PHOENIX — The Arizona Interscholastic Association announced its “guidance and recommendations” for high school athletes participating in fall sports.
The AIA is encouraging the wearing of masks by all participants — those vaccinated and the unvaccinated — when in athletic training facilities and when receiving treatment. It also recommends that unvaccinated athletes do not share equipment and protective gear.
Vaccinated athletes are considered those who have received the one-shot vaccine, those who have received both doses of the two-shot vaccine, and those who are at least two weeks away from receiving the second dose of the two-shot vaccine.
The protocols for those who are diagnosed with coronavirus remain much the same as last year — isolate the person from the rest of the team and/or game, and transport the athlete home or to a medical facility. Athletes can return to the team once medically cleared as being COVID-free.
It should be noted that negative tests during the first nine days of isolation will not be considered medically cleared, due to the high number of false negatives during that time.
When cleared to return, the athletes will still be limited in activity for a minimum of six days:
Stage 1 — Light activity for 15 minutes or less, at an intensity of no greater than 70 percent of maximum heart rate (minimum two days)
Stage 2 — Light activity for 30 minutes or less, at an intensity of no greater than 80 percent of maximum heart rate (minimum one day)
Stage 3 — More complex training, which can include light resistance training, for 45 minutes or less, at an intensity of no greater than 80 percent of maximum heart rate (minimum one day)
Stage 4 — Normal training activity for 60 minutes or less, at an intensity of no greater than 80 percent of maximum heart rate (minimum two days)
Stage 5 — Return to full activity
.jpg)