Construction workers at the University of Alabama’s Bryant-Denny Stadium have reportedly been hit with a “significant” coronavirus outbreak, a report says.
The university implemented a $106 million renovation of the 91-year-old stadium last November, and officials were counting on construction to be done by the November kickoff of the 2020 college football season.
But now there is some doubt that the stadium will be ready in time, al.com reports.
“More than 10 people have tested positive for COVID-19, according to people familiar with the outbreak, but the number could be much higher,” al.com reported on Wednesday. “With so many exposures and a lack of transparency about the outbreak, there is a fear that more positive cases linked to the job site are inevitable.
“The large number of positive tests means, essentially, everyone at the job site could have been exposed,” the report added.
School officials, though, say that they have insisted that contractors working on the stadium follow coronavirus protocols.
In a statement, the University of Alabama said:
From the start of the pandemic, UA has continuously mandated that our campus contractors take all necessary steps to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. The contractors immediately adapted operations and processes, engaged in heightened cleaning, and took other protective measures for the health and safety of their employees. The University directly provided sanitation supplies, thermometers, and signage at all construction sites, and made personal protective equipment available to all contractors. Those processes, which have been in place since early March, are continuously refined based on the latest guidance from state, federal and industry leaders in order to protect the health and safety of the campus community.
Additional signs reminding workers to stay six feet apart have been posted on the job site.
Work continues on the stadium, though, despite the number of those who have tested positive for the virus.
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