Youth sports and COVID-19: Understand the risks
The sudden loss of sports during COVID-19 shutdowns was hard for many young athletes and their families. Understandably, families and athletes are looking forward to returning to sports as soon as they can. However, they are rightfully concerned about safety during this pandemic.
As sports resume, it will be important for parents to understand the risks and make choices that take into account what is going on in the community and what is best for their families. Parents are encouraged to ask questions to help them make an informed decision about whether their child should return to playing a sport.
The risks will vary by factors that include the type of sport, the sharing of equipment, contact with teammates and whether it is played indoors or outdoors, according to guidance provided jointly by the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Medical Society for Sports Medicine, and the National Athletic Trainers' Association.
Sports that allow for individual participation and physical distancing, such as golf or cycling, are going to be less risky than sports that involve a lot of close contact, such as basketball or wrestling.
Sports without shared equipment, such as cross country, will likely be less risky than sports that are played with a shared ball, including football.
Sports with limited exposure to other players may be a safer option. A sprint in a track race, for example, may be less risky than sports that put someone in close contact with another player for an extended period of time, possibly an entire half or full game.
Where athletes train, practice and compete also impacts risk. Data suggests that COVID-19 is more likely to spread in closed indoor spaces with poor ventilation. So indoor sports will likely be more risky. Prioritize outdoor venues for sports whenever possible.
The more people someone interacts with, the greater the chance of COVID-19 exposure. So small teams or practice cohorts that stay together, rather than mixing with other teams or coaches, will be a safer option. This will also make it easier to contact individuals if there is an exposure to COVID-19. Staying within your community will be safer than participating on travel teams. Traveling to an area with more COVID-19 cases could increase the chance of transmission and spread. Travel sports also include intermixing of players, so athletes are generally exposed to more people.
Wearing cloth face coverings is an effective way to reduce the spread of COVID-19 through respiratory droplets. At sporting events, it is common for coaches, players and spectators to raise their voices while shouting, singing or chanting. The more people who wear masks, the less likely there will be transmission of COVID-19. If nobody is wearing a cloth face covering, the risk of spread will be much higher. Spectators should wear cloth face coverings, especially at events held indoors or where it is hard to keep a safe physical distance from others. Coaches, athletes and officials should wear cloth face coverings whenever safe and possible.
To create safer environments for everyone, new safety procedures will be put in place for practices and games. Parents, athletes, coaches and staff should work together to help keep everyone healthy and safe by following them. When people do not follow these precautions, it can put the whole team at risk. So remember to be a good teammate and fan and follow the new safety rules.
The American Academy of Pediatrics offers a Youth Sports Participation Safety Checklist for parents here: healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/COVID-19/Pages/Youth-Sports-Participation-During-COVID-19-A-Safety-Checklist.aspx
Children's health is a continuing series. This week's article is courtesy of the American Academy of Pediatrics. To check out more information, visit www.healthychildren.org.