The Science of the COVID Bubble

How has COVID-19 impacted athletes? We all want sports to continue competition, but at what cost? On this episode of StarTalk Sports Edition, Neil deGrasse Tyson and co-hosts Gary O’Reilly and Chuck Nice are investigating the impact of COVID-19 on athletes with Dr. Saurabh Rajpal, MD, cardiovascular disease specialist and Assistant Professor at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and Dr. James Borchers, MD, Head Team Physician for The Ohio State University and Medical Director for the Athletic Department at OSU.

To start, we take a look COVID-19 and the impact it has on the heart. Are there any lasting effects of COVID-19? Why is a respiratory virus impacting the heart? Dr. Rajpal, MD, tells us why he and his co-authors decided to study the effects of COVID-19 on the hearts of young athletes. Find out what tests are available to study heart function in athletes.

Then, we welcome Dr. James Borchers, MD, who served on the Big Ten Return to Competition Task Force. You’ll learn how the Task Force landed on returning to competition. We discuss the protocols in place helping teams reduce the transmission of COVID-19.

Gary asks the big question – how much is all of this protocol costing? You’ll also find out how the practices being used in the athletic departments are being implemented across the rest of college and university campuses. Lastly, we explore how COVID-19 and the restrictions are impacting athletes and their mental health. All that, plus, you’ll hear why being accountable might be one of the best ways to combat the disease.


What is Sports Edition?
Geeks and jocks collide on this bi-weekly podcast hosted by famed astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson. Each episode, Neil and co-hosts Gary O’Reilly and Chuck Nice are joined by top sports celebrities and experts in sports science. Together they unlock the secrets of the physics, tech, biology, data science, and economics that lie hidden beneath the surface of the sports world. Join us every other Friday for this special sports edition of StarTalk! New episodes publish at 7pm ET.

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