Cal football coach vows team is changing COVID procedures following outbreak

BERKELEY, Calif. - UC Berkeley's football coach Justin Wilcox says the team is changing procedures in response to a major COVID-19 outbreak, that has 44 players and staff in isolation to prevent further spread of the highly contagious virus.

Wilcox says with so many people sidelined, the team is not able to field enough players for the USC game this weekend, so it was postponed until Dec. 4. 

The Berkeley Public Health Department said in a statement that the 44 lab-confirmed COVID-19 cases involve students, coaches and staff.

"Cases emerged in an environment of ongoing failure to abide by public health measures. People in the program did not get tested when sick, stay home when sick, wear masks indoors," said the statement by the Berkeley Public Health Department.

"We have followed the guidelines through the athletic department, the university, and the city of Berkeley. We have health professionals housed in our building, at our practices, on our planes. They're in our weight room, in the training room," said Wilcox, who pushed back at a virtual news conference Wednesday.

Wilcox said between all the school, county, PAC-12, and NCAA COVID protocols there was confusion and misunderstanding.  

"Is everybody perfect and following every protocol? I don't know that I could say that," said Wilcox, "We do the best that we can."

UC officials say the team was 99% vaccinated with just two people not vaccinated. 

Wilcox says moving forward, there will be changes with COVID testing twice a week now.

"Due to the vaccinated population of the team, that wasn't part of the guidance set forth by the city and the campus. It's not that we were breaking their guidance. That just wasn't part of it. And so now there will be multiple tests during the week. There's going to be foods grab and go, workouts will be structured differently," said Wilcox.

The outbreak forced the Golden Bears to play against Arizona without many of their key starters including quarterback Chase Garbers.

Garbers said in a Twitter post he felt the testing and removal from play was unfair. 

Other players said it's been hard.

"It was very difficult to prepare for football games with kind of being on edge about who's going to be available this weekend, " said Valentino Daltoso, a Cal offensive lineman.

Players say they met with a doctor from University Health Services.

"One of the lead doctors for UHS. She came and talked to us and answer all of our questions and you know, she was there for a while. I think moving forward, everyone is very clear about, you know, the protocols that are in place going forward," said Valentino Daltoso, a Cal offensive lineman.

The team says at practice Wednesday they were making changes and trying to stay optimistic

"Practices have been cut a little bit shorter," said Daniel Scott, a Cal Senior Safety,

"We were a little frustrated and had a bunch of mixed emotions. But you know, I think going forward and learning from this situation, we've tried to take a more proactive approach," said Scott, "I think the mood today. I was smiling, we were laughing running around."

"Choose optimism. You know, times like this all of us...there are reasons to to be negative. There are reasons to be frustrated," said Wilcox, "However, you know, thinking positive, good things are gonna happen. We'll find some good in this somehow some way our team will, our fans will, and we will make the most of it."