Shot mandates outlined
Bethlehem, Albany set vaccine requirements for football, volleyball
COVID-19 vaccinations will be required for football and volleyball players in Albany and Bethlehem schools, according to reopening plans the districts released this week.
The Albany City School District said Tuesday that students who want to participate in football, volleyball or cheerleading — all considered to be high-risk sports — will be required to be vaccinated for COVID-19.
“All district student-athletes in grades 7-12 must be fully vaccinated to participate in a high-risk fall sport. Studentathletes in high-risk fall sports also must be fully vaccinated to receive a physical from the district,” the district posted on its website.
Also, Albany said soccer, tennis, swimming and cross-country team members — considered low- to moderate-risk sports — will also have to be vaccinated, or consent to regular COVID -19 testing during the season.
The Bethlehem Central School District also issued its COVID -19 mitigation plan Wednesday evening, stating that football and volleyball players will be required to get vaccinated if the community is in a high rate of transmission and if they are medically able to get the
vaccine. If ineligible, the student must take weekly rapid tests. Masks will be required for all players. The vaccine policy would be required now because Albany County — and most of the Capital Region — is a high transmission zone as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“The Bethlehem Central School District is committed to the goal of daily in-person instruction for all students for the 2021-22 school year,” the district wrote in an email to the school community. “However, the increasing rates of COVID-19 infection in the community require that the district balance this goal with a proactive and flexible plan to protect the health and safety of students and staff.”
The new mandate is in accordance with health and safety guidelines released by the state Education Department last week. Because sports entail higher amounts of respiration that could increase the spread of COVID -19, the guide said, high-risk sports should be virtual or canceled in areas of high community transmission unless all participants are fully vaccinated.
Albany County, which has a roughly 5 percent positive COVID-19 test rate, is currently ranked as an area with high transmission.
Niskayuna schools posted Wednesday an initial list of reopening highlights, including that athletes will have to show proof of vaccination. More details on reopening will be provided in a virtual meeting Thursday.
“While the level of community transmission is high, students must demonstrate proof of COVID -19 vaccination, or at least their first shot, to participate in interscholastic athletics. More specific information about this will be coming to the families of student-athletes soon,” Niskayuna said.
Other Albany County school districts, such as North and South Colonie schools, Guilderland and Berne-knox-westerlo, had not released their reopening plans by midday Thursday, according to their websites.
Ravena-coeymansselkirk, which hasn’t put out a reopening plan yet, recently released a letter to parents saying the district will follow CDC and state Education Department guidance and is expecting that new protocols might follow once Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul takes office next week. “We expect state-issued guidance will be shared with schools following her inauguration,” the school district said.
Section II Executive Director Ed Dopp told the Times Union Tuesday that he wasn’t aware of any changes that would impact sports seasons. The 2021-22 scholastic year for high school sports in Section II is scheduled to begin Monday.
“The only restriction, or mandate, that I am aware of is you have to wear a mask when on a school bus. I am sure there will be some school districts that will have more restrictive protocols in place — whether that is masks or not, spectators or not — and we will certainly honor that,” Dopp said.
Lansingburgh schools posted a reopening update Tuesday that had listed under athletics: “Currently, there are no recommended restrictions other than universal masking and appropriate spacing when indoors as previously stated.”
An initial review by the Times Union showed many districts in other Capital Region counties have not released their reopening plans yet.
The East Greenbush school district said Monday it is planning to release its final reopening plan Wednesday, , and acknowledged that CDC guidance is that children in high-risk sports in high transmission zones be vaccinated, or the seasons should be canceled.
“The district is conferring with other schools within our league and the NYS Public High School Athletic Association to examine this requirement,” East Greenbush said. “Parents of all students including those registered for interscholastic athletics are encouraged to consider vaccination in consultation with your child’s primary care provider.”