AUSTIN, Texas — On Wednesday, Austin health authority Dr. Mark Escott cautioned against the city of Austin holding sporting events and festivals at any point over the next six months, perhaps over the next year.
"There are events like sporting events and festivals where there are lots of person-to-person interactions, particularly within six feet, particularly when it's people who are not related, that [are] going to substantially increase the risk," he said. "I can expect that at least for the next six months, and perhaps the next year, that events like that are going to be very, very difficult to have, unless we have substantial increases in testing and other strategies to further mitigate the threat of those kind of events."
Escott added it’s still too early to make a final decision on events happening in the long term, presumably alluding to events such as Austin City Limits and Longhorns football games.
"A baseline expectation should be that this concept of social distancing, personal hygiene, the public masking or public facial covering, is going to have to continue until we reach herd immunity," Escott said.
Meanwhile, the University of Texas released a letter to its student body a few hours later, detailing its plan for the fall semester.
In the letter, president Greg Fenves said the school expects to announce its plans for the fall semester by the end of June.
"This timing will enable faculty to prepare their classes and curriculums so that they can deliver the extraordinary educational experiences UT is known for. It will also provide time for our dedicated staff members to reopen the facilities, integrate new learning technologies and prepare to implement new health-conscious practices and policies," he said.
Leaving open the possibility for in-person classes leaves open the possibility for Longhorns football games to not be impacted in a major way.
College football athletic directors have said there won't be any football games until campuses reopen.
Fenves included football games in his list of most pressing questions that need to be answered in the coming months: "How and when can we safely bring students, faculty and staff back to the Forty Acres? How do we expand testing for COVID-19? What will social distancing look like on campus? How can we enhance the online learning experience? When will the Longhorn football team be able to take the field at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium again?"
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