Major League Baseball delays Opening Day by two weeks, spring training games cancelled
VARIOUS CITIES, - MARCH 12: A detail of baseballs during a Grapefruit League spring training game between the Washington Nationals and the New York Yankees at FITTEAM Ballpark of The Palm Beaches on March 12, 2020 in West Palm Beach, Florida. Many pr
In response to the growing concern over the novel coronavirus COVID-19, Major League Baseball has delayed the start of Opening Day by at least two weeks and canceled spring training games.
MLB announced the delay of opening day in a press release on Wednesday, saying the action was taken "in the interests of the safety and well-being of our players, clubs, and our millions of loyal fans".
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The move follows suit with the NBA, NHL, and MLS who have all postponed their regular season.
MLB said it would continue to evaluate ongoing events leading up to the state of the season but has decided to postpone forthcoming Spring Training games and 2020 World Baseball Classic Qualifier games in Tucson, Arizona.
Symptoms for coronavirus COVID-19 include fever, coughing and shortness of breath. These, of course, are similar to the common cold and flu.
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Expect a common cold to start out with a sore or scratchy throat, cough, runny and/or stuffy nose. Flu symptoms are more intense and usually come on suddenly, and can include a high fever.
Symptoms of COVID-19 may appear more slowly. They usually include fever, a dry cough and noticeable shortness of breath, according to the World Health Organization. A minority of cases develop pneumonia, and the disease is especially worrisome for the elderly and those with other medical problems such as high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes or heart conditions.
Right now there's one big difference between flu and coronavirus: A vaccine exists to help prevent the flu and it's not too late to get it. It won't protect you from catching the coronavirus but may put you in a better position to fight it.
To protect yourself, wash your hands well and often, keep them away from your face, and avoid crowds and standing close to people.
And if you do find yourself showing any of these flu or coronavirus symptoms - don't go straight to your doctor's office. That just risks making more people sick, officials urge. Call ahead and ask if you need to be seen and where.
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