NC reports sharp rise in COVID clusters among school sports teams

RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services announced Wednesday that it is seeing a sharp increase in COVID clusters among school sports teams.

From July 1 through Sept. 2, clusters among school sports teams accounted for 45% of all clusters in North Carolina middle and high schools.

The NCDHHS also said children age 17 and younger made up 31% of the state’s new COVID-19 cases for the week ending Sept. 4.

School sports teams are urged to follow NCDHHS guidance for youth sports.

”We need everyone, including our student athletes and their coaches, to increase layers of prevention to fight this more contagious delta variant. Don’t wait to vaccinate, and urge others to do the same,” NCDHHS Chief Medical Officer and State Health Director Elizabeth Cuervo Tilson, M.D. said. “Tested, safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines are the best tool for preventing the spread of COVID-19. Student athletes who are fully vaccinated do not need to quarantine after a close contact with someone with COVID-19.”

Between July 1 and Sept. 2 there have been at least 42 athletics-related clusters in North Carolina public, charter and private middle and high schools, with a sharp increase in August coinciding with the start of the school year. Only four athletics clusters occurred in July.

In addition to wearing face masks in indoor settings, NCDHHS also recommends sports programs practice social distancing when possible, disinfect equipment frequently and avoid sharing water bottles. Teams should also consider working out, including weight training, in groups or pods to limit exposure should someone become sick. Sports in which participants have frequent and prolonged contact, such as basketball, football, cheerleading, wrestling and others, are higher risk.

Additional recommendations can be found in NCDHHS’ Interim Guidance for Administrators and Participants of Youth and Amateur Sports Programs.

4,752 new COVID-19 cases were reported in North Carolina on Wednesday while the percent of positive tests in the state increased to 15.8%.

3,790 people are hospitalized with COVID-19 and there are 928 adult ICU COVID-19 patients.

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