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COVID-19 outbreak causes postponement of Cal-USC football game

Cal defender tackles a Colorado ball carrier.
2nliner
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Flickr / Creative Commons
Cal defender tackles a Colorado ball carrier.

Cal’s football program has been thrown for yet another loss this season — this time off-the-field.

SFGate reportsthat 44 people associated with the Golden Bears football team have tested positive for COVID-19 within the past week.

Two dozen football players were held out of Cal’s 10-3 loss to Arizona last Saturday. Several players tested positivein the days leading up to the game.

Berkeley’s Department of Public Health released a statement this week criticizing the football program, calling the situation “an environment of ongoing failure to abide by public health measures.” They also suggested that Cal should not have played last week’s game because of the outbreak.

Cal quarterback Chase Garbers and some other players have expressed frustration on Twitter about the unclear policies from the University’s Health Services.

SFGATE reported earlier this season that Cal’s football program reported a 99-percent vaccination rate. Once the recent surge of infections was discovered, the university worked with the Berkeley Department of Public Health to increase testing, which uncovered additional infections and prompted stricter health safeguards.

Cal’s game against Southern Calhas been rescheduled to December 4th.

Sunni M. Khalid is a veteran of more than 40 years in journalism, having worked in print, radio, television, and web journalism.