The Boston Marathon was canceled on Thursday for the first time in its 124-year history, officials announced, as the spread of the coronavirus made clear that earlier plans to postpone the race until September were too optimistic.
The race — the most prominent and prestigious marathon in the United States — has been held annually since 1897, even amid world wars, periods of domestic tension and in snow and rainstorms.
But with experts saying mass events remain a clear danger throughout the country as cases of Covid-19 continue to rise, the Boston Athletic Association and Mayor Martin J. Walsh of Boston announced the marathon would not take place in 2020 as a “traditional, one-day event,” even as other sports leagues have recently made plans to return to play. Organizers intend to hold a “virtual” marathon, with people running the 26.2 miles remotely.
The Boston Marathon, originally scheduled for April 20, was initially postponed in March and rescheduled for Sept. 14.But as the severity of the pandemic grew it became clear that September was not realistic for a race that regularly brings hundreds of thousands of people together.
“While our goal and our hope is to make progress in containing the virus and recovering our economy, this kind of event would not be responsible or realistic on September 14 or any time this year,” Mr. Walsh announced on Twitter.
There have been more than 5.6 million confirmed cases of the coronavirus worldwide. On Wednesday, the United States reached a grim milestone of more than 100,000 deaths.
The pandemic has brought the sports world to a halt, and leagues coming back to play are largely doing so without fans to bring as few people together as possible.
The Boston Marathon has a field of 30,000 runners — the majority of whom qualify for the race by running fast enough to meet a standard for their age group — and a strong elite field that includes many international runners. Hundreds of thousands of fans cheer on the sides and thousands of volunteers ensure a smooth race.
The race, which follows a course from Boston’s western suburbs to its downtown, usually takes place on Patriots’ Day, a state holiday in Massachusetts celebrating the start of the Revolutionary War. It serves as one of the major civic events for Massachusetts and New England.
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Updated May 28, 2020
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What’s the risk of catching coronavirus from a surface?
Touching contaminated objects and then infecting ourselves with the germs is not typically how the virus spreads. But it can happen. A number of studies of flu, rhinovirus, coronavirus and other microbes have shown that respiratory illnesses, including the new coronavirus, can spread by touching contaminated surfaces, particularly in places like day care centers, offices and hospitals. But a long chain of events has to happen for the disease to spread that way. The best way to protect yourself from coronavirus — whether it’s surface transmission or close human contact — is still social distancing, washing your hands, not touching your face and wearing masks.
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What are the symptoms of coronavirus?
Common symptoms include fever, a dry cough, fatigue and difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. Some of these symptoms overlap with those of the flu, making detection difficult, but runny noses and stuffy sinuses are less common. The C.D.C. has also added chills, muscle pain, sore throat, headache and a new loss of the sense of taste or smell as symptoms to look out for. Most people fall ill five to seven days after exposure, but symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as many as 14 days.
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How can I protect myself while flying?
If air travel is unavoidable, there are some steps you can take to protect yourself. Most important: Wash your hands often, and stop touching your face. If possible, choose a window seat. A study from Emory University found that during flu season, the safest place to sit on a plane is by a window, as people sitting in window seats had less contact with potentially sick people. Disinfect hard surfaces. When you get to your seat and your hands are clean, use disinfecting wipes to clean the hard surfaces at your seat like the head and arm rest, the seatbelt buckle, the remote, screen, seat back pocket and the tray table. If the seat is hard and nonporous or leather or pleather, you can wipe that down, too. (Using wipes on upholstered seats could lead to a wet seat and spreading of germs rather than killing them.)
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How many people have lost their jobs due to coronavirus in the U.S.?
More than 40 million people — the equivalent of 1 in 4 U.S. workers — have filed for unemployment benefits since the pandemic took hold. One in five who were working in February reported losing a job or being furloughed in March or the beginning of April, data from a Federal Reserve survey released on May 14 showed, and that pain was highly concentrated among low earners. Fully 39 percent of former workers living in a household earning $40,000 or less lost work, compared with 13 percent in those making more than $100,000, a Fed official said.
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Is ‘Covid toe’ a symptom of the disease?
There is an uptick in people reporting symptoms of chilblains, which are painful red or purple lesions that typically appear in the winter on fingers or toes. The lesions are emerging as yet another symptom of infection with the new coronavirus. Chilblains are caused by inflammation in small blood vessels in reaction to cold or damp conditions, but they are usually common in the coldest winter months. Federal health officials do not include toe lesions in the list of coronavirus symptoms, but some dermatologists are pushing for a change, saying so-called Covid toe should be sufficient grounds for testing.
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Should I wear a mask?
The C.D.C. has recommended that all Americans wear cloth masks if they go out in public. This is a shift in federal guidance reflecting new concerns that the coronavirus is being spread by infected people who have no symptoms. Until now, the C.D.C., like the W.H.O., has advised that ordinary people don’t need to wear masks unless they are sick and coughing. Part of the reason was to preserve medical-grade masks for health care workers who desperately need them at a time when they are in continuously short supply. Masks don’t replace hand washing and social distancing.
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What should I do if I feel sick?
If you’ve been exposed to the coronavirus or think you have, and have a fever or symptoms like a cough or difficulty breathing, call a doctor. They should give you advice on whether you should be tested, how to get tested, and how to seek medical treatment without potentially infecting or exposing others.
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How can I help?
Charity Navigator, which evaluates charities using a numbers-based system, has a running list of nonprofits working in communities affected by the outbreak. You can give blood through the American Red Cross, and World Central Kitchen has stepped in to distribute meals in major cities.
Other than the Olympic trials, it is the only major marathon in the country that most runners have to qualify for. Doing so is a major accomplishment for weekend warriors, and the athletic association does not allow runners to defer their entries for a year if they are injured. About 6,000 runners get into the race by committing to raise money for charity.
The race brings more than $200 million to the city.
The cancellation of the Boston race heightened uncertainty surrounding the fall road racing season. The London Marathon, another race among the six Abbott World Marathon Majors, was also postponed from its original run date of April 26 to Oct. 4. It is still on the calendar. The Berlin Marathon, scheduled for late September, will not take place on that date, though organizers have yet to announce a cancellation.
The 2021 Boston Marathon is scheduled for April 19.
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