COVID-19 Vaccine To Be Required For LCPS High School Sports

LOUDOUN COUNTY, VA — Loudoun County Public Schools will require proof of a COVID-19 vaccination for all students participating in Virginia High School League winter and spring sports and for all out-of-season practices for the remainder of the 2021-22 school year, the school system said Tuesday.

Athletes participating in the five fall sports — football, cheer, cross country, volleyball and golf — are not subject to the vaccination requirement.

LCPS Superintendent Dr. Scott Ziegler student-athletes are a particularly vulnerable group because they are required to travel to off-campus events and compete against, and interact with, student-athletes from other schools.

“The majority of past COVID-related disruptions to instruction for our high school students have come as a result of exposure during athletic activities,” Ziegler said in a statement.

The announcement by LCPS came a day after Fairfax County Public Schools said it will require high school student-athletes to get the COVID-19 vaccine for winter and spring sports.

This vaccination requirement for student-athletes “demonstrates our commitment to the safety of everyone within our schools and communities,” Ziegler said.

“While LCPS acknowledges this is a difficult decision for some families, it is a necessary step that we must take to limit disruptions to the learning environment, keep students safe and remain in in-person learning and athletics,” he added.

LCPS will work with the Loudoun County Health Department to ensure all students who wish to be vaccinated have access to the COVID-19 vaccine. Because the vaccination requirement takes effect on Nov. 8, unvaccinated students will have sufficient time to fulfill this participation requirement before the winter sports season begins, the school system said.

Any student-athlete who cannot be vaccinated due to a medical condition or a bona fide religious belief, will be required to submit a negative COVID-19 test result once per week and before returning to play after an exposure to COVID-19.

LCPS said it will not permit student-athletes with medical or religious exemptions who do not comply with the testing requirement to participate in school sports or related activities.