MAINE, USA — On Tuesday, the Maine Principals' Association, Maine Athletic Administrators Association, Maine Music Educators Association, and Maine Athletic Trainers Association released COVID-19 guidance and recommendations for school-based extracurricular activities like sports, music, and performing arts.
The groups recommend staff and eligible students get vaccinated against the virus for the following reasons:
- Fully vaccinated individuals can refrain from quarantine if they are symptom free and do not become COVID-positive.
- Unvaccinated individuals who are close contacts must quarantine for 10-days and may not return earlier even with a negative test.
Masks are required when on school transportation for extracurricular activities, according to Tuesday's release. Masks are otherwise recommended for all students and staff, whether vaccinated or unvaccinated, in indoor settings.
The groups also recommend that schools participate in the pooled testing that's available through the state.
"Close contacts of an individual with COVID-19 from school, who are participating in pooled testing, may continue to participate in class, school sports, school music, and all school-based activities even though they must quarantine outside of school activities," according to Tuesday's release.
The groups also made the following recommendations:
- Each district should have an Emergency Action Plan in place that includes COVID-19 prevention and management strategies that align with federal, state, and local guidance. Districts may institute more restrictive measures.
- Athletes should continue to provide their own water jugs - limit hydration stations.
- Physical distance during pre-game conferences.
- Limit post-game handshake, high fives, fist bumps before, during, and after the game. Continue with good sportsmanship wave.
- Any return to play plan, after a positive case, should include a gradual and progressive return to physical exertion.
- Support staff (officials, trainers, game workers) be assessed by school health officials individually based on their exposure to a positive case.
- Support the Maine Music Educators with their recommendations for a safe return to music.
FULL RELEASE