Athletes, Coaches Must Provide Proof Of Vaccination Or Be Tested

Columbia MD

04 October, 2021

12:05 PM

Description

HOWARD COUNTY, MD — Student-athletes, coaches and student-sports team managers in 9th through 12th grades at the Howard County Public School System must provide proof of vaccination by Nov. 11 or undergo weekly COVID-19 testing in order to participate in winter practices and games. The change takes effect at the start of winter athletics practices for the 2021-2022 school year, the school district has announced. Parents and guardians can provide proof of vaccination by uploading a proof-of-vaccination documentation through HCPSS Connect, by emailing the same documentation to the athletics and activities manager at the student's school or drop off a paper copy to the manager at that student's school. A proof-of-vaccination document can be a scan or image of the vaccine card that was given at the time of vaccination or documentation received from ImmuNet, the state's immunization information system. Testing for all participating student-athletes who have not confirmed vaccine verification will begin Nov. 12 prior to the start of practice Nov. 15. Student-athletes will require parent permission to undergo the testing through the Maryland Department of Health contractor who will conduct the weekly testing for HCPSS. A permission form will be sent to parents from the school. All paid and volunteer coaches for winter athletics must provide proof of vaccination or undergo weekly testing, too. Vaccination will not be required for spectators or for student participants in other voluntary extracurricular activities that occur outside of the school day, the district noted, such as concerts, plays and clubs. Universal masking will be required for indoor activities however. Classroom volunteers and observers must prove vaccination in order to be at HCPSS schools, too. Community groups such as PTAs and boosters that use HCPSS facilities after school hours are not required to provide proof of vaccination. Visitors will not be allowed to attend events indoors or outdoors during the school day, such as spelling bees, assemblies, field days and more, effective Oct. 11. Parents and guardians also can no longer eat lunch in the school cafeteria or outside.