Dr. Coates reacts to 'knee-jerk' Big Ten decision, offers his medical insight

Key notes from Dr. Louis P. Coates interview

• Most encouraging is the treatments that are coming about. As doctors, we have learned a lot about this virus, and we have learned how to treat it. Five months ago, we thought this was a respiratory disease. Now, we know it attacks the lining of blood vessels. We can strategize and see who it is affecting more. We see very little vascular damage in kids and young adults. It is much riskier for the elderly.
   
• The most discouraging thing is that we still have a significant number of cases per day. We haven't been able to control and contain it. At least we know who to protect now.
   
• I think we were late to the game with a lot of these safeguards. We didn't implement masks until recently. If we implemented a mask mandate earlier, we would've been more successful. When we opened things up and started leaving our homes, it was a little too quick. It should've been a month-long wait post-symptoms rather than just two weeks. We should've opened a little bit slower. People are out doing more than they were before, which spreads the virus.
   
• The high-risk people are at home. Luckily, the fatality rate has dropped. That's because the high-risk individuals are staying home, and we, as doctors, have gotten better at treating it.
   
• From a medical perspective, I think the Big Ten and Pac-12 made a knee-jerk reaction. I don't think there is enough data to show that there is a lot of risk within the age group of the players. There is a minimal risk within that age group. The flu is more deadly within that age group than this coronavirus.
   
• Myocarditis is an inflammation of the heart. We see that in a lot of viruses. We have yet to see any data that shows this is any more common in the coronavirus than any other viral illness. There are other risk factors, but I don't even think those are going to be significant within this age group.
   
• There was a study in May that outlined a return to sports after COVID. It describes how to look for problems through a ton of different monitoring systems. It was a great outline. Now, it was meant for professional athletes, but it can be applied to college athletics too. You can even argue that professional athletes have more risk because they are typically older.
   
• If a high-level athlete gets Myocarditis, they will have to go through a series of tests. They shouldn't play until their echo is back to normal. Chronic problems may arise, but we're talking about scarce numbers. If it turns chronic, they may never play again. That is a genuine risk factor, but it is going to be extremely small. We do not know that Myocarditis is any more common with COVID than it is with the flu or a common cold.
   
• I think the athletes are safer under supervision. If you cancel the season and the coaches are not supervising or trying to motivate them, these college kids are going to be college kids. They will go out with their friends, to bars and be more likely to catch the virus. There would also not be routine testing and monitoring. The athletic departments can pay for this testing. Most college kids don't even know they have it until they're ill. The controlled environment is much safer.

You can view our previous interview with Dr. Coates from back in March HERE.