Delco Issues Health Guidelines As Sports Resume

DELAWARE COUNTY, PA — Organized sports and athletics are now permitted in Delaware County. With these activities resuming, the county is issuing guidance on how they will operate amid the "yellow" phase of Gov. Tom Wolf's reopening plan.

Only pre-K to 12 school sports under the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) and the Pennsylvania Independent Schools Athletic Association (PISAA) will be allowed to hold organized competition and games. No other organized competition and games are allowed until the “green” phase of the reopening plan.

Parents and coaches are urged to be diligent in assessing personal risk of players to begin practice based on individual circumstances and guidance from a health care provider.

Those at a higher risk for contracting the coronavirus should not participate in organized sports during the "yellow" phase.

Coaches are responsible for securing athletic fields and must be aware that athletic fields are not required to open.

The Chester County Health Department, which is serving Delaware County's public health needs amid the coronavirus pandemic, issued the following guidelines to organized sports seeking to begin practices:

• Limit practices to 25 or fewer players and coaches.
• Outdoor practice should be prioritized over indoor practice.
• Spectators, parents, volunteers and nonessential staff must remain outside the practice area.
• Conduct temperature and symptom screening of all players and coaches prior to beginning practice.
• Educate coaches and players about which symptoms should be monitored.
• Require players and coaches to wash or sanitize their hands prior to, and after, practice.
• Modify practices so players can work on individual skills, rather than on competition. If working in small groups, be mindful of keeping the players with each other, rather than switching groups or mixing groups.
• No equipment should be shared among players and/or coaches; if sharing equipment cannot be avoided, proper sanitation must be done between uses.
• All equipment must be sanitized after each practice, following current disinfection procedures.
• Coaches must wear face coverings throughout practice sessions.
• Coaches and players must practice social distancing at all times to include no physical contact such as handshakes, fist-bumps, high-fives, etc.
• Spitting or chewing gum by players and coaches is not allowed.
• Require individual water bottles/beverages for all players and coaches.
• Prepackaged or boxed food should be used rather than a buffet or self-serve from a congregate bowl of snacks; reinforce the use of handwashing or sanitization before eating or drinking.
• Ensure the staggered use of restroom and locker-room facilities whenever possible and disinfect facilities between groups of users.
• Recommend players and coaches do not carpool; if carpooling is not avoidable, it should be only limited to members of the same household, or require the use of masks while carpooling.
• Provide signage and reminders about healthy behaviors, proper hand hygiene, how to wear a face covering, etc.
• Follow current procedures for players or coaches who test positive for COVID-19, or are identified as a close contact to an individual with COVID-19.