Three members of the City College football team have tested positive for COVID-19, according to an announcement from Superintendent-President Utpal Goswami Friday morning.
One student on the team reportedly tested positive for the virus Wednesday afternoon, forcing the team to cancel its meetings and move completely online for 14 days.
The student lives with four other teammates, all of whom were immediately tested, yielding two more positive tests.
“As of today, we know that, in total, three of the roommates have tested positive,” Goswami said in an email sent to students and staff on Friday morning. “Only one of the three is exhibiting symptoms.”
The entire football team and coaching staff will be tested at a local community testing site, and will only be allowed to return to on-campus activity once they meet CDC guidelines of being symptom-free, testing negative and being cleared by a physician.
Per City College’s COVID-19 Prevention and Response Plan, all players and staff are required to remain in quarantine for 14 days.
“We have been working with our local public health department every step of the way,” Goswami said.
This is the first announcement made by school officials of positive cases in our athletics department, an area of education that is most dependent on face-to-face instruction.
Goswami said that none of our physical education classes include any physical contact and none are using any shared equipment. The football team, specifically, has not been using any balls or other equipment in order to reduce exposure.
Goswami commended Executive Vice President Pamela Ralston, who acts as City College’s student COVID-19 compliance officer, and the Physical Education/Athletics department for a quick response and adhering to the schools strict protocols and response plans.
He acknowledged that even with these systems in place, the risks of infection cannot be completely contained.
“We need students and staff to continue to follow advice from public health experts throughout their day, on and off-campus.”
