Updated: June 17, 2020
 
What are the guiding principles to allow for voluntary workouts on campus?
Cal Athletics has developed a comprehensive plan to allow voluntary, grouped-cohort workouts in a risk-mitigated environment. It outlines a deliberate, staggered return of student-athletes to campus following strict guidelines, including testing and physical distancing. The plan is based on three principles:

1. To protect the health of Cal's student-athletes, coaches, staff and community;
2. For decision-making to be guided by best practices informed by national, state, local and campus experts;
3. To ensure that the Cal Athletics plan aligns with campus leadership and recovery principles.

 
What activities will student-athletes be able to do when they return?
As approved by the City of Berkeley Public Health Office on June 8 and by campus on June 16, student-athletes are able to return to campus to participate in voluntary, in-person outdoor activities, such as conditioning and running. Football will be the first sport to return, followed by other teams in an orderly, predetermined fashion as capacity allows. The workouts follow guidelines set by City of Berkeley Public Health and University Health Services, and comply with the current city public health order. At this time (as of June 16), no equipment may be used and indoor athletic activities for student-athletes are not allowed.
 
How will student-athletes and staff know what protocols to follow?
All student-athletes and staff must complete mandatory educational training before returning to campus, which includes information on COVID-19 signs, symptoms, evaluation and testing, as well as the course of the illness and its transmission, and infection prevention and control. This is in addition to any university-required training and is specific to athletic activities.
 
Student-athletes and staff will also receive a packet that provides specific guidelines for every step of the process. In early June, Cal Athletics hosted a sports-medicine town hall for all student-athletes to allow for discussion of protocols and answer questions, while athletic trainers will hold individual Zoom meetings as needed. 
 
Ample signage with reminders and information will be posted throughout athletic facilities that are in use. Any facilities not part of the voluntary workout plan, including locker rooms, remain closed until further notice.
 
What is the process for student-athletes once they return to campus? 
All student-athletes will quarantine in their residences for seven days. For those traveling to Berkeley, the quarantine will start with their first day back in Berkeley, while for those already in town, the seven-day period will start based on when their medical clearance exam is scheduled. Each student-athlete will undergo an antibody test during their quarantine time period. At the end of seven days, student-athletes will receive a test to determine whether they have an active infection of COVID-19.
 
If a student-athlete is clear and has no active infection, the next step is to receive a pre-participation physical and medical clearance. Voluntary workouts and physical activity may begin after receiving clearance.
 
What are the screening, facility and distancing protocols that will be in place?
All student-athletes and staff will follow specific protocols each time they arrive at an athletic facility. Everyone will have a scheduled entry time to maintain physical distancing from arrival until departure.
 
Both student-athletes and staff will undergo a temperature check (via a touchless thermometer) and symptom screening (using an electronic questionnaire) at the entry point for each facility. The number of people allowed at facilities will be limited, and student-athletes will work out in cohorts of 10 - and only at their scheduled times. Cohorts will be grouped based on living situations to help limit unnecessary interactions and mitigate the risk of spread of the virus. Furthermore, physical distancing will be maintained throughout their workouts, and all student-athletes and staff must wear face coverings at all times while at an athletics facility.
 
Can you describe how facilities will be cleaned and disinfected?
A limited number of spaces and equipment within select athletic facilities will be open and accessible to student-athletes and staff during this voluntary workout period. Areas in use will receive immediate and scheduled disinfecting between cohorts. Detailed disinfecting of floors, high-touch areas, windows and synthetic turf will occur daily after operational hours. Locker rooms will remain closed and off limits.
 
What teams and how many student-athletes will be part of this first phase? What is the plan for bringing back additional teams?
Given the requirements for social distancing and limitations on space for physical exams, student-athletes will return to campus in phases, beginning with football student-athletes for workouts at California Memorial Stadium and Maxwell Family Field. They will be placed into cohorts of 10 student-athletes in order to maintain physical distancing.
 
Student-athletes from men's and women's basketball and volleyball, as well as a subset of swimmers training for Olympic-level competition, will be in the next phase, with student-athletes from additional sports having the opportunity to return in small groups through the rest of the summer.
 
What is the procedure if a student-athlete shows symptoms or has a positive test?
If a student-athlete tests positive for COVID-19, he or she will follow university protocols, including isolation, and will receive medical care through University Health Services. 
 
Any student-athlete who has an elevated temperature or has symptoms of COVID-19 when being screened for entry into an athletics facility, or who develops symptoms while at a facility, will be isolated immediately and instructed to call University Health Services for further evaluation and instructions. The team physician will make the final determination whether or when a student-athlete may return to activity.
 
For any of the above scenarios, contact tracing and the determination of proper treatment for contacts will be led by UHS Infection Control in conjunction with Berkeley Public Health.
 
Do you know when practices will be allowed or when competition will start for the fall?
At this point, we have no further information on when practice or fall seasons may begin. To date, the NCAA and Pac-12 are allowing voluntary workouts on campus. Decisions for return to practice, the start of competition and schedules will be made at a later date.
 
Are teams able to have in-person meetings?
All team, position and individual meetings with coaches will continue to be held virtually.
 
How did Cal Athletics develop its plan to begin voluntary workouts?
In May, the NCAA voted to allow voluntary workouts to begin on college campuses on June 1, and the Pac-12 voted to allow them on conference campuses on June 15. Cal Athletics presented its plan to the UC Berkeley Recovery Management Team in early June and limited outdoor activities were subsequently approved by Berkeley Public Health.
 
The Cal Athletics working group began meeting in mid-March to develop plans to return to campus. It includes staff from various units within Cal Athletics, including sports medicine and facilities management. Campus medical experts from University Health Services and the School of Public Health were also consulted through all phases of the plan's development. The plan follows safety protocols and guidelines set by the Pac-12 COVID-19 Medical Advisory Committee, the NCAA and the American College Health Association, as well as federal, state and local agencies, and UC Berkeley and the UC Office of the President.