All-Star Covid-19 / Varsity Response

[5monkeysjumping]

Now I wish my 19 year old would get an echocardiogram/checked out. She gets tired and winded easily.

It can't hurt. We had to bring a kid in for an EKG and it was incredibly easy. We had an appointment with our local children's hospital two days after I called. (ETA - it was completely non emergency too. Just needed to be cleared to start a medication)

 

[HeatUniqueJ]

There is very specific guidance for return to play after Covid diagnoses & recovery... (even Asymptomatic. ) - this is in addition to what a typical return after infection.

I thought this was common knowledge- I know this directive (or similar directive) can be found on every health department site for pretty much every state- it’s on our state’s directive. I also know sports organizations were provided with the same guidance in tandem with team training materials.

As stated in the article one must obtain physician clearance before returning to organized sports activity (at least in my state)... and while this one individual did get clearance from their physician ...this brings me to observe that this is and has been known to be something that CAN happen as a result of not observing that additional protective guidance due to Covid and these individuals (and I don’t mean this insensitively) and or their physician/s were negligent.

(See below for guidance)
The following progression was adapted from Elliott N, et al, infographic, British Journal of Sports Medicine, 2020:

Stage 1: Day 1 and Day 2 - (2 Days Minimum) - 15 minutes or less: Light activity (walking, jogging, stationary bike), intensity no greater than 70% of maximum heart rate. NO resistance training.

Stage 2: Day 3 - (1 Day Minimum) - 30 minutes or less: Add simple movement activities (eg. running drills) - intensity no greater than 80% of maximum heart rate.

Stage 3: Day 4 - (1 Day Minimum) - 45 minutes or less- Progress to more complex training - intensity no greater than 80% maximum heart rate. May add light resistance training.

Stage 4: Day 5 and Day 6 - (2 Days Minimum) - 60 minutes -Normal training activity - intensity no greater than 80% maximum heart rate.

Stage 5: Day 7 - Return to full activity/participation (ie, - Contests/competitions).

Very informative thank you!

In the article the doctor said you are supposed to take at least 3 months of before returning to any kind of more intense activity (sports). While this seems like kind of a long time I would probably do it myself since no one really knows what all Covid does to our bodies.
As a Coach i will definitly be paying more attention to this in the future then we have already done when someone was sick with the flu or a cold or anything of that matter.

 

[catlady]

If anyone wants to read the entire detailed guidance from the American Academy of Pediatrics, which includes the step by step return which @CheerItFullOut posted <click here>. It goes into every aspect of youth competitive sports (including mask wearing in cheer). I would hope the majority, if not all, parents would listen to their child's pediatrician if their child ever tests positive for C-19. The unfortunate reality, however, still remains that 80% of all cases are asymptomatic or mild and a good percentage those people don't realize they have, or have had it, to follow a protocol. Each state is at varying places within the CDC guidelines to return to business and every family has varying levels of health risks. As these higher risk states open up, people will find themselves making personal choices to protect their family no matter what is allowed.

 

[CheerItFullOut]

If anyone wants to read the entire detailed guidance from the American Academy of Pediatrics, which includes the step by step return which @CheerItFullOut posted <click here>. It goes into every aspect of youth competitive sports (including mask wearing in cheer). I would hope the majority, if not all, parents would listen to their child's pediatrician if their child ever tests positive for C-19. The unfortunate reality, however, still remains that 80% of all cases are asymptomatic or mild and a good percentage those people don't realize they have, or have had it, to follow a protocol. Each state is at varying places within the CDC guidelines to return to business and every family has varying levels of health risks. As these higher risk states open up, people will find themselves making personal choices to protect their family no matter what is allowed.

thank you for providing the link!
For you coaches out there, a recommendation (and have your parents review this with your Covid protocol sheet and as an athlete makes their way through return to play if they are coming back from a positive after being cleared with their physician ...monitor and track their progress daily in a binder. Again, we have not had any positive cases yet so I have not had to do it but we do this with concussion protocol.
As an athlete completes a “phase” without incident they initial their page and we report to their parent they are cleared to move onto the next portion. This may seem a little tedious but it helps athletes and parents understand where and why they are where they are daily in their journey back into their sport safely.

 

[cac4life]

I think my problem with the big mask debate is that it has literally been said by doctors that you should not wear a mask while doing cheer...

 

[retiredl5cheer]

I think my problem with the big mask debate is that it has literally been said by doctors that you should not wear a mask while doing cheer...

I'd be interested to see that research because I've always been curious what the professional opinion is. Would you mind sharing your resource?

 

[catlady]

I'd be interested to see that research because I've always been curious what the professional opinion is. Would you mind sharing your resource?

It is in the above link from the American Academy of Pediatrics <click here> under "When Should Cloth Face Coverings Be Worn." From the AAP guidance (last updated 12/17/2020):

Cloth face coverings should not be worn for competitive cheerleading (tumbling/stunting/flying) and gymnastics (while on the different apparatuses), because the covering may get caught on objects and become a choking hazard or accidently impair vision.

ETA: I do appreciate the fact there are higher risk areas than others when it comes to C-19 and Varsity leaves that decision up to the gym while in warm ups and competing.

 

[cac4life]

I'd be interested to see that research because I've always been curious what the professional opinion is. Would you mind sharing your resource?

hey, so catlady posted a good source, and almost every doctor and pedtrication is saying this.

 

[retiredl5cheer]

hey, so catlady posted a good source, and almost every doctor and pedtrication is saying this.

Just saw that. Thanks!

 

[CheerItFullOut]

I think my problem with the big mask debate is that it has literally been said by doctors that you should not wear a mask while doing cheer...

Literally don’t know why this was disliked ... like I get that masks are important and should be worn but good grief - there MAY come a day where we MAY be able to take them off... please allow yourself to be open to actual FACTS provided by valid sources- one day experts and physicians could tell us we are safe without them.

 

[WhatAmIDoingHere]

For Spirit of Hope, I saw parents take and post selfies with their kids in the waiting/viewing/other areas without masks. I saw a few gyms post team pictures publicly without masks on. I also know of a few gyms with positive cases of athletes who came and competed anyways. I know of parents who are positive who came anyways. This happened in quite a few gyms. The families, athletes, gyms, and coaches did not follow the guidelines. I'm not going to name names or gyms or teams because there's just no point anyhow.

Two weeks later and we have a Covid positive test for one of the girls on the team.

Sooooo many reason why we should not be doing in person competitions.

 

[quitthedrama]

Two weeks later and we have a Covid positive test for one of the girls on the team.

Sooooo many reason why we should not be doing in person competitions.

Why? As dangerous as covid can be for a small percentage, a positive test doesn't equate to a major issue for most of those who would be attending an in person competition. For the amount of people who have attended an in person competition over the past several weeks, I have yet to hear of any serious issues related to covid - and given the nature of the industry of anons and others just waiting to spread bad information, we most certainly would have heard.
We competed in person when covid was here last year - it just wasn't all over the media yet so no one gave it a second thought.

 

[catlady]

Literally don’t know why this was disliked ... like I get that masks are important and should be worn but good grief - there MAY come a day where we MAY be able to take them off... please allow yourself to be open to actual FACTS provided by valid sources- one day experts and physicians could tell us we are safe without them.

@quitthedrama

Here's some great data I think you will both appreciate <click here>. The New York Times is updating daily each states C-19 case curve and includes business and mask restrictions info. Georgia was one of the first states to open up and California was one of the last. If you go by each state's population, GA's (10.5 million) and CA's (39.5 million), and use the highest peak average daily case amount number stated on the NYT data GA (10,000 cases) and CA's (50,000 cases), the percentages are GA (.001%) and CA (.0012%) for highest daily avg cases by population and their curves are almost identical. Another state that has been predominantly open and does not require mask wearing is FL population 21.7 million and highest avg daily cases (20,000) which equates to .00092%, slightly lower than GA and CA. The data is coming out and showing closing businesses is not making the dent in the case numbers as they had hoped. The data on mask mandates (emphasis on mandate versus a business requiring) is showing people and businesses will, and do, take on the responsibility for their health, their customers, and others.

 

[WhatAmIDoingHere]

Why? As dangerous as covid can be for a small percentage, a positive test doesn't equate to a major issue for most of those who would be attending an in person competition. For the amount of people who have attended an in person competition over the past several weeks, I have yet to hear of any serious issues related to covid - and given the nature of the industry of anons and others just waiting to spread bad information, we most certainly would have heard.
We competed in person when covid was here last year - it just wasn't all over the media yet so no one gave it a second thought.

Given that this virus is only a year old we do not yet know the long term side affects will be. However we are beginning to get an understanding of what they could see. See pages 115-116 for links to articles related to young athletes who have developed serious heart conditions post Covid.

 

[catlady]

Given that this virus is only a year old we do not yet know the long term side affects will be. However we are beginning to get an understanding of what they could see. See pages 115-116 for links to articles related to young athletes who have developed serious heart conditions post Covid.

It's called myocarditis and the good news is C-19 has brought more attention to it, but it has been in existence pre C-19 and has always been known to be caused by various viruses, bacterial infections, medications and auto immune diseases. Myocarditis is not novel to C-19, but what is new is the amount of EKG's and CT scans being done after C-19 versus other viruses and infections. Not so fun fact: In the US, 14% of the population has auto-immune diseases, many life threatening, but we can't shut down the economy for every virus or bacteria that has caused one.

What Is Myocarditis and How Is It Linked to COVID-19?

COVID-19 and Myocarditis
Science Magazine tells us that researchers are currently investigating “Whether SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, induces cardiac injury including myocarditis more often, or with greater severity, than other viruses…”