The joy that high school athletes felt last week upon learning they could have a fall sports season came saddled with a surprising distinction.

They are the first Vermonters required to wear a mask while exercising.

Vermont’s COVID-19 pandemic-fighting mask mandate that went into effect on Aug. 1 exempted anyone “engaged in strenuous exercise or activity,” according to Gov. Phil Scott’s July 24 executive order. Any use in those circumstances had been voluntary.

Yet the new guidance for sports developed by the state’s Agency of Education and the Department of Health requires facial coverings to be worn at all times by competitors, coaches and spectators for games. Exceptions were made for those running cross-country races and other sports, such as golf, where participants can maintain social distance while in competition.

The announcement took many by surprise — athletes have been competing without a mask in recreation or club sports since restrictions on those activities were lifted earlier this summer. The idea of playing an 80-minute soccer game, which amounts to running 5 miles or more, in a facial covering was immediately daunting.

More: Gov. Phil Scott: There will be high school fall sports in Vermont in 2020

What prompted the decision?

Secretary of Natural Resources Julie Moore chaired the 12-person task force that explored how the state could approach sports this fall. The group included representatives from the Vermont Principals’ Association, athletic directors, superintendents, athletic trainers and doctors. 

Their goal, she told the Free Press on Wednesday, was maintaining the state’s “health-protective” mantra during the pandemic: Promoting hygiene, physical distancing and reduced contact — and masking when distancing isn’t possible.

More: Vermont high school football to go 7-on-7, volleyball games to be held outdoors this fall

“Those cornerstones are important in a school setting, in an office setting and in a sports setting,” Moore said. 

“That’s what led to this conversation about masking, whether it was at all points in the game, at some points in the game,” she said. “It just felt like it was easiest to make it a standard requirement.” 

Moore acknowledged the angst and concern among those affected by the state’s about-face on masking for athletes. She said the state is “committed to making adjustments to the guidance as needed” as new, relevant information becomes available. 

“At the end of the day we are trying to put in place the right set of mitigation measures and enough mitigation measures to ensure that everyone is able to continue to play and (we) think masks are an important component of that,” she said.

What should athletes wear? 

The state has deferred to advice from the Centers for Disease Control and prevention when it comes to mask usage. Moore said the state doesn’t intend to delve any further than that into the type of facial covering that athletes should or shouldn’t wear.

“It becomes challenging to get too far beyond that,” she said. “I’m anticipating leagues or the VPA may choose to be more prescriptive and frankly that’s the way the state has approached much of the guidance for restart plans.” 

For subscribers: How COVID-19 will alter Vermont high school football in 2020

As state and VPA officials announced fall sports safety measures on Tuesday morning, several national media outlets began publicizing a Duke University study on the effectiveness of popular facial coverings. The study claimed that the neck gaiter or buff-style masks were “counterproductive” and broke larger respiratory droplets into smaller ones that could hang in the air longer.

Moore said the Scott administration is still evaluating that information. One of the state’s physician consultants, Dr. Benjamin Lee of the University of Vermont, offered early feedback for officials.

“Dr. Lee’s conclusion, having looked at the study, is he doesn’t believe we can say with any certainty that gaiters are any better or worse than no mask,” Moore said. 

What will enforcement look like? 

Any further interpretation or enforcement of the state’s new mask requirements for athletes will occur at the local level, according to Moore. 

“That gets beyond the level of detail that the state is able to engage in,” she said. 

Bob Johnson, the associate executive director of the VPA, explained that issue had already come up in some of the organization’s sport-specific committees.

Referees will not be the “mask police,” he said. The primary responsibility for enforcement will fall to coaches and schools. Leeway will exist when athletes aren’t near anyone — so if a mask comes down briefly it will not be an issue.

Contact Austin Danforth at 651-4851 or edanforth@freepressmedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @eadanforth.

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