GHSA releases new guidelines for contest day operations

The Georgia High School Association has released additional guidance for its member schools specific to contest day operations.

According to a document released on Monday, each school is strongly recommended to formulate contest-day screening procedures including temperature checks and symptom checks.

Prior to boarding the team travel bus, van, any form of school transportation, each individual student-athlete and staff member should be verbally screened by a staff member and temperature recorded with appropriate action taken—each temperature should be taken prior to departure and upon arrival.

If there is a potential or identified risk from screening, either based on symptoms or temperature level, the individual should wear a face covering and be sent immediately to a designated area for isolation and the school’s action plan implemented.

Opposing teams on competition day will be notified of potential risk observed through screening to determine team competition status.

The document also includes recommendations for athletic teams and school personnel wearing masks. It is highly recommended that face mask should be worn when traveling to and from transportation vehicles and designated team facilities.

Face mask should be worn properly when entering host facilities, including host team Athletic Training Room, and on the field of play during any pre-warm up walkthrough which does not require increased demand on the student-athletes’ cardiorespiratory system.

Face mask should be worn by student-athletes while on the sidelines/benches and not actively engaged in competition “field of play.” It is also highly recommended that coaches and game day personnel should always utilize face mask.

Additionally, each sideline/bench should be furnished with enough hand sanitizing stations to satisfy the needs of sideline capacity; all benches should be wiped down using proper CDC-approved cleaning agents before and after competition.

Towels will not be provided by the host site. If student-athletes prefer to use a towel during competition, they should provide their own towel.

Sidelines should be limited to participating athletes, coaches, medical staff, and gameday staff.

For additional information regarding GHSA guidelines regarding COVID-19 visit ghsa.net.