Ohio will no longer require high school athletes to quarantine if they are exposed to COVID-19 at school.
News 5 in Cleveland reports Ohio governor Mike DeWine announced in a Thursday press conference that quarantines are no longer necessary if a student-athlete is symptom-free and follows sports guidelines.
“The good news is spring sports are basically outside,” DeWine said, as reported by Cleveland.com. “That makes things better. We’re also seeing better numbers.”
Ohio Department of Health chief medical officer Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff is on board, according to News 5. Vanderhoff said that quarantines are less crucial now that sports are moving back outdoors after the winter.
“Most of the time, they’re outdoors or in facilities that can open doors and windows to allow ventilation,” Vanderhoff said. “That really reduces the risk of COVID transmission.”
Ohio followed the majority of the country in canceling spring sports when the pandemic struck last spring. Last Thursday, when DeWine announced the quarantine changes, the state reported 1,448 new coronavirus cases.
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