce of prevention is worth MORE than a pound of cure. There’s no cure for death or even the lifelong disabilities suffered by too many COVID sufferers. So PLEASE, get your vaccine ASAP and wear your mask to snuff out any chance of victory by this deadly virus.
Dear Nancy-
Glad you got your vaccine. You’re safe now. Right? Why do others matter?
.05% tested positive during the tourney. Remember when 5% was the goal?
Did anyone tell Mayor Joe or the naysayers who said this would be a superspreader?
There are no goalposts in Marion County . Flatten the curve? Really.
Nancy P. +1
80% is a faux guess at herd immunity. If so many have natural immunity from previously having it, the vaccinated % would be much lower. Let businesses decide on mask wearing, govt in their buildings. Proper spacing is more of a safe guard.
Bernard why don’t you just take a seat at the back of the room will call you when it’s your turn
Nancy, hear the sound of the silent majority who echo your thoughts. Kudos to Marion County and NCAA officials, responsible visitors, vendors, restaurants and residents. Keep up your responsible conduct by vaccinating, masking, distancing, limiting group size etc.
And kudos to our Governor who thinks clearly and operates independent of political parties.
0.05%.
Political scam continues.
Get Nancy a Hazmat suit. She’ll grow accustomed to it… 🤷🏻♂️
I’ll just be enjoying margaritas in public and laughing at the sheep.
Enough is enough.
Top National Lies in chronological order:
– COVID-19
– WMDs in Iraq
– Vietnam
…
Keep allowing all the politicians in both sides to divide and conquer. Just ask Charles Barkley. He even gets it now!
Why do people say things like “Top National Lies”? You argument might sound a little more credible if this weren’t a GLOBAL pandemic. This is not just a Unites States thing .
The US media drives a worldwide narrative.
News that is unchecked and biased influences a worldwide audience. The “boy who called wolf stories” are slowly being ignored more and more as many understand the dishonesty is all politically driven.
Many countries are back to their normal as their residents can think for themselves.
As of late –
Example: AP reports that the WHO and China review concluded “covid definitely didn’t come from a lab…no need to investigate further.”
Do you think anyone outside of the US believes that story?
I’m having a little trouble understanding what “Just 15 positive COVID-19 tests out of 28,000-plus taken during tourney” means. I assume it doesn’t include the people who worked at St. Elmo’s or the Alabama fan who was here then went back to Tuscaloosa and died. If it refers only to players and coaches, then it seems to me that it should say so; otherwise, it is kind of misleading. And , BTW, Nancy P is completely right