P.G.A. Championship will continue without fans

The trend towards fan-free tournaments was boosted on Monday when officials for the P.G.A. Championship announced that this year's first major championship without spectators would take place August 6-9 at T.P.C. Harding Park in San Francisco.

The decision was made in coordination with officials of the State of California and the City and District of San Francisco, taking into account participants' health and well-being during the coronavirus pandemic.

The PGA of America, which leads the championship, had considered moving the league to a different location, perhaps in the Southeast, although holding the event in San Francisco had always been preferred. The city last hosted a major tournament in 2012 when the United States Open was held at the Olympic Club.

There were no fans when the professional wave of men, who was suspended for three months due to the coronavirus pandemic, returned on June 11 with the Charles Schwab Challenge in Fort Worth.

The PGA Championship, originally scheduled for May 14-17, would be the first golf major of 2020 to be contested without fans, but may not be the last. The US Open, which was scheduled for mid-June until moved to September 17-20, has also discussed a fan-free event at the Winged Foot Golf Club in Westchester County, NY Officials for the Masters tournament in Augusta, Ga., Postponed from early April to November 12-15, little has said about their plans, but privately discussed several unforeseen events, including spectators.

Updated June 22, 2020

Is it more difficult to practice wearing a mask?

A comment published this month on the website of the British Journal of Sports Medicine indicates that covering your face during exercise "is associated with potential respiratory limitations and discomfort" and requires "balancing benefits versus potential side effects". Masks change exercise, says Cedric X. Bryant, the president and chief science officer of the American Council on Exercise, a nonprofit that funds exercise research and certifies fitness professionals. & # 39; In my personal experience & # 39 ;, he says, & # 39; heart rates are higher at the same relative intensity when wearing a mask. & # 39; Some people may also experience dizziness during known workouts while masked, says Len Kravitz, a professor of exercise science at the University of New Mexico.

I heard about a treatment called dexamethasone. Does it work?

The steroid, dexamethasone, is the first treatment that has been shown to reduce mortality in critically ill patients, scientists in Britain say. The drug appears to reduce inflammation caused by the immune system and protect the tissues. In the study, dexamethasone reduced patient mortality on respirators by one third and deaths of patients on oxygen by one fifth.

What is pandemic paid leave?

The Coronavirus Emergency Relief Package gives many US workers paid time off when they have to take time off because of the virus. It gives qualified workers two weeks of paid sick leave if they are ill, quarantined, seek diagnosis or preventive care for coronavirus, or care for sick relatives. It gives 12 weeks of paid leave to people who care for children whose school is closed or whose childcare is not available due to the coronavirus. It is the first time that the United States has had federal compulsory paid leave on a large scale, and it includes people who typically do not receive such benefits, such as part-time workers and workers in the gig economy. But the measure excludes at least half of the private sector workers, including those from the country's largest employers, and gives small employers significant leeway to refuse leave.

Does asymptomatic transmission of Covid-19 occur?

So far, the evidence seems to prove that this is the case. A much-cited article published in April suggests that people are most contagious about two days before the onset of coronavirus symptoms, and an estimated 44 percent of new infections result from transmission by people who have no symptoms yet. showed. Recently, a top World Health Organization expert said that transmission of the coronavirus by people who had no symptoms was "very rare," but she later withdrew that statement.

What is the risk of catching coronavirus from a surface?

Touching contaminated objects and then infecting us with the germs is not typical of how the virus spreads. But it can happen. A number of studies on flu, rhinovirus, coronavirus, and other microbes have shown that respiratory diseases, including the new coronavirus, can spread by touching contaminated surfaces, especially in places such as nurseries, offices, and hospitals. But a long series of events must take place to spread the disease that way. The best way to protect yourself from coronavirus – be it superficial transmission or close human contact – is still to socialize, wash your hands, not touch your face, and wear masks.

How does the blood group affect the coronavirus?

A study by European scientists is the first to document a strong statistical link between genetic variations and Covid-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. Having type A blood was linked to a 50 percent increase in the likelihood that a patient would need to receive oxygen or go on a ventilator, according to the new study.

How many people have lost their jobs to coronavirus in the United States?

The unemployment rate fell to 13.3 percent in May, the Department of Labor said on June 5, an unexpected improvement in the country's job market as recruitments recovered faster than economists expected. Economists had predicted the unemployment rate to rise to as much as 20 percent after it reached 14.7 percent in April, the highest since the government began keeping official statistics after World War II. But instead, the unemployment rate fell, with employers adding 2.5 million jobs, after more than 20 million were lost in April.

My state opens again. Is it safe to go out?

States are gradually opening up again. This means that more public spaces are available for use and more and more companies are allowed to open again. The federal government largely leaves the decision to the states, and some state leaders leave the decision to the local authorities. Even if you're not told to stay at home, it's still a good idea to limit outdoor travel and interact with other people.

What are the symptoms of coronavirus?

Common symptoms are fever, dry cough, fatigue and difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. Some of these symptoms overlap with those of the flu, making detection difficult, but runny noses and blocked sinuses are less common. The C.D.C. has also added chills, muscle aches, sore throats, headaches and a new loss of taste or smell as symptoms to watch out for. Most people get sick five to seven days after exposure, but symptoms can appear in two days or even 14 days.

How can I protect myself while flying?

If air travel is unavoidable, there are some steps you can take to protect yourself. Most importantly, wash your hands often and never touch your face again. If possible, choose a window seat. A study by Emory University found that during the flu season, the safest place to sit on a plane is by a window, because people who sit by window seats had less contact with potentially ill people. Disinfect hard surfaces. When you get to your seat and your hands are clean, use disinfectant wipes to clean the hard surfaces on your seat, such as the head and armrest, seat belt buckle, the remote control, the screen, the back pocket of the seat and the tray table . If the chair is hard and non-porous or leather or pleather, you can also wipe it off. (Using wipes on upholstered chairs can result in a wet chair and spreading germs rather than killing them.)

What should I do if I feel sick?

If you have been exposed to, or think you have, the coronavirus and have a fever or symptoms such as coughing or breathing difficulties, call a doctor. They should advise you on whether to be tested, how to be tested, and how to seek medical treatment without potentially infecting or exposing others.

The P.G.A. of America also faces a tough decision about how to hold the Ryder Cup, a biennial international golf competition that the organization also sponsors. The event, scheduled for late September at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin, and known for its boisterous, partisan crowds, could potentially be kept without fans, but dozens of professional golfers have called on to postpone the Ryder Cup for a year instead. Some players have suggested that they will not play if the event's fairways aren't littered with a large crowd.

At present, only the Memorial Tournament in Dublin, Ohio, scheduled from July 16 to 19, plans to accommodate a limited number of spectators. State officials approved a plan there that allowed spectators on the trail for 8,000 daily before the event.

Last weekend's PGA Tour was in Hilton Head, SC, where the RBC Heritage was also held without spectators, something the tour plans to continue as it travels from Connecticut to Michigan in the ensuing weeks, Ohio and Minnesota are hopping.