For rapid launch: December 17, 2021 (21-250)Spanish
Get in touch with: DOH Communications
General public inquiries: Condition COVID-19 Data Hotline, 1-800-525-0127
New COVID-19 safety guidance unveiled immediately after multi-county outbreak joined to significant college wrestling tournaments
OLYMPIA – The Washington State Division of Health and fitness (DOH), is updating the health and fitness and basic safety specifications for large speak to indoor sports activities in the wake of a multi-school, multi-county outbreak. The outbreaks are connected to a sequence of wrestling tournaments held in early December and are connected to an approximated 200 COVID-19 instances. Genomic sequencing lately confirmed at minimum a few circumstances are omicron.
DOH normally takes these outbreaks quite critically and is altering the current steering by incorporating the subsequent wellness and basic safety measures for all indoor, superior-make contact with sports activities and things to do (basketball, wrestling, h2o polo, and aggressive cheer), powerful promptly:
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- Expected tests of all athletes, coaches, trainers, and help staff, irrespective of vaccination position.
- Elevated screening frequency to 3 situations per week. Amid people screening checks, at least one particular have to happen no faster than the working day prior to the competitors ideally, and anytime possible, the working day of the party.


In addition, DOH desires to remind individuals of current prerequisites for all K-12 sporting events that assist preserve athletes, workers, and people safer when attending these gatherings:
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- All indoor function spectators must wear masks and should really length from other people or homes to the diploma achievable.
- Mask putting on is necessary among all athletes, coaches, trainers, and guidance personnel in indoor public areas apart from when actively competing.
- Referees will have to put on masks apart from when actively officiated and working.



DOH also acknowledges some of the influenced local health and fitness, education, or athletic leaders are choosing to postpone or terminate sporting occasions or pause sporting pursuits in buy to stop further more unfold of the condition. There may possibly be distinctions in how these activities are managed, so we would persuade people today to be affected person with any prospective process or scheduling alterations at the area level.
“Omicron is a recreation-changer, but we know layered prevention actions gradual the spread of COVID-19 in sports, faculties, and communities.” mentioned Lacy Fehrenbach, Deputy Secretary for the COVID-19 response. “Please get vaccinated, boosted, use a very well-fitting mask, and manage your distance to aid our youngsters continue to be healthier, stay in the recreation, and continue to be in college.”
“Vaccinations, in addition to tests and masking, will assistance preserve our athletes nutritious and enable all people to proceed to enjoy sporting situations when also limiting the distribute of disorder,” claimed Dr. Tao Sheng Kwan-Gett, Main Science Officer. “Getting a booster will make protection against the omicron variant even more robust. The booster vaccine is now readily available for every person 16 decades and more mature.”
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