WCPSS announces plans to allow more spectators at high school sporting events
High schools in Wake County can now begin allowing more spectators at sporting events after the Wake County Public School System released spectator guidance on Monday afternoon.
Last week, Governor Roy Cooper announced a new executive order that will allow 30% capacity at high school sporting events. Wake County schools did not implement the change immediately, choosing to establish district-wide protocols first.
Individual schools will communicate specific capacities and site-specific procedures with families, however a number of protocols will be uniform.
Spectator attendance will first be open to family members of participants for both home and away teams, as well as the student body of the home school. If there are tickets remaining, the school may offer tickets to members of the community.
Spectators must wear face covering at all times, maintain six feet of social distance, and wash or sanitize hands regularly.
Athletes, cheerleaders, band members, coaches, and school staff will not count towards the 30% capacity.
While the executive order allows up to 30% capacity at athletic events, it doesn't mean every venue can allow 30% capacity. The executive order requires six feet of social distance be maintained at all times, which WCPSS says will limit capacity in some venues. Family members residing in the same household are allowed to sit together at events, but must be six feet away from people in other households. Indoor sporting events are capped at 250 people, even if 250 is less than 30% of a venue's capacity.
Once the event is over, spectators are required to leave the facility within five minutes.
If spectators do not follow the protocols, WCPSS says they will be removed from the event and could lose the privilege of attending future events.
WCPSS is also changing the screening protocols. For outdoor events, spectators will be asked to self-screen. When they purchase a digital ticket, there will be a attestation that the person is symptom-free. However, screening will continue at indoor sporting events since the risk of spreading COVID-19 is higher indoors.
