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KHS JV and Varsity Football Teams Quarantined

By News Sep 9, 2020 | 4:02 PM

KEARNEY, Neb – The Kearney High School JV and Varsity football teams are quarantined due to COVID-19. A student on the Kearney High School JV/Varsity football team has a confirmed case of COVID-19 and was unmasked at times during practice and at a JV game on Monday, September 7.

Kearney Public Schools consulted with the Two Rivers Public Health Department. Due to the periods of unmasked contact during football practice and the JV game, all 11th and 12th-grade football players and all students who ate lunch with the positive student are required to quarantine for 14 days.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), students in close contact with a COVID-19 positive person must quarantine for the full 14 days, regardless of whether or not they’ve been tested. The team members can return to school if they are symptom-free on September 22.

The following football games are indefinitely postponed:

  • Friday, September 11 – Varsity @ North Platte??
  • Monday, September 14 – Junior Varsity vs. Lincoln Southeast
  • Friday, September 18 – Varsity vs Millard West

“While we are disappointed that the Bearcats are unable to compete, our student’s health and safety is our first priority. We will be anxious to welcome these students back to school on September 22,” stated Ryan Hogue, KHS Assistant Principal/Activities Director.

The 9th and 10th-grade football players were not in close contact with the positive student and are not required to quarantine. Football practices and games for the 9th grade and reserve football teams will continue as scheduled.

Parents received a letter on Wednesday, September 9, from the Kearney High School principal, Dr. Christopher Loofe. Parents should monitor their child for symptoms of COVID-19, including fever, chills, body aches, headache, sore throat, cough, and loss of taste and smell.

If their child develops any of these symptoms, they should contact the child’s healthcare provider and isolate at home. If the child develops chest pain or difficulty breathing, they should call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.

If the child develops symptoms consistent with COVID-19, parents should immediately contact the school to report their health situation.

Should symptoms develop, the student(s) must isolate until:

  • Ten days have elapsed since symptoms first appeared;
  • Respiratory symptoms (e.g., cough, shortness of breath) have improved;
  • The student(s) has been fever-free for 24 hours without medications.

Kearney Public Schools will increase sanitization in all classrooms and areas where this student has access. Students will continue their education online until they can return to school.