New COVID protocols impact student body

Due to the recent surge of the Omicron COVID-19 variant, the MIAC has changed team protocols once again.

According to MIAC commissioner Dan McKane, there has been a change to schedule if a team cannot play due to positive cases. Previously, any team that could not play would forfeit to their MIAC opponent. Now any game that cannot take place is labeled as no contest. To balance out the no contest games, MIAC leaders in basketball are distinguished by winning percentage and in hockey by points percentage.

“Due to the change to no contest, standings would likely not be even at the end of the season, with some teams playing several more games than others. Standings will now be sorted by winning percentage in basketball and points percentage in hockey, which will allow a fair way to sort them.” McKane said.

Basketball and hockey have suffered the most throughout the MIAC when it comes to games being rescheduled.

According to McKane, the MIAC membership expanded basketball and hockey playoffs to allow all teams to participate.

“The regular season has already been affected by COVID impacted rosters. Currently there are 27 games that have not been able to be played.”

There is a concern for the health and safety of student-athletes regardless their vaccination status after the spread of the Omicron variant.

Athletes at CSB/SJU are following the same protocol. Originally, students who test positive originally were required to isolate for 14 days. Later that number dropped to 10 days. Now, in accordance with the Minnesota Department of Health, students need only isolate for five days.

This is a requirement for both vaccinated and non-vaccinated individuals.

“There is a change to the status of ‘fully vaccinated’ individuals. An individual who has received both doses of Moderna or Pfizer or the single dose of Johnson and Johnson and have received their booster are now labeled as ‘fully vaccinated and up-to-date,’” said Erin Ross, CSB head athletic trainer and COVID coordinator.

Ross oversees testing with teams where there is a positive case. According to CSB/SJU and the MIAC, a team must take a pause if there are three or more positive cases, no matter the size of the team.

Athletes are not the only ones struggling under the surge of this new variant; spectators are as well. Each MIAC institution has their own set of rules when it comes to spectators. For CSB/SJU, spectators vary with each sport. These policies are set to promote social distancing as well as control the capacity.

According to Ross, CSB/SJU swimming venue does not have a large capacity so spectators are limited to two guests per athlete, coach or manager of each team.

Hockey and basketball compete in much larger venues, so capacity was reduced to 70%. At this time, masking is required in all indoor spaces on both campuses.

“At this time, no spectators will be permitted at indoor track and field meets,” Ross said.

There is hope that these mitigations will be lifted when it comes to spring seasons, especially with competitions taking place outside.

“I’m very optimistic that our spring sports plan will look similar to our fall sports plan. Every MIAC game was played this fall, so I’m hoping for the same outlook for spring sports, which are based primarily outdoors.

The membership is still working through spring guidelines, but I anticipate things will look similar to our plans from last fall,” McKane said.