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COVID-19 Information & Resources

Volunteer hugging an athlete outside with a field in the background.
We are doing everything possible to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and provide resources and programming to support prevention and promote the health, safety, well-being, and engagement of the Special Olympics community as in-person events are postponed and while physical distancing is required. See below for a list of resources that we have created and shared with Special Olympics athletes, coaches, volunteers, families and more around the world.

INCLUSIVE HEALTH IN ACTION

Healthcare Inclusion for All

People with intellectual disabilities die 16 years earlier on average than those without. They are at increased risk of respiratory disease, pneumonia, and death from the flu. They are more vulnerable to the effects of COVID-19. Sign the inclusion pledge to show your commitment to #InclusiveHealth

Healthcare for All

Over 80% of healthcare providers are not professionally trained to treat people with intellectual disabilities (ID). Yet, people with ID are more vulnerable to the effects of COVID19. Learn more.

In the News

Caring for People With Intellectual Disabilities During COVID-19: 4 Tips for Healthcare Professionals

Dr. Alicia Bazzano, Chief Health Officer for Special Olympics, was recently interviewed on QuickTake by Bloomberg, a global network delivering breaking news and trends.

COVID-19 Teaches Us about the Need for a Unified Approach to Health

Could World Health Day 2020 mark a milestone in global health history? Perhaps, but not in the way that one might immediately imagine.
4 Min Read

Coronavirus Outbreak: What You Need to Know

Special Olympics latest news and frequently asked questions
9 Min Read

COVID-19 eLearning Courses

What is the coronavirus, what are the symptoms, how does it spread, and how you can protect yourself?
Fitness

School of Strength

Introducing a whole new way to exercise, featuring WWE Superstar Becky Lynch. Work out with these videos five times a week to help you stay fit and reach your athletic goals.

Fit 5

Fit 5 and Fitness Cards have been valuable resources for Programs looking to expand their fitness programming and initiatives.

Stay Fit at Home

Practice may have been cancelled due to Coronavirus, but you can stay fit and ready for when practice starts again! Fit 5 and Fitness Cards can help our athletes to keep on track.

Special Olympics “Staying Fit at Home” BINGO Board Encourages Fun Fitness

Staying Fit at Home can be FUN with BINGO! The board is filled with links to workouts and other exciting activities. Each week, we challenge you to fill out the ENTIRE board and have fun while doing it.
1 Min Read
Strong Minds

Take 5 for Strong Minds Challenge

Spend 5 minutes every day from April 20 – May 17 practicing a Strong Minds stress reducing technique.
Handwashing

Proper Hand Washing Techniques

Special Olympics athletes have skills and abilities beyond sports. In a new Expert Tip video series, athletes share their know-how on a range of helpful and popular topics.
Fun Activities

Bobby's Coloring Book

Special Olympics Maryland athlete, Robert Jones has a passion for art and design and uses his artistic ability to represent Special Olympics in various ways.
1 Min Read

Hanna’s List of Fun Indoor Activities

Hanna Joy Atkinson, a Sargent Shriver International Global Messenger from Colorado, shares these tips to have fun and keep busy while indoors.
1 Min Read

Healthy Salad Recipes

Los Angeles-based Unified Schools teammates, Diego Salazar and Iantha Kahn, served up some savory salads with Mara Sampo’ and Chef Massimo Denaro from Sfixio in Beverly Hills during the “Special Olympics Live” stream-a-thon.
1 Min Read

How to Color Pictures with Adobe Illustrator

Looking for a way to bring your black and white illustrations to life? In this video, Bobby Jones, Special Olympics Virginia, demonstrates how to color in pictures using Adobe Illustrator.
1 Min Read

How to Make a Friendship Bracelet

Loretta Claiborne is the Vice Chair of the Special Olympics Board of Directors and athlete from Pennsylvania. In this expert tip video, she demonstrates how to make a friendship bracelet.

Learn more about Young Athletes

Family Flash Cards

Fun and engaging flashcards featuring each of the individual activities and at home equipment modifications for families to use at home to run Young Athletes.

Young Athletes At Home

Guide for families and caregivers on how to run Young Athletes activities at home.

Young Athletes Videos

Videos demonstrating the individual Young Athletes activities.
9 Min Read

Staying Active with Young Athletes at Home

Young Athletes provides children, ages 2 – 7, with fun and engaging activities to stay fit and healthy. This is especially important while spending so much time indoors due to the COVID-19/coronavirus pandemic.
1 Min Read
Volunteer hugging an athlete outside with a field in the background.

Resources to help in a crisis

If you are a Special Olympics coach, family member, athlete leader or youth leader, click here to learn more about resources we have created to help you during the crisis.