Warren County Health Services announced Thursday that it is setting up a framework to potentially allow “higher risk” sports to resume if certain COVID-19 metrics can be met. In light of the recent holiday-related surge of COVID cases, those metrics are not likely to be met as of February 1, which is the date New York State established for potential resumption of these sports.
Health directors and administrative staff from counties around the Capital Region have held numerous virtual meetings since New York State announced late last week that higher risk sports could restart, pending county approval. These meetings were discussed in this Albany Times-Union article.
Warren County’s health leaders concurred with their regional counterparts that the current COVID data do not meet the criteria to allow higher-risk indoor sports to initially go forward, but that the data would be reviewed in the coming days for resumption of these sports should improvement occur.
In particular, if the Warren County and/or Capital Region rolling 7-day COVID-19 test positivity rate declined to 4% or less, Warren County Health Services would reconsider allowing New York State’s designated higher risk sports such as ice hockey, basketball, volleyball, cheerleading and wrestling to begin. The Warren County rate was 4.6% as of Thursday, while it was 5.3% in the Capital Region.
It is important to consider that:
- There have been six (6) confirmed cases of the UK variant in Warren County and additional cases in two neighboring counties. The presence of this variant was specifically highlighted here in New York’s updated guidelines.
- Warren County and the region continue to have near-record high test positivity rates and hospitalization rates because of widespread community spread of COVID-19.
- Warren County Health Services is using all of its resources to perform case contact tracing and oversee vaccination programs.
Dr. William Borgos, Hudson Headwaters Health Network Chief Medical Officer and Warren County Medical Director, said: “We have stayed focused on the goal of keeping our schools open and our communities safe. The governor asked us to review several key metrics in making our decision: local prevalence rates, local hospitalization rates, the presence or absence of the UK COVID variant, and the ability of the local health departments to continue with testing and contact tracing. After reviewing this data, as a region we agree that now is not the time to resume higher risk indoor winter sports. Our schools have made a tremendous effort to carefully follow COVID safety guidelines, and by doing so they have minimized school closures and pauses. As a county and as a region, we agree that now is the time to stay the course. We empathize with the student athletes who may not have a winter season, and we encourage schools to do everything they can within current safety guidelines to promote physical activity and alternative experiences. This no is not a never. At this time we hope to focus our energies on promoting best practices to further reduce the spread of COVID-19, and we are hopeful in the not too distant future we will be able to discuss the initiation of a spring sports season.”
Ginelle Jones, Warren County Director of Health Services, said: “Our county health partners from around the region came together and agreed this is the collective course of action that should be taken in the best interest of the health and welfare of all of our residents. By wearing masks and practicing social distancing, we can improve metrics so are young people can get back on the court. We are particularly appreciative of the role our school district leaders have played in being strong and integral partners and their continued efforts are appreciated in continuing to protect the health and safety of our school communities, and ultimately our communities. This was not an easy decision to make, but we believe it is the decision that needed to be made at this time. We will continuously review the numbers in hopes of resuming sports, particularly when our student-athletes can move to safer environments outdoors.”
Rachel Seeber, Chairwoman of the Warren County Board of Supervisors, said: “We are hopeful that we will continue to see improvement in our COVID numbers, and we can resume these sports that are a very important part of returning some normalcy to our children’s lives. Throughout this pandemic, New York State has pushed to adhere to health-related guidelines, and as a region we are grateful for the cooperation by our regional partners to make informed, educated decisions collectively regarding the guidelines that would be needed for these sports to be played.
Ryan Moore, Warren County Administrator, said: “Warren County thanks the many counties that partnered with us on developing this approach. We are not saying ‘No.’ Rather, we are attempting to communicate ‘when, why and how’ these sports will resume.”
Sarah Ravenhall, Executive Director of New York State Association of County Health Officials, said, “The New York State Association of County Health Officials worked with each region of the state to provide a forum for sharing concerns and identifying common best practices in regards to the resumption of high risk sports in their regions. All regions understand the public health risks posed by high risk sports during the pandemic and have proceeded accordingly in their review of the public health factors specific to their communities, as identified by New York State in their recently updated guidance. The counties in the Capital Region who have chosen to move forward with a 4% positivity rate metric have done so based on a thorough and thoughtful approach to the state’s recommendations, and the most current science available to support their decision-making. We laud them for coming together to assist their schools by providing unified, consistent recommendations.”