Masks off — sort of: State updates school sports guidelines | HeraldNet.com – The Daily Herald

Athletes participating in school sports will be mostly maskless during the upcoming 2021-22 school year.

The Washington State Department of Health on Wednesday updated guidelines for participation in K-12 athletics. When and where athletes, coaches, spectators and game staff have to wear masks was the main focus.

All participants in outdoor sports will not be required to wear masks, regardless of vaccination status, though masking up is suggested in groups where unvaccinated players and coaches are in close proximity.

Face coverings also won’t be required for vaccinated or unvaccinated participants in low- and moderate-contact indoor sports.

Low- and moderate-contact indoor sports include volleyball, bowling, gymnastics and swim and dive.

Athletes who participate in high-contact indoor sports — such as basketball and wrestling — won’t have to wear masks while playing if they’re vaccinated or agree to participate in COVID-19 screening testing.

Screening testing must be performed at least twice weekly using a molecular or antigen test for unvaccinated players who wish to go maskless. Rapid antigen tests are to be performed within 24 hours of competition.

Unvaccinated athletes in high-contact indoor sports who choose not to participate in testing will be required to wear face coverings.

Universal masking is required while not actively participating in games or at practice for all indoor sports.

All spectators, coaches, athletic trainers and support personnel must wear masks at indoor events, regardless of vaccination status.

Referees who are fully vaccinated or have agreed to screening testing do not have to wear face coverings while actively officiating or running. They are required to cover their faces at all other times.

Athletes who test positive for COVID-19 must be excluded from events and leave the venue. Reporting positive test results to the local health jurisdiction is required.

All unvaccinated players, coaches and personnel who are deemed to be in close contact with a positive coronavirus case should be quarantined immediately, even if they had a recent negative test, according to the guidelines. Individuals who are vaccinated and identified as being in close contact with a known case should be tested three to five days following the exposure and wear a mask for 14 days or until they receive a negative test result.

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