8/11/2021
(Renton, WA) The WIAA has worked with the State Department of Health since the beginning of the pandemic and have continued those communications. The State Health department issued a 19-page report covering all aspects of getting back to class, sports and other extra curricular activities.
Here are the specific rules regarding sports and extra-curricular activities, there is a link to the full 19-page report at the bottom of the page:
Mask Requirements for Sporting Activities
• Universal masking is required by all athletes, coaches, athletic trainers and support
personnel when in weight rooms, regardless of vaccination status. Weight rooms are
high-risk indoor settings. They are often poorly ventilated, crowded and used by
athletes from sports of multiple contact levels, as well as PE students. Practice physical
distancing to the degree possible.
• Masks are not required for athletes while competing in low-contact or moderatecontact sports indoors, regardless of vaccination status. Masks are encouraged when
practicing indoors. Universal masking is required indoors when not practicing or
competing. Contact risk levels for individual sports are referenced in DOH’s Guidance
for Sports and Fitness Activities.
• Masks are not required for fully vaccinated athletes competing in high-contact indoor
sports. Masks are not required for unvaccinated athletes competing in high-contact
indoor sports if they participate in screening testing. Masks are encouraged when
practicing indoors. Universal masking is required indoors when not practicing or
competing. Contact risk levels for individual sports are referenced in DOH’s Guidance
for Sports and Fitness Activities.
> Indoor basketball, wrestling, and water polo are high-contact sports and
require screening testing of unvaccinated individuals in order to participate.
See the section on Screening Testing for Sporting Activities below.
> Cheer is a high aerosol-generating activity. Fully vaccinated cheerleaders do
not have to wear a mask when practicing, performing or competing.
Unvaccinated cheerleaders do not have to wear a mask when practicing,
performing or competing if they participate in screening testing. Universal
masking of cheerleaders is required indoors when not practicing, performing
or competing.
> High contact indoor athletes who are engaging in practices off-season must
either:
▪ Practice universal masking at all times, regardless of vaccination
status; or
▪ Initiate the screening testing protocol of unvaccinated athletes to
allow the removal of masks by all athletes, vaccinated and
unvaccinated, while practicing. Masks must be worn at all other
times when not practicing, regardless of vaccination status.
• Masks are not required for outdoor sports of any contact level but are recommended
in settings where unvaccinated athletes, coaches, athletic trainers and/or support
personnel are in close proximity, such as standing on the sidelines, in a huddle, or
sitting in a dugout.
• All coaches, athletic trainers, and other support personnel involved with sporting
activities must wear face coverings indoors in K-12 settings, regardless of vaccination
status.
• Referees who are fully vaccinated do not have to wear face coverings indoors when
actively officiating and running (e.g., basketball). When they are not running, masks are
required (e.g., talking with coaches, between quarters). Unvaccinated referees must
wear face coverings at all times when they are officiating, unless they participate in
screening testing.
• Masking is required universally for all spectators attending indoor K-12 sporting
activities, regardless of vaccination status. Audience members should be seated in
“family units” and those small groups should be spaced at least 3 feet apart.
Here are the rest of the guidelines for all extra-curricular activities that fall under the WIAA’s mission:
Screening Testing for Sporting Activities
• Screening testing is required for all unvaccinated athletes in high contact indoor
sports (basketball, wrestling, water polo). Fully vaccinated athletes do not have to
participate in screening testing. Screening testing must be performed twice weekly
using a molecular or antigen test. A rapid antigen test should be performed on all
unvaccinated athletes within 24 hours of the competition. In a multi-day event, testing
should occur before each competition. The second test during the week should be
performed 3-4 days prior to or after the competition and may be a molecular or
antigen test. If a molecular test is performed, the athlete does not need to isolate while
awaiting screening test results unless they are exhibiting symptoms.
• Unvaccinated athletes participating in indoor low or moderate contact sports are
recommended, but not required, to participate in screening testing once or twice
weekly. This is especially important when community transmission is substantial or
high. Please see the CDC’s matrix (Table 1) for definitions of the levels of community
transmission.
• Any athlete with a positive test must be excluded from the event and removed from
the venue. See Responding to Cases or Suspected Cases of COVID-19 for more
information. Positive test results must be reported to the local health jurisdiction as
outlined in the Reporting Cases and Outbreaks and Working with Public Health section.
Contact tracing should be performed per guidance in the What to Do if Someone is a
Close Contact of Someone with COVID-19 section. The team should work with local
public health to determine how to approach isolation, quarantine, and further testing.
• Unvaccinated athletes, coaches, athletic trainers and other support personnel
identified as close contacts should quarantine immediately, even if they recently had a
negative test.
• Fully vaccinated athletes, coaches, athletic trainers and other support personnel
identified as close contacts should be tested 3-5 days following a known exposure to
someone with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 and wear a mask for 14 days or until
they receive a negative test result. They should isolate and follow appropriate guidance
if they test positive. If they develop symptoms consistent with COVID-19, they should
isolate themselves from others, be clinically evaluated for COVID-19, and tested for
SARS-CoV-2 if indicated. The symptomatic fully vaccinated person should inform their
healthcare provider of their vaccination status at the time of presentation to care.
• All point of care test results should be reported to the DOH in accordance with
guidance available at the Reporting COVID-19 Test Results for Point-of-Care Testing
Facilities site.
Performing Arts
Performing arts classes and school sponsored extracurricular performances and activities must
follow the requirements within this document.
Performing Arts Classes
Many students in performing arts engage in activities that are high aerosol-generating and
increase the risk for COVID-19 transmission. The purpose of this guidance is to ensure
all students have access to their chosen performing arts course. Face coverings/masks are not
required when outdoors. Distancing of at least 3 feet is also recommended outdoors. When
indoors, universal masking of all students and faculty is required, per the Secretary of Health’s
Mask Order.
• Universal masking with appropriate material – MERV13 or 3-layer medical face mask
or similar material – is required by all students and staff in performing arts classes
and while participating in performing arts activities. Masking with MERV13 or 3-layer
medical face mask or similar material is the best way of reducing aerosols from
circulating in indoor spaces.
• Aerosol-producing musicians, e.g., singers, woodwinds and brass, speech/debate,
and theater performers are required to wear appropriate masks/face coverings
and/or use appropriate bell covers while performing. Woodwinds and brass
performers may remove their face coverings/masks when performing on their
instrument and must replace their face covering/mask during non-performance
time. Face coverings/masks with slits are recommended but not required.
• Universal masking with appropriate material – MERV13 or 3-layer medical face mask
or similar material – is required in general music and elementary classrooms when
singing is performed. Teachers should provide students with singers’ masks to replace
their cloth masks in these settings. When not singing, students should wear cloth
masks as required in other classrooms.
• Bell covers with appropriate material – MERV 13 or 3-layer medical face mask or
similar material – are required for brass and woodwind instruments when indoors.
Bell covers are recommended when playing outdoors but not required.
• Practice good hygiene collecting water condensation from brass instruments. Consider
using “puppy pads” for students to empty spit valves rather than emptying directly on
the floor.
• Ensure that all students have access to their chosen performing arts course. Space
constraints should not limit access to these classes. Distancing should be at least 3
feet, if possible, and more if space permits. Distancing of at least 3 feet is also
recommended outdoors.
• Reduce shared equipment to the degree possible. Have students use hand sanitizer
before using shared equipment like music stands. If hand sanitizer is readily available
and used often, shared equipment does not need to be sanitized between each group;
regular daily cleaning is sufficient. For shared instruments, students should have their
own mouthpieces. Allow the instrument to sit for 24 hours between uses.
• Maximize ventilation of the space as much as possible. If a space is smaller and/or not
well-ventilated, use portable HEPA air cleaners to supplement. See also Ventilation
above for best practices to allow appropriate time for air change.
Extracurricular Performing Arts Performances and Activities
Students, teachers, and support staff must follow all requirements within this document when
participating in school-sponsored performing arts activities and performances, even if not in a
K-12 classroom setting.
Performances
• For performances, audience members should be seated in “family units” and those
small groups should be spaced at least 3 feet apart. All audience members must wear a
mask, regardless of vaccination status.
• Universal masking is required during performances for participants, including
appropriate face coverings and bell covers on woodwind and brass instruments.
Travel for Performing Arts
• Travel trips must follow CDC’s order for all riders and drivers to wear a mask on buses or
other public transportation, regardless of vaccination status. Seat cohorts together on
the bus and separate the cohorts by at least 3 feet to the degree possible. Increase
ventilation by opening windows as weather permits.
Testing Requirements for Performing Arts
• Any participant with a positive test must be excluded from the event and removed
from the venue. See Responding to Cases or Suspected Cases of COVID-19 for more
information. Positive test results must be reported to the local health jurisdiction as
outlined in the Reporting Cases and Outbreaks and Working with Public Health section.
Contact tracing should be performed per guidance in the What to Do if Someone is a
Close Contact of Someone with COVID-19 section. The performing arts group should
work with local public health to determine how to approach isolation, quarantine, and
further testing.
• Unvaccinated students, teachers, or other support personnel identified as close
contacts should quarantine immediately, even if they recently had a negative test.
• Fully vaccinated students, teachers, or other support personnel identified as close
contacts should be tested 3-5 days following a known exposure to someone with
suspected or confirmed COVID-19 and wear a mask for 14 days or until they receive a
negative test result. They should isolate and follow appropriate guidance if they test
positive. If they develop symptoms consistent with COVID-19, they should isolate
themselves from others, be clinically evaluated for COVID-19, and tested for SARS-CoV2 if indicated. The symptomatic fully vaccinated person should inform their healthcare
provider of their vaccination status at the time of presentation to care.
• All point of care test results should be reported to the DOH in accordance with
guidance available at the Reporting COVID-19 Test Results for Point-of-Care Testing
Facilities site.
Other Extracurricular Activities (Clubs, Interest Groups, STEM Fairs, Field Trips,
etc.)
Students, teachers, and support staff must follow all requirements within this document when
participating in school-sponsored activities, contests, shows, etc., even if not in a K-12
classroom setting.
Other Extracurricular Activities
• Universal masking of all students, staff, volunteers is required indoors. Face coverings or
masks are not required outdoors but are recommended in settings where students and
attendees will be in sustained close proximity or if there is potential for crowding.
• Physical distancing of at least three feet is required indoors to the degree possible.
• For shows, exhibits etc., visitors or audience members should be seated or travel
through exhibits in “family units” and those small groups should be spaced at least 3
feet apart. All students, audience members, judges, or other guests must wear a mask,
regardless of vaccination status.
• Any activity involving Performing Arts (e.g., talent show, international night, etc.) or
Sports should follow the guidance provided in those sections.
Travel for Other Extracurricular Activities
• Travel trips must follow CDC’s order for all riders and drivers to wear a mask on buses or
other public transportation, regardless of vaccination status. Seat cohorts together on
the bus and separate the cohorts by at least 3 feet to the degree possible. Increase
ventilation by opening windows as weather permits.
• Universal masking is required indoors. Masks are recommended for crowded outdoor
events, such as festivals.
Of course these guidelines can change at anytime based on infection levels and it is possible for more strict conditions to be put back into effect as is further loosening of the guidelines, it all comes down to infection numbers and the severity of those infections.
Here is a link to the full report
www.elisportsnetwork.com
