How does Nashville find the sweet spot between hoops and health? That was the dilemma this week as the clock ticked down for the start of the SEC Men’s Basketball Championship amid a steady stream of news on the spread of COVID-19.

As of Tuesday morning, the games remained on schedule, set to begin Wednesday and continue through the Sunday championship.

Meanwhile, Vanderbilt University, an SEC member, has canceled classes at least through Match 30. And the Nashville Convention and Visitors Corporation had confirmed that 61 meetings or student groups had canceled trips due to coronavirus, representing about $22 million in direct spending.

Since COVID-19 originated in China in December, it has morphed from an obscure and remote illness. Around the world, more than 110,000 people have contracted it and more than 4,000 have died, The New York Times reported. In Tennessee, four people had tested positive for COVID-19 as of Monday.

The SEC tournament has become a mainstay of Nashville sports events and is under contract to remain here for all but one year between now and 2030. There’s an option to extend the deal through 2035.

Vanderbilt decided to cancel classes because several students returning to campus Monday from spring break “reported being exposed to an individual who tested positive” for COVID-19 that day, Interim Chancellor and Provost Susan R. Wente wrote in an announcement to students Monday evening.

The university also suspended all university-sponsored non-athletics events and gatherings through April 30.

“We are also reviewing Vanderbilt and conference policies for fan attendance at athletics events and will update all in forthcoming messages,” Wente stated. Information and updates on COVID-19 can be found at vu.edu/coronavirus.

Convention and Visitors Corporation President and CEO Butch Spyridon said Monday there had been no talk of canceling the SEC basketball tournament, nor had there been discussion of playing the tournament without fans.

Later that day, the SEC said in a statement it continues to monitor developments with COVID-19 and stay in touch with public health officials and hadn’t changed the schedule for the men’s basketball tournament.

“At this time our focus and expectation is to play the tournament as scheduled. Local authorities have confirmed this approach is consistent with current public health recommendations. We remain alert to any circumstances that could warrant adjustments for the health and well-being of our student-athletes, fans and other participants.”

The conference said it planned to implement health precautions for the men’s games, most of which were also used during SEC Women’s Basketball Tournament the previous week. The preventive measures include greater availability and use of hand sanitizers throughout the venue, Bridgestone Arena, use of hospital-grade disinfectants to sanitize locker rooms before and after teams use the rooms, sanitization of game balls and team benches and increased signage to inform people of preventive action recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control.

“The overall risk of COVID-19 in the United States to the general public remains low at this time,” Spyridon’s Monday statement read. “In Nashville, all major events are proceeding as scheduled, and hotels, attractions, restaurants and venues remain open. Hospitality partners are enhancing sanitation protocols and hygiene standards at their properties. While travelers to Nashville – or any destination – should always exercise healthy travel habits, the risk to Americans remains low and there are no restrictions on travel anywhere in the United States.

“The safety of our visitors is our highest priority. Our hospitality partners in Nashville are taking appropriate steps to make sure their properties are safe and comfortable. We have been in contact with several of our major properties, including the Music City Center, Bridgestone Arena, Nashville International Airport and Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center. They are each taking standards for hygiene and cleanliness very seriously and have adopted health and safety measures to address COVID-19. Those include increased cleaning and disinfecting, enhanced hand sanitizer stations, education awareness of staff and more.”

In other virus-related development, law firm Baker-Donelson has expanded its multidisciplinary task force focused on providing counsel to clients navigating the growing impact of the coronavirus outbreak.

The team began in January to monitor the impact of the coronavirus outbreak on global supply chains and employees overseas. It brings together legal professionals across multiple Baker Donelson practice groups with experience in the operational, legal, regulatory and governmental issues that will be vital to ensuring businesses implement a comprehensive approach to preparing for and responding to the effects of the COVID-19 outbreak, the firm says.

The Baker Donelson Coronavirus Task Force is led by Nashville’s John Scannapieco, chair of the firm's global business team, Martha Boyd, also from Nashville and a shareholder in the firm's labor and employment group, and Alisa Chestler who works in Nashville and Washington D.C., chair of the firm's data protection, privacy and cybersecurity team.

In addition to other firm leaders across multiple practices (including health care, construction, government contracts and hospitality), members of the task force include the former first general counsel of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, a former chief of staff to the U.S. Senate majority leader, a former staff director of the U.S. House Appropriations Committee, a former acting director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and a former senior level member of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.

"As the coronavirus has continued to spread around the globe, its impact on businesses has increased as well," Scannapieco says. "Everything from supply chains, contracts and employment issues to cybersecurity, insurance coverage matters and financial disclosures will be affected.

"In expanding this task force, we have combined the high-level experience these professionals bring to offer our clients expert counsel on whatever issue they might face related to COVID-19."

Williamson Medical Center announced Monday it has put in place a "no visitor policy." Only those who are seeking medical care will be allowed into the hospital. The emergency room is open to patients.

As of Monday night, four people in Tennessee had tested positive for the virus. One of those was a 44-year-old man in Williamson County who was the first known case in the state.