County: No spectators at prep matches
Health officials working on antigen testing for schools
While high school team sports are slated to resume in the coming weeks after nearly a year of inactivity, parents and supporters will not be allowed to watch and cheer their students from the stands.
During his Thursday media availability, Humboldt County Health Officer Ian Hoffman said spectators will not be allowed at any sports events for youth and adult competition. However, age-appropriate supervision by parents, guardians or other adults will be permitted for youth sports.
While Hoffman did not provide any specifics, he elaborated on what this supervision may look like.
“An adult, or potentially multiple adults, depending on situation and age who can be there obviously to supervise the youth and also transport them in case of an injury or something like that,” he said, adding his agency is working closely with the Humboldt County Office of Education and the Humboldt-Del Norte league to determine what this supervision
should be.
All involved organizations handling prep sports locally are also awaiting specific recommendations or guidance from the California Department of Public Health regarding age-appropriate supervision.
The update comes after the CDPH announced outdoor team sports may resume in California counties with a per-capita case rate of fewer than 14 per 100,000 residents. Team sports now cleared for return in these counties include football, soccer, baseball, softball, water polo and lacrosse.
Low-contact and individual outdoor sports, such as tennis, cross country, track and field and golf were previously allowed to resume under purple-tier guidelines. Competition for these sports, except track and field, is fully underway in the Humboldt-Del Norte League with staggered schedules, for boys’ and girls’ tennis and golf schedules. Track and field is set to begin soon.
Athletes participating in closecontact sports, like football, water polo and rugby, will be required to be tested weekly if the team’s home county registers a rate higher than 7 cases per 10,000 residents.
Hoffman stated the county has been working closely with the HCOE for COVID-19 testing in schools and that this testing can be extended to athletes at school.
He added there are two types of testing available, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test and the rapid antigen test, but the county is working with HCOE on implementing antigen testing for schools and potentially offering this testing method to studentathletes.
Hoffman pointed out athletes can also be tested at their private physician’s office or at the Redwood Acres Fairgrounds no-cost testing site in Eureka, which offers scheduling online at https://lhi.care/covidtesting.