The COVID-19 pandemic has had, and will have, profound effects on every person on earth. Measures advocated by the WHO and put in place by national governments, businesses and individuals will save millions of lives, but current movement restrictions (ie, various degrees of lockdown) cannot continue indefinitely. The activity restrictions imposed by governments are designed to reduce human-to-human transmission; they buy time and allow international collaboration between governments and internally to build and allocate the resources and systems to Test: every suspected case where testing is merited and available while having effective prevention strategies in place. Trace: follow up all confirmed cases of COVID-19 and contact trace every relevant contact to identify and cut off transmission. Treat: manage all cases effectively, with adequate intensive care unit capacity, ventilators and staff. Rightly, professional sport has been placed on hold during the COVID-19 pandemic. The WHO (#BeActive) and many governments continue to promote certain types of moderate physical activity for the benefits it confers on the immune system and physical and mental health.1-4 Sport has health, social and economic benefits for individuals and society, and when the COVID-19 pandemic is better `controlled`, it may be appropriate to reintroduce community sport and professional sport. In this editorial, we opine on what needs to be in place for professional sport to recommence. We should start planning to resume sporting events, given the health, social and economic benefits of professional sport and the substantial planning and work required prior to any resumptions. In this editorial, we build on WHO guidance and tools and discuss the factors and risk assessments which should be in place prior to sport returning.
© Copyright 2020 British Journal of Sports Medicine. BMJ Publishing Group Ltd of the BMA. Alle Rechte vorbehalten. / Übersetzt mit https://www.DeepL.com/Translator