ATLANTA — On Saturday, Atlanta is set to welcome thousands of tourists for the CheerSport Nationals, a cheerleading competition.
While the event -- the city's largest since the beginning of the pandemic -- is expected to boost the city's bottom line, many worry it could also give the state's COVID numbers a surge as well.
Organizers are requiring strict compliance with extensive safety precautions at the Georgia World Congress Center, which is hosting the event.
They are expecting 10,000 competitors to take part in the annual Cheersport Nationals event and 40,000 people total. The event is inviting about half of the teams it normally would.
Organizers say the staff will constantly clean and disinfect the areas where teams practice and perform.
They are only allowing close friends, family members, and judges in those areas. And everyone is required to adhere to social distancing.
This will be a test, though, for the city. Georgia just recorded its highest single-day COVID-19 death toll.
Public health doctors are worried that competitors and their families could further spread the virus in between competitions and around town.
“Absolutely we’re hearing that they’re worried,” said one young competitor, Alannah Langston of Birmingham. “But I think that if we’re in a safe environment like we are, right now, then we will be fine.”
Even sportsmanship will look different for this year's competition. The organizers said they are banning hugging and high-fives in an effort to stop the spread of COVID-19.