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High school sports fingered as significant source of case surge in other states, but Pritzker claims state is being careful with resuming activities

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Illinois

* Gov. Pritzker was asked today about Michigan, where cases and hospitalizations are surging hard. He was also asked why he hadn’t imposed mitigations here because the situation was increasing to the point where, the reporter claimed, he had said mitigations would be imposed…

I don’t think we’re past that point. But let me back up. Let me also just mention that I had a number of conversations with folks in Michigan, including the governor, over the last week. And they’re seeing very, very challenging times. It is related to most particularly school sports. They’ve seen an uptick, not just uptick, but outbreaks as a result of some school sports and other activities that are going on, things that we’ve talked about here for some time. And we’ve allowed carefully for sports to come back and for restaurants and bars to come back. And most of the people who are operating those businesses are doing so with the mitigations and doing it properly.

* Washington Post…

In Nevada, the B.1.1.7 variant —[the British variant] which has been confirmed in several studies to be more infectious — has been linked to an outbreak at a recent youth volleyball tournament. In Michigan, cases among those ages 10 to 19 have jumped 133 percent during the past month, faster than any other age group, and the state’s leading epidemiologist said the infections seem to have been spread through activities “including sports, but not limited to sports,” rather than in the classroom.

Many of these outbreaks involving young people “are related to youth sports and extracurricular activities,” said Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, at a briefing Monday. She noted that CDC guidance calls for limiting those activities and urged Americans to “please continue to hang in there and continue to do the things that we know prevent the spread.”

Officials say they believe transmission may be happening through athletic activities, rather than in the classroom, because some sports such as wrestling, basketball and volleyball involve close indoor contact. They have also wondered whether outbreaks may be triggered by related interactions such as carpooling, sleepovers and team celebrations, when people let their guard down, rather than from the practices and games themselves.

* New York Times…

Michigan’s troubles drew attention at a White House news conference on the pandemic on Wednesday. The C.D.C. director, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, said a team from her agency was in the state working to assess outbreaks in correctional facilities, and to boost testing among participants in youth sports. […]

Minnesota’s health department has attributed recent outbreaks in schools to the variant, and it has urged schoolchildren and teenagers to get tested at least every two weeks through the end of the school year. An outbreak of B.1.1.7 variant cases connected to participants in youth sports in Carver County prompted a warning from health officials last month.

Dr. Ruth Lynfield, a state epidemiologist, said there had been a notable rise in cases over all in people ages 10 to 19, who accounted for about one in six new cases from mid-February to the end of March, compared with just one in nine over a similar period in October and November.

“It’s a race of vaccine against variants,” Dr. Lynfield said. “People really need to work hard and be patient, and continue to wear masks and continue to socially distance.”

* Back to Illinois…

A big change in COVID-19 mitigation policy has been issued for high school athletes in Illinois.

They will not have to wear masks anymore in low-risk sports while playing.

The new rules came from the Illinois High School Association board on Tuesday night.

Those sports include baseball, softball, boys’ tennis, boys’ and girls’ track and field, and bass fishing.

More info here.

* This Illinois data is from June 2020 (when the state entered phase 4) through March 9, 2021, so it’s outdated, but the latest I could find…

College/University sports

• 38 sports related outbreaks across the state
• One outbreak had 146 people connected to it

High school sports

• 34 sports related outbreaks across the state

Youth sports (non-school)

• 25 sports related outbreaks across the state

I’ll update when I get fresh numbers.

* Related…

* How parents of teenagers can help them manage anxiety and stress in current stage of pandemic

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Apr 14, 21 @ 12:56 pm

Comments

It should be noted that the IHSA updated guidance on outdoor low risk sports (baseball, softball, tennis, track and field, and bass fishing) and mask wearing came directly from the IDPH.

Comment by School Guy Wednesday, Apr 14, 21 @ 1:05 pm
“Officials say they believe transmission may be happening through athletic activities, rather than in the classroom, because some sports such as wrestling, basketball and volleyball involve close indoor contact. They have also wondered whether outbreaks may be triggered by related interactions such as carpooling, sleepovers and team celebrations, when people let their guard down, rather than from the practices and games themselves.”

I don’t think they need to “wonder” too much. Some people have never put their guard up to COVID. Illness and contagion due to COVID-19 is happening, and younger people are getting sick more and more often. If these variants start to outsmart our science, then we are facing potentially much more severe sickness and deaths through this summer and into the fall and winter seasons. Not to mention what you may have to live with as a long-hauler. We’re all tired, but masking, social distancing, washing hands, and finding other outlets for kids to have activities safely are going to be vital for their well-being as well as their immediate and extended family’s well being.

Comment by Anon221 Wednesday, Apr 14, 21 @ 1:18 pm
As a teacher, coach and parent to youth athletes, my observation is that COVID spread is occurring during the “related interactions”. All of our teams are very careful with social distancing and masking. But then kids pile into a car together without their masks and go to McDonalds together.

My own children think I’m an ogre because I still won’t allow them to play inside other friends’ houses.

We have a lot of COVID spread occurring in Region 8 (DuPage/Kane) but I think its more linked to COVID fatigue than any spread through school or sports.

Comment by DuPage Teacher Wednesday, Apr 14, 21 @ 1:37 pm
We’ve been told that kids don’t get covid, don’t get sick if they do ( thought they didn’t get it), and definitely don’t spread it to their teachers and other adults. This– to get kids back in school.

So, now we’re seeing an increase in infections, some being brought home to families, spread to teachers and their families from school and activities taking place there. Or the aftermath activities from those school activities.

It seems that maybe children didn’t seem to get or spread covid because they were the most protected age group of all age groups. Home with family, remote learning, no social activities. They weren’t sent out to grocery shop, go to work, etc. Now that they’re out in circulation like many adults are, we’re seeing a different picture.

Comment by A Wednesday, Apr 14, 21 @ 2:18 pm
=It should be noted that the IHSA=

It should also be noted that the IHSA has helped make a complete mess of the situation with their attempt to force sports back into action over the IDPH guidance.

=As a teacher, coach and parent to youth athletes, my observation is that COVID spread is occurring during the “related interactions”. All of our teams are very careful with social distancing and masking.=

You should watch the evening news sports report when they show HS sports like basketball. In the Peoria/ Bloomington/Normal region it is a complete joke. On every sports cast that featured a basketball story the players were wearing masks around their chins. A complete mockery and no one- coaches, officials, administration does anything about it.

As a school admin I have enforced the mask mandate without equivocation. It incenses me when I see this nonsense on TV.

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Apr 14, 21 @ 2:51 pm
anonymous at 2:51 was me.

Comment by JS Mill Wednesday, Apr 14, 21 @ 2:51 pm
Anyone age 16 and over can be vaccinated with the Pfzer vaccine. If I was the governor, I would make COVID-19 vaccinations a requirement before the kids can play sports. Plus make the parents get vaccinated before they can attend the games. Problem solved. Right?

Comment by Mama Wednesday, Apr 14, 21 @ 3:52 pm
Adding to what’s going on in Minnesota:
https://www.startribune.com/wrestling-tournament-outbreak-adds-to-minnesota-covid-19-concerns/600045196/

Move a wrestling tournament to South Dakota, everybody ignores precautions and look what happens.

Comment by MyTwoCents Wednesday, Apr 14, 21 @ 4:59 pm
is “fingered” really the only word you could put there?

Comment by lol Wednesday, Apr 14, 21 @ 7:22 pm