UW devises plan as athletes return to campus this week
The University of Wisconsin will welcome a limited number of athletes back to campus this week, with voluntary strength and conditioning activities to begin June 15.
The plan includes the voluntary return for members of the football and volleyball teams for health assessments and COVID-19 testing. Next week's strength and conditioning activities will all take place in the Forward Center inside Camp Randall Stadium and in the weight room at the McClain Center. Other facilities, including the Kohl Center, will remain closed.
The number of athletes inside each room will be restricted to mitigate risk of spreading COVID-19. Athletes will be screened daily before entering the facilities.
Athletes will be briefed on full health procedures, and each athlete must undergo nasal-swab testing for the virus. If they develop symptoms or believe they have come into contact with someone who has tested positive, they will be swabbed again.
The athletes will be required to wear masks except during conditioning activities. Those with suspected symptoms will be instructed to self-isolate while awaiting test results, and they'll be required to sit out for 72 hours after receiving a negative result.
An individual testing positive must be symptom-free for 72 hours before receiving a repeat COVID-19 test. Upon receipt of a negative result and follow-up exam, the athlete can return to gradual participation once cleared by a team physician.
UW said it was installing Global Plasma Solutions bi-polar ionization units to air-handling units in its facilities, employing a process that helps kill viruses in the environment. The university is also ramping up cleaning procedures.
Members of the basketball team will return later in June, followed by hockey teams. Additional athletes will return for voluntary workouts as the summer progresses, provided all goes well.
"We have been working for several weeks on a carefully-constructed plan to begin welcoming our student-athletes and selected staff members back to campus," UW athletic director Barry Alvarez said in a release. "We're very happy to be able to take this step forward, but very cognizant of the need to take great care that our people remain safe. I want to thank our staff, the medical professionals we have worked with and our campus leadership for their efforts in helping us."