MX Sports Pro Racing, MX Sports (Loretta Lynn Program), GNCC Racing and ATVMX have organized a Race Leadership Team to deal with the current national health crisis as it relates to racing activity for these programs. This is a fluid situation with matters subject to change quickly. It is the goal of the Race Leadership Team to keep our race community well informed of any up-to-date changes as soon as possible.

Accordingly, the Race Leadership Team will convene every Monday @ 11 am to review the upcoming race schedule of each series for the ensuing two weeks to determine if any adjustments are necessary. Any changes will be announced immediately on www.RacerXonline.com and on the various series social media channels.

Currently, the next scheduled event for each series is as follows:

• Loretta Lynn AQ: April 3/4 Various Venues
• GNCC Racing: April 18/19 Camp Coker, Society Hill, SC
• ATVMX: April 25/26 SOB, Hamer, SC
• Pro Motocross: June 13 WW Ranch, Jacksonville, FL

In the meantime, the GNCC Tactical Safety Specialist, Alura McElvain-Acosta, prepared the following information for GNCC staff with regard to the COVID-19 outbreak.  This information is so helpful that we would like to share it with our entire race community.

Please take a moment to update yourself on the importance of knowing the symptoms of COVID-19 and the local regulations in the areas you may find yourself in the next 30 days. There has also been notification on a fake online malicious website that you need to know to avoid. That information is attached.

Stay safe and wash those hands!

• COVID-19 is a virus identified as the cause of an outbreak of respiratory illness first detected in Wuhan, China. For most of the American public who are unlikely to be exposed to COVID-19, the immediate health risk is considered LOW per the CDC. While the virus is NOT currently widespread in the United States, the CDC is stressing that the situation is rapidly evolving.
• How is COVID-19 spread? The virus is thought to spread mainly from person-to-person; between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet) and through respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes. These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people nearby or possibly inhaled into the lungs. It may be possible that a person can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes, but this is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads.
• What are the symptoms of COVID-19? The following symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure: fever, cough, shortness of breath.
• What should I do if I think I have COVID-19? Call your health care professional if you think you have been exposed to COVID-19 and have developed the associated symptoms. You should call ahead to a health care professional rather than arrive in-person at the Medical Center. This will help the medical staff take steps to keep others from being infected or exposed.
• How can I prevent COVID-19? There is currently no vaccine to prevent COVID-19 infection. The best way to prevent infection is to avoid being exposed to this virus. The CDC always recommends the following preventive actions to help prevent the spread of respiratory viruses:

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Stay home or follow your local sick call procedure when you are sick.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Clean and disinfect frequently-touched objects and surfaces.

NOTE: The CDC DOES NOT RECOMMEND that people who are well wear a face mask to protect themselves from respiratory diseases, including COVID-19. Face masks should be used by people who show symptoms of COVID-19 to help prevent the spread of the disease to others. The use of face masks is also crucial for health workers and people who are taking care of someone in close settings (at home or in a health care facility).

Please don’t speculate or contribute to the rumor mill. Seek out and follow confirmed sources for COVID-19 guidance and updates, to include the following:

• Center for Disease Control (CDC): https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

• NC Division of Public Health:  https://publichealth.nc.gov/

• World Health Organization (WHO): https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019

Alura I. McElvain-Acosta
Tactical Safety Specialist
USMC, Department of Safety and Standardization