Michigan Stay-In-Place Order Due to COVID-19 Spike Won't Impact Athletics

The Washtenaw County Health Department issued a stay-at-home order for University of Michigan students with COVID-19 cases increasing, according to Tom VanHaaren of ESPN, though the rule will not apply for the Wolverines football team or any other athletics. 

Per that report, the medical staff must be present at all activities and have a staff member that "actively supervises the team's COVID-19 mitigation activities during the practice, has the authority to suspend the practice if he or she believes COVID-19 mitigation practices require that result, and testing is conducted per governing athletic organizations' (i.e. Big 10) policies." 

Since the beginning of the fall semester, Michigan has reportedly had over 1,000 new cases of the coronavirus at its Ann Arbor campus. Washtenaw County in total has had 4,229 cases of COVID-19. 

As for Michigan's athletes, 1,559 tests returned 11 positive cases between Oct. 10 to Oct. 16. In total, 11,889 tests have returned 104 positive cases. 

The news comes as No. 18 Michigan is set to begin its football season at No. 21 Minnesota on Saturday, Oct. 24. 

Michigan President Mark Schlissel, provost Susan Collins and vice president for student life Martino Harmon said in a letter to the school that "there has not been documented transmission of COVID-19 among student-athletes in our athletics facilities," per Aaron McMann of MLive.com. 

Football head coach Jim Harbaugh also said that no players will be held out of Saturday's game for COVID-related reasons. And he's ready for the season, with a group of players he said have shown a lot of "competitiveness and oneness."

"It's been that kind of group," he told reporters Monday. "(We have) really good leaders, a lot of guys that are really invested, and a lot of guys that really like each other. A lot of guys that really like football."