CIF State commissioner Ron Nocetti said Thursday the California Department of Public Health is working to update its guidelines for the new COVID-19 testing requirement for football and water polo and for how athletic programs should handle positive tests for athletes on their teams.
Coaches and school administrators have been grappling with both issues since the CDPH revised its guidelines late last week, and added weekly testing for athletes and coaches on football and water polo teams that can begin playing once a county’s case rate drops below 14 per 100,000.
“We hope that guidance is coming soon,” Nocetti said. “We know a lot of schools have asked and are curious about it.”
The biggest questions are about how to follow certain protocols.
On Tuesday, Orange County (11.9) and Los Angeles County (12.3) fell below the case rate threshold, which will allow high school football teams in those areas to begin having full practices Friday and perhaps play their first games the March 11-13 weekend. Boys and girls water polo can begin playing games Friday, when the new guidelines take effect.
As high-contact sports that are in the orange tier, football and water polo must conduct weekly COVID-19 testing while case rates are between 7 to 14 per 100,000. Once the case rate falls below 7, the testing will no longer be required.
The county stats for COVID-19 are updated each Tuesday.
The testing requirement generated a lot of questions at schools as they tried to move quickly to allow their teams to play. Many local school officials wanted to know who would oversee the testing plans and test results, and if the state had a one-size-fits-all plan for how schools can conduct the testing.
State health officials did say last week that the state would pay for the testing, if schools requested.
The CIF Southern Section says it is not involved in verifying the testing results or signing off on the testing procedures.
“We play no role and have nothing to do with testing,” CIF-SS assistant commissioner Thom Simmons said. “That is between the individual schools and the CDPH.”
Time is an issue, school officials say, because football and water polo teams can’t play games until testing begins, or until the county case rate drops below 7. The water polo season ends March 20 and football ends April 17 (in the CIF-SS) or May 1 (L.A. City Section).
The CDPH issued this information last week along with the revised guidelines:
- Weekly COVID-19 testing program (antigen or PCR testing) is required for football and water polo teams and coaches as these are high contact sports that are likely to be played unmasked, with close, face to face contact exceeding 15 minutes.
- If competing, tests must be completed and results made available and reviewed by the coaches within 24 hours of play. If a test result is not available within 24 hours of play or if the COVID-19 test result is indeterminate or positive, the person must be sent home immediately to isolate.
The CDPH did not mention what a team should do if there is a positive test. Should it quarantine other players? Should it cancel games? Schools are looking for more specific directions from the state.
Nocetti said the CDPH has been working on providing more information.
The CDPH had these recommendations for youth sports on its website Thursday:
- No one with symptoms of COVID-19 or who is in isolation or quarantine for COVID-19 is permitted to attend practices or competitions.
- Anyone with symptoms of COVID-19 should consult their physician for testing and notify their coach, athletic trainer and/or school administrator of their symptoms and test results.
- Youths recovering from COVID-19 will have different paths to return to sports based on the severity of their illness. See the American Academy of Pediatrics Interim Guidance on Return to Sports for additional guidance for more serious infections.
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