Positive COVID-19 cases cancel Asheville City Schools athletic workouts through Aug. 21

Press release from Asheville City Schools:

We want to share news of positive COVID-19 cases in our Asheville Middle and Asheville High sports programs. We believe it’s important to be as transparent as possible about this pandemic and, by sharing this information, you have the information you need to take steps to slow the spread of COVID-19 in our school community.

As of Monday, August 3rd, Asheville City Schools can confirm two positive cases of COVID-19 in Asheville Middle School and two cases in Asheville High School, impacting four sports teams across both campuses.  These individuals are self-isolating safely at home, in accordance with public health guidance.

Per Buncombe County Public Health, there is community spread of COVID-19, and, at this point, these cases have not been linked to the school sports workouts but are linked to COVID-19 spread in the community.

However, out of an abundance of precaution, we will be cancelling all athletic workout sessions at the high school and middle school through Friday, August 21st.  At that time, schools will communicate with families about our ability to resume practice.  Decisions will be made in collaboration with and with guidance from Buncombe County Health and Human Services.

The Buncombe County Health Department has conducted an investigation and notified all families with a child who was in close contact with a person testing positive for COVID-19. If your family was not contacted by the Buncombe County Health Department, your child was not considered to be a close contact.  Close contact is defined by the CDC as “anyone who was within 6 feet of an infected person for at least 15 minutes starting from 48 hours before the person began feeling sick until the time the patient was isolated.”

Please understand that, in accordance with North Carolina High School Athletic Association regulations, each Asheville City Schools student-athlete has their temperature taken each and every day by a health professional.  Coaches, staff and managers wear cloth face coverings at all times as well as maintain six feet of social distancing  Our student-athletes also wear a face mask when they are not actively engaged in physical activity; face masks are not worn during rigorous workouts because we don’t want to inhibit your child’s ability to breathe, especially during running and high aerobic activity, but students will continue to maintain social distancing throughout practice.

If your child does not have a mask or forgets their mask at home, one will be provided for them.  In addition to our student-athletes and staff wearing personal protective equipment, please know that each location has hand-washing stations for students and staff members to use.  Routine hand-washing is practiced during each workout session.  If you have any questions about our protocols or procedures, please contact MAHEC’s School Health Program Manager, April Baur, at (828) 772-9062.

Now more than ever, I believe we made the tough but right call by selecting Option C.   Remember, there is community spread of COVID-19. To slow the spread of COVID-19 in our school communities, let’s all continue to follow the public health guidance of the 3 W’s if we must go out into the community. If we all wear a face covering, wait 6 feet apart from each other, and wash our hands, we can get back to learning in the classroom and sports events sooner- rather than later!

Thank you for partnering with us in keeping our students, staff and school community safe and healthy.