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The coronavirus pandemic has hit the NFL. The 2020 Hall of Fame Game between the Dallas Cowboys and Pittsburgh Steelers in Canton, Ohio — which serves as the NFL preseason opener — has been canceled, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. It was initially scheduled for August 6.
In addition to the cancellation of the Hall of Fame Game, the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s enshrinement ceremony on August 8 is being postponed due to the pandemic.
There had been previous indication that the NFL was working on a plan for a shortened preseason as the league navigates the COVID-19 obstacle, and now that is all but certain if the NFL hopes to start the regular season on time.
But while we wait for the league’s official plan moving forward, let’s all just keep our fingers crossed.
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The coronavirus outbreak has led to the cancellation or postponing of many large events including The Masters, NCAA Tournament, Coachella, SXSW, the Winter X Games, Stagecoach, Ultra Music Festival in Miami, and more. The NBA, NHL, and MLS have temporarily suspended their seasons.
The coronavirus mainly comes from animals and a majority of those who were infected early either worked at or frequently visited the Huanan seafood wholesale market in Wuhan, according to The Guardian. The virus is similar to Severe acute respiratory syndrome (Sars) and Middle Eastern respiratory syndrome (Mers).
The Wuhan coronavirus is transmitted from person to person through “droplet transmission.” That means an infected person can pass the virus by sneezing or coughing on another person as well as by direct contact.
While a majority of the cases have been detected in the United States and China — with more than 123,000 deaths in the United States — it has now reached many countries around the world. It has also been confirmed in Italy, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, and many other eastern countries.
