AIA sets out COVID-19 guidelines for students, coaches to return to sports

PHOENIX - The Arizona Interscholastic Association (AIA) set out COVID-19 guidelines for the return of school athletics on Monday, saying a return needs to be done as safely as possible.

"The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recognizes the benefits of physical activity particularly in this time of the COVID-19 pandemic. The challenge is to support physical activity in a manner that follows federal, state, county, and district public health guidelines to reduce the spread of illness amongst athletes, coaches, athletic training staff, and the community," the AIA document read in part.

AIA is strongly recommending anyone who can get the COVID-19 vaccine to get it.

Fully vaccinated people can:

• Resume activities without wearing masks or physically distancing at all team activities except where required by federal, state, local, tribal, territorial, or school district laws, rules and regulations
• Resume competition schedules that require travel outside of their local community without testing before or aftertravel
• Resume domestic travel without testing upon return or having to self-quarantine after arriving backRefrain from testing following a known exposure if asymptomaticRefrain from quarantine following a known exposure if asymptomatic

Those who remain unvaccinated must follow all COVID-19 guidelines, including mask-wearing, social distancing, and bringing their own athletic gear such as water bottles and balls.

The AIA guidelines set out protocols for athletes and coaches who feel ill, who need to quarantine, and who are ready to return to sports after recovering from the virus.

Read the full document here.

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