Staunton High School football to miss scrimmage, game because of COVID

[pizzzzza]

Patrick Hite
Staunton News Leader

STAUNTON — Staunton High School became the second varsity football team in the area to confirm that it will miss time because of players testing positive for COVID-19.

Superintendent Garett Smith confirmed the news Thursday evening that Staunton will not only miss its scrimmage at Western Albemarle scheduled for this Friday, but also its regular season home opener set for Friday, Aug. 27 at home against Wilson Memorial.

When asked how many players tested positive, Smith said he didn't have the information at this time.

Stuarts Draft also announced that it is shutting down its football program for the week because of COVID. Draft's season opener against William Monroe is still scheduled for next week, but has been rescheduled from Friday, Aug. 27 until Saturday, Aug. 28 at 3 p.m.

Per the Virginia Department of Health, the City of Staunton had nine new cases of COVID reported on Thursday, Aug. 19. With a 10.8% positivity rate, Staunton is considered to be in the highest level of community transmission.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, when a community is in the highest level, high-risk sports like football should be canceled, unless all participants are fully vaccinated. There has been no indication from school officials that any sports are being canceled at Staunton High beyond the two football games.

A letter did go home to parents of Staunton High School students Thursday indicating that "a student or staff member in our school has been diagnosed with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)."

It's unclear if that person was associated with the football team, but the letter did say that the person "was on the school premises on August 16" but there was no exposure to any students per the health department.

There was also a letter sent to parents of Staunton High School students on Wednesday with the same message, that a student or staff member has been diagnosed with COVID-19, was on school property Aug. 16, but there was no exposure to students.

 

[Ampipe_High]

I do not see many schools getting through the season without having to take two weeks off. It sounds as if the common policy, even for one positive test, is for unvaccinated to have to quarantine for two weeks and vaccinated individuals will be permitted to attend school, but cannot participate in any activities and have to adhere to certain distancing guidelines. Heaven help a school that gets hit with a 2nd case after an initial pause or has a pause and then an opponent has to cancel a game. Three or four weeks off, you might as well cancel the season.

 

[schoolboard]

The problem is that so few athletes are vaccinated, hard to hold practice with them while all the others are in quarantine.

 

[mmqp 5.0]

The problem is that so few athletes are vaccinated, hard to hold practice with them while all the others are in quarantine.

Or we could, you know, just let them play? They chose not to take the vaccine and chose to take the risks, no matter how miniscule those risks actually are. Time to stop with the draconian stupidity and get back to life. At this point if someone hasnt taken the shot they're not planning to, no matter how much coercion or funky math gets thrown at them.

 

[schoolboard]

Or we could, you know, just let them play? They chose not to take the vaccine and chose to take the risks, no matter how miniscule those risks actually are. Time to stop with the draconian stupidity and get back to life. At this point if someone hasnt taken the shot they're not planning to, no matter how much coercion or funky math gets thrown at them.

I was just responding to the previous post. That post said they would not let even the vaccinated practice after outbreak, and that was not the case at my school. But it was the case that there were very few players left to practice. I am not arguing the science. But if they are not letting the unvaccinated even come to school if exposed, hard to allow them to play.

 

[mmqp 5.0]

I was just responding to the previous post. That post said they would not let even the vaccinated practice after outbreak, and that was not the case at my school. But it was the case that there were very few players left to practice. I am not arguing the science. But if they are not letting the unvaccinated even come to school if exposed, hard to allow them to play.

I get what you're saying. The rules are absolutely silly in regards to this. Vaccinated and still cant practice? Forced to stay home if you're not vaccinated.. to what ends? None of it makes any sense at this point.

Oh well, gotta find a way to work around it. Schools with depth will benefit I suppose.

 

[Lafayette]

I ‘m getting the feeling with this Delta variant and huge increase in general cases in Virginia keeping games as scheduled will be worse than the Spring football season for cancellations. A month and a half ago it looked like happy days again, now the dark storms are back. After a year and half of this I’m worn out.