Pruitt addresses possibility of campus shutdown due to Coronavirus outbreak
Tennessee coach Jeremy Pruitt doesn’t plan on allowing the Coronavirus outbreak affect his team anytime soon.
When addressing reporters following the Vols’ opening session spring practice on Tuesday, Pruitt was asked about the precautions he and his staff are taking with the team amidst the virus’ spread into Knox County.
While he and his staff have not been alerted as to what actions will be taken next, they remain on high alert for any possibilities.
“It’s something that has affected places worldwide unfortunately,” Pruitt said. “I don’t know a whole lot about it, but I believe in our administration here and whatever precautions they take, we’ll follow.”
The University of Tennessee has already sent out an addendum across campus, stating that all faculty, staff and students must remain on alert in the event of a campus shutdown.
This would therefore suspend all in-person activities, including classes, sporting events and end-of-year award ceremonies.
Despite there only being no confirmed cases of the virus in Knoxville, UT’s administration is not willing to take any chances. 19 cases have been reported in Tennessee, with a majority of those coming from Williamson, Shelby, Davidson and Sullivan county.
“TDH will release counties of residence for all confirmed cases, but will not include further identifying factors like age or gender as we balance transparency with our obligation to lawfully protect patient privacy,” Tennessee Health Commissioner Lisa Piercey said. “While the department’s standard protocol for outbreaks is to announce information by region, we understand COVID-19 is an evolving situation presenting unique concerns for our communities.”
This is an ongoing story and will be updated as more information is released.
