The school board on Monday night reviewed an updated COVID-19 mitigation plan which now allows student-athletes to go mask-free during training and while competing against other schools.
Mask-wearing and social-distancing guidelines remain in place if athletes are sitting on the sidelines or not actively engaged in play.
The updated policy does not change the requirement for face masks in classrooms and elsewhere in school buildings.
“The mitigation plan … we are looking at it and making adjustments as we move forward as situations change,” Superintendent Bill Burr said. “According to the proposed ASAA (Alaska School Activities Association) rules, athletes that are actively participating in a sanctioned or regular Wrangell School District game, training, practice or class will have the option of wearing a mask during the activity, if possible, and we encourage remaining six feet apart if unmasked.”
He added that mitigation measures remain in effect when “outside the field-of-play, such the bench, full-team huddles or other non-court activities.”
Before the board meeting, members held a work session including a question-and-answer session via Zoom with Anna Frick, applied epidemiology fellow at the state health department, and Dr. Mishelle Nace, a pediatrician based in Fairbanks.
The board, including newly elected members Jessica Whitaker, Angela Allen and Brittani Robbins, discussed the mitigation policy, specifically the school district’s mask mandate, with Frick and Nace.
“You might have one case and that might jump you up a risk level. I think it’s reasonable for a community as small as yours for you guys to consider the situation and the risk of transmission,” Frick said. “I do think with the current amount of transmission occurring across Alaska, that a mask policy is probably your best bet for keeping everyone as minimally impacted as possible.”
Dave Wilson, who was elected board president, asked if the need to isolate vaccinated student-athletes returning from away games was as great as the need to isolate the unvaccinated ones if there was exposure to COVID-19.
“Being unvaccinated, you have a five-times higher risk of actually getting infected,” Nace said. “So your overall risk (if you’re vaccinated) is lower. It’s not zero. If you’re vaccinated, we’re not taking you’re risk of actually taking your risk of getting infected down to zero, but we are decreasing it.”
Nace went on to say that those who are vaccinated and exposed to COVID-19 should still get tested three to five days after exposure and wear a mask.
“If they are one of those that’s going to become infected, at least we’re protecting those around them,” she said.
Burr said he was impressed with students, participants and spectators at last weekend’s volleyball games in Wrangell. “We rolled this out in the volleyball games, and I have to give a shout-out to the coaches, to the athletes and the crowd. I was very impressed,” Burr said. “This change will go into effect for any of the ASAA activities in the Wrangell School District.”
Burr noted that if the borough enacts stricter health protocols regarding travel, the school will abide by those guidelines.
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