Phillips: ACC still deciding how to handle COVID-19 cancellations

ACC commissioner Jim Phillips said there hasn't been a decision on whether games affected by COVID-19 will be rescheduled or forfeited, according to ESPN’s David M. Hale.

More than half of the conference’s football teams have exceeded the 85% vaccination threshold, Phillips added.

"There's no question that increasing the number of vaccinations will provide the best chance for our teams to compete," the commissioner said Wednesday at ACC media day.

The conference’s medical advisory panel is set to meet in the coming weeks to provide updated protocols and contact tracing. The commissioner added they are looking to gather more data on the delta variant and how it behaves before coming to a decision.

Phillips is hoping to avoid a situation similar to this past spring when the NC State baseball team was forced out of the College World Series due to several players testing positive for the coronavirus.

The former Northwestern athletic director understands the importance of being vaccinated, but he also recognizes that the decision is ultimately up to the individual.

"Personally I believe vaccines are critical to the protection of all and achieving the goal of eliminating COVID-19 and its variants," he said. "But I also deeply respect that it's a personal choice."