SALT LAKE CITY — As sports around the country have shut down in the wake of the coronavirus scare, a natural question may be whether people who attended the March 9 Utah Jazz game against the Toronto Raptors at Vivint Arena are at risk after Jazz All-Stars Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell tested positive for it on March 11.
State officials on Wednesday released a Q&A of items related to fans being at the game, and the short answer is there’s not a high risk of getting the virus if you were attended the game.
“You are at a low risk of developing symptoms from COVID-19 by simply attending the Utah Jazz game on March 9,” the Q&A says.
So who would be at risk from attending the game or interacting with a player?
“Only individuals who have had close contact with the player who is confirmed to have COVID-19 are considered to be at risk for potentially developing symptoms of COVID-19,” the Q&A states, with “close contact” defined as “within 6 feet of the player who has COVID-19 for an extended period of time, typically for 15 minutes or longer.”
What should people who did have close contact with a player confirmed to have COVID-19 do?
“You should stay at home under isolation for the next 14 days from March 9 and be actively monitored by public health,” the Q&A says. That includes not going to work, school, religious services or any place with large numbers of people, and limiting the number of visitors in your home. “Active monitoring” means checking your health and reporting if you have any symptoms at least once a day.
Symptoms include fever, cough and difficulty breathing. You should call your health care provider before seeking care at a clinic, hospital or urgent care facility and explain your potential exposure to a confirmed COVID-19 case.
The Q&A says high-fiving or catching an item of clothing from Gobert or Mitchell are not considered to be “close personal contact.” Further, the coronavirus could not have spread from one of the players through the crowd during the game, the Q&A says.
Should people who were on the floor or had personal contact with Gobert or Mitchell self-isolate?
“The most important thing to do will be to monitor for symptoms,” the Q&A says. “Only individuals who have had close contact with the player who is confirmed to have COVID-19 are considered to be at risk for potentially developing symptoms of COVID-19.”
While chances of exposure to the coronavirus through Gobert or Mitchell are low, the Q&A says, “For now, you only need to seek medical care if you have had close contact with a confirmed case AND are symptomatic.”
The Q&A concludes by stating “we believe there will be enough lab capacity to meet the testing demand associated with this event” given the limited interaction between Gobert and Mitchell and those in attendance at the game on March 9.