The Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference (CIAC) has updated its Winter Sports Guidance to align with Department Of Public Health’s (DPH) updated guidance for youth, interscholastic, and amateur sports, released January 11.

Under the new guidelines, student-athletes can return to sports sooner from quarantine and avoid having to quarantine if vaccinated. Previously, there was a ten-day quarantine for exposure with a mandatory seven-day gradual return to sports, starting with conditioning and easing into full return.

With the change, it is only a five-day quarantine, Newtown High School Athletic Director Matt Memoli said, with potential but not always necessary seven-day return on a case by case basis. If there are no symptoms a doctor can approve a regular return to teams on the sixth day, Memoli explained.

“I think it’s a positive thing for the kids as long as they feel okay and don’t have symptoms,” Memoli said.

“The new guidance should allow all schools to be on the same page. There was a lot of discrepancy from district to district. Hopefully this evens the playing field,” said Tim Tallcouch, coach of the Newtown High School boys’ basketball team.

Through the middle of January, Newtown had only had a handful of competitions rescheduled due to coronavirus protocol.

“We’re very happy. It’s diligence from our coaches, and diligence from our athletic trainers and our kids,” Memoli said.

Masks will continue to be required along sidelines and in locker rooms, as well as for competitions with some competition exceptions — wrestling, gymnastics, track throwing and jumping events, cheer and dance stunting/tumbling, and swimming — due to the nature of those activities.

According to the CIAC’s Winter Sports Guidance: “Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recently published new guidance for individuals who have either tested positive for COVID-19 or have been identified as a close contact of a known COVID-19 case. In addition, DPH recently updated guidance for PreK-12 schools with a greater focus on more immediate symptom recognition, isolation, and quarantine of close contacts who are not fully vaccinated.”

As such, DPH advises that individuals who develop any symptoms that could be associated with COVID-19, immediately isolate at home and test for COVID-19 (either a self-test or at a testing site) and follow the following guidelines:

If test result is positive or if no test is taken — the DPH advises continued isolation for at least five days with a return to team activities on day six or later only when fever-free for 24 hours and other symptoms are significantly improved. Athletes must wear a mask when around others outside of their household for a full ten days. “Do not engage in athletic activities within six feet of others during which wearing a mask is not advised due to safety reasons (example: competitive wrestling) for a full ten days,” the report says.

If test result is negative — athletes may return to team activities when fever-free for 24 hours and other symptoms are significantly improved. They should continue to wear a mask around others until symptoms resolve.

For individuals identified as a close contact of a COVID-19 case and never develop any symptoms — if fully vaccinated (14 days after their final vaccine dose, with or without a booster dose), or fully recovered from COVID-19 in the prior 90 days, quarantine is not required away from athletics or other activities as long as a mask is consistently and correctly used.

Fully vaccinated individuals identified as a close contact case should test five days after being notified of the close contact. Testing is not recommended for individuals who have recovered from COVID-19 within the prior 90 days, as a positive test result may be residual and not reflective of current infection, according to the report.

They should share the test result with the individual responsible for managing COVID-19 protocols for the organization so that contact tracing can occur if needed and wear a mask when around others outside of their household for a full ten days.

The exception to the rule for fully vaccinated athletes is in wrestling, in which masks are not worn regardless of vaccination status. “Do not engage in athletic activities within six feet of others during which wearing a mask is not advised due to safety reasons for a full ten days,” the report says.

If not fully vaccinated, and have not had COVID-19 in the prior 90 days: Quarantine away from athletic activities for a full five days; test for COVID-19 (either a self-test or at a testing site) on day five or later (note: testing is not recommended for individuals who have recovered from COVID-19 within the prior 90 days, as a positive test result may be residual and not reflective of current infection).

If test result is negative, return to team activities on day six or later.

If test result is positive or if no test is taken, continue isolation through day ten; return to team activities after ten days assuming symptoms do not develop. Wear a mask when around others outside of their household for a full ten days. Do not engage in athletic activities within six feet of others during which wearing a mask is not advised due to safety reasons (example: competitive wrestling)

Another aspect of the updated Winter Sports Guidance is extension of student-athlete physical validation to 15 months due to high demand for medical appointments.

The full CIAC report is available here: https://www.casciac.org/pdfs/CIACWinter2021-2022COVIDSportGuidanceFinalDraftv4_Approved.pdf

Sports Editor Andy Hutchison can be reached at andyh@thebee.com.