The Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association — the state’s governing body for high school athletics — issued a press release Monday addressing COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.
According to the PIAA, which will host state playoff basketball games and swimming and diving competitions this week, it has been in constant contact with the state Department of Health.
In addition to promoting “good health habits” — such as washing hands with soap and water for 20 seconds, using alcohol-based hand sanitizer, covering coughs and sneezes with elbows, cleaning surfaces, staying home if sick — the PIAA said the Department of Health has not advocated canceling public events.
“The Department of Health is monitoring the state and working with all area health departments for consistent messaging and evaluations of citizens’ health status,” the PIAA said in a press release.
The PIAA said pregame and postgame handshakes may be replaced with other forms of contact, including fist, forearm and elbow bumps.
There are 10 people in Pennsylvania who have presumptively positive cases of coronavirus, including seven in Montgomery County and one each in Delaware, Wayne and Monroe counties.
After an outbreak in Wuhan, China, COVID-19 — a new virus that attacks the respiratory system — has spread to dozens of countries, killing thousands. Symptoms include fever, cough and shortness of breath.