DuBois Spring Sports 2021 Health and Safety Plan
Testing of Athletes
· 25% of the team roster will be tested each week for the duration of the season and playoffs. We have designated Fridays 8am -11am for testing in the Quiet Lounge. Testing may be administered by Ken Nellis, Dan Smay, Rebecca Pennington, Jill Betton.
· Test results will be received by Jill Betton per normal campus procedures, she would report any positive test results to Rebecca Pennington and Ken Nellis. At that time normal quarantine procedures will be initiated by Jill and contact tracing protocols will begin.
· Ken or Dan would be responsible for notifying the Head Coach of a positive test.
· Weekly monitoring will be in place to track the Population Positivity Rate. A PPR at or above 10% would require all activities to cease for that team until the PPR falls below 10%.
Practice Protocols:
** Protocol for athletes and staff will be screened prior to any athletic activity:
· Temperature checks for all athletes, coaches, staff in attendance ( < 100.4). Recorded by coach, athletic trainer, athletic administrator.
· Answer Wellness Questions OR (PSU Symptom Checker on Penn State GO APP)
· Roster of attendance to each team's practice
· Have personal mask and water bottle with straw.
· Masks will be worn at all times by athletes, coaches, staff. (athletes: except when exertion would create unhealthy / safe situation. In these situations 10-12 feet distancing must be maintained).
· Social Distancing of 6 feet at all times
· Sanitize hands after temperature check. Temp < 100.4
· Team's daily attendance log with individual's temperatures, answer to wellness questions, athlete's cell # will be turned in daily to Athletic Administrator (Nellis or Smay)
· Disinfecting and cleaning of all equipment and material shall occur before and after practice as well as any other time there is contact with other person.
· Social Distancing in dugout. Use additional seating in stands or spread out using the field to talk to team as a group.
Game Day Protocols:
Before Game Activities
· Disinfect the team, umpire, game worker areas. (dugout, umpire changing room, press box).
· Disinfect the equipment (e.g., balls, bats, carts, ect.)
· Verify that all staff and athletes have Temperature Check and answer Wellness Questions.
· Home and Visiting teams enter and exit through separate designated entries to field.
· Provide sanitizing stations for both teams and at spectator entrance. Garbage cans in dugouts.
· Visiting Team will provide their own water. Each player and coach should have individual water bottle.
· Spectators enter through their own gate to enter the field complex.
· Spectators will be permitted (4 family members per Home player or coach). Family unit can sit together, otherwise 6 foot social distancing and mask wearing will be observed at all times.
· No spectators from Visiting team will be permitted into the field complex.
· Current PA state guidelines permit 25% outdoor capacity, Showers Field 1,700 capacity, Heindl Field 1,000 capacity. (425 and 250 spectators respectively).
During Game Activities
· Continue to clean and disinfect the team areas (dugouts), and equipment where the team competition activities will take place.
· Masking and Social distancing will be adhered to at all times.
· Regularly sanitize commonly touched surfaces during game (Dugout area, Press Box).
· No Concessions Stand will be in operation at the field complex.
· Remove anyone from the facility of competition if they exhibit any Covid-19 symptoms.
After Game Activities:
· Spectators must leave the stands immediately after the game, they can meet their player outside the field complex or parking lot area.
· Sanitize all playing surfaces and equipment that were used during the competition. Including dugouts, umpire changing area, press box.
Team Travel
· Over-night hotel stays must be approved by the campus Chancellor.
· An Athletic Director must have a travel itinerary for each trip that includes a list of all individuals traveling with the team. (2 lists if there are two busses used for trip).
· All travelers will temperature taken and answer Wellness Questions prior to boarding the bus.
· Use of and adherence to assigned seating charts, strategic placement of individuals; maintain pods and units that are used at practice, room or house mates.
· Masking will be required at all times on the bus.
· To avoid un-masked time, limiting unnecessary meals or food.
· Limiting group meals or using outdoor locations for group meals.
· Use "grab and go" options for meal. Order prepackaged meals prior to trip.
· Busing occupancy will be limited to 50% of capacity. Bus driver will be tested up to 72 hours before trip.
Game Day Operations
· Bench Areas: Physical distancing should be enforced. This may include providing additional seating outside of the traditional bench areas/dugouts t allow for physical distancing,
· Water Bottles and Towels: All individuals are required to provide their own bottle and towel; towels and bottles are not to be shared.
· Handshakes: There will be no handshakes between opposing student-athletes or coaches before or after a contest. Student-athletes on opposing teams should maintain physical distancing from each other prior to the game, during warm-ups, and after the game. There will be no handshakes or fist bumps with officials after the game.
Positive Cases
· When an athlete or coach tests positive for Covid-19, University and local public health officials must be notified, and contract tracing protocols must be put in place.
· The Individual testing positive and ALL individuals with high risk of exposure shall follow CDC and University guidelines on quarantine and quarantine testing.
The CDC defines close contact requiring quarantine as: An individual who was within 6 feet of an infected person for cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24 hour period starting 2 days before the illness onset (or, for the asymptomatic patients, 2 days prior to the test specimen collection) until the time the patient is isolated.
· Any student-athlete or coach that tests positive for Covid-19 shall follow University protocol for quarantine.
· The individual that tested positive must be cleared by a physician prior to the return to any athletic activity.
Positive Case or Symptomatic case while traveling
If a student-athlete or coach becomes aware of a positive test or becomes symptomatic while traveling with a team, all efforts must be made to isolate that individual from the party. Options for managing include:
· Isolate the person in his/her own room if overnight travel occurs. Make Alternative transportation arrangements for individual's return to campus. A student-athlete must always be accompanied by a staff member.
· One staff member remains with student-athlete could rent a car to bring individual back to campus.
· If bus trip is not long, place individual in back of the bus with 3 rows empty between them and others (past positives and those that never tested positive positive). A campus should secure KN95 masks for this instance and provide the isolated individual the mask.
This plan reflects the best available information at the time of preparation. It is possible that the strategies outlined in this plan may change as information regarding Covid-19 evolves.
· COVID-19 Athletic Task Force and Point of Contact
· Point of Contact - Rebecca Pennington. Task Force Members: Jill Betton, Ken Nellis, Dan Smay, David Younkin, John Luchini, Tom Hibbert
· Any Student-athlete, coach, staff member who reports symptoms or illness will be reported to Athletic Director and Campus Point of Contact.