Did sport contribute to the spread of the coronavirus? Should anyone exercise during the coronavirus pandemic? The coronavirus has changed the culture and practice of sports worldwide and many people have many unanswered questions. Therefore, the Chair of Exercise Biology headed by Prof. Dr. Henning Wackerhage and his Reseach Associates Dr. Martin Schönfelder and Dr. Philipp Baumert have prepared a comprehensive review on “Sport and COVID-19”, which has now been published in the “German Journal of Sports Medicine". The Scottish virologist Prof. Dr. Roger Everett, the sports scientists Prof. Dr. Karsten Krüger (Justus Liebig University Gießen) and Prof. Dr. Sebastian Gehlert (University Hildesheim), the sports physician Prof. Dr. Dr. Perikles Simon (Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz) and the biochemist Dr. Marta Murgia (Max Planck Institute for Biochemistry) also contributed to the project. The publication is the German-language sports medicine journal with the highest readership.
“The idea for this review arose from the fact that sport per se, alongside other major events, played a considerable role in the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic in Europe,” explains Prof. Wackerhage. “It seems that the Champions League quarter-final match on 19 February 2020 between Atalanta Bergamo and FC Valencia not only accelerated the emergence of the coronavirus in northern Italy, but also contributed to the outbreak in Spain.” A second example of sports-related spread is related to the Austrian skiing region of Ischgl. It is likely that hundreds of tourists were infected with the coronavirus there and then spread it throughout Europe. “For this reason, we wanted to address and deal with the topic of 'Sport and COVID-19'”, said the professor of exercise biology.
The review answers the following five questions about the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, the COVID-19 disease caused by it and sport:
- What do we know about the SARS CoV-2 coronavirus that causes the COVID-19 disease?
- What do we know about COVID-19 and is it affected by physical exercise?
- How did the COVID-19 pandemic develop, what was the role of sport, how does it progress and how will it end?
- How does the immune system react to SARS-CoV-2 and can we prevent SARS-CoV-2 infections via physical training?
- How should we engage in physical activity during the COVID-19 pandemic and how can we safely return to normal exercise and sport after the pandemic peaks?
In the remainder of the review, control measures are discussed that would allow for sport and exercise before the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, before herd immunity has taken place or before mass vaccinations have been carried out.
The following points were noted at the end of the review as conclusions for implementation in practice:
- Since almost 50 percent of COVID-19 infections may be caused by persons without symptoms, persons practicing sports should treat other persons as possible SARS-CoV-2 carriers.
- SARS-CoV-2 infections are mainly prevented via careful hygiene measures such as washing hands, physical/social distancing and the wearing of face masks (mouth and nose protection). According to current systematic reviews and meta-analyses, there is no firm evidence that physical exercise or supplementation with vitamins such as C or D or other substances significantly reduces the risk of contracting SARS-CoV-2.
- Some mass sports events were “catalysts” for the spread of SARS-CoV-2. Based on these experiences, it does not seem to make much sense to hold major international sports events with high spectator numbers involving an accepted risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection before developing vaccines. Possible interim solutions are sporting events without any spectators present or a quarantine for athletes, officials and spectators.
To the homepage of the Chair of Exercise Biology
To the publication in the "German Journal of Sports Medicine"
Contact:
Prof. Dr. Henning Wackerhage
Chair of Exercise Biology
Georg-Brauchle Ring 60/62
80992 München
phone: 089 289 24480
e-mail: Henning.Wackerhage(at)tum.de
Text: Romy Schwaiger
Photos: German Journal of Sports Medicine/Lehrstuhl für Sportbiologie