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Virginia Beach, Chesapeake to require athletes to be fully vaccinated or submit to weekly COVID-19 testing

The Virginian-Pilot
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Ocean Lakes' DJ James is tackled by Cox's Gerard Johnson during Friday night's game at Cox. The Dolphins won 27-0.

Ocean Lakes' DJ James is tackled by Cox's Gerard Johnson during Friday night's game at Cox. The Dolphins won 27-0. (Jonathon Gruenke/Daily Press)

The two largest school divisions in Hampton Roads announced they will require athletes to be fully vaccinated or submit to weekly testing for COVID-19 beginning in November.

Virginia Beach and Chesapeake will require it starting Nov. 8, the school districts said. Neighboring Suffolk already is requiring it. Virginia Beach officials said Tuesday they decided to require vaccination or weekly testing after reviewing data from the first few weeks of school. In Virginia Beach, the requirement covers athletes in sports that require a physical examination. Chesapeake extended the requirement to middle-school athletes as well.

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Virginia Beach school officials said athletes are being exposed more frequently than non-student-athletes. A total of 167 high school athletes have been required to quarantine in Virginia Beach since Sept. 1 — about 9% of student-athletes compared to 2% of the student body as a whole. Both districts will participate in the state’s school screening testing program.

A Chesapeake schools spokesman said athletes who are fully vaccinated can submit proof to be exempt from testing, and that the School Board on Monday night unanimously supported testing athletes who don’t provide proof.

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“They voted in favor of the measure with the understanding that testing or producing proof of vaccination will be revisited by administration as COVID case numbers decline,” Richie Babb, Supervisor of Public Relations for Chesapeake Schools, wrote in an email Tuesday.

The Virginia Beach School Board did not vote on the plan, and the support was not unanimous.

“I think it’s unconscionable that we’re doing this,” said board member Vicky Manning.

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“It defies all logic and common sense in my opinion. … This is abusive,” added member Laura Hughes.

Other school systems that have approved similar measures include those in Albemarle County, Arlington, Charlottesville, Danville, Fairfax County, Fredericksburg and Loudoun County, according to the Virginia High School League.

Jami Frankenberry, 757-446-2376, jami.frankenberry@pilotonline.com

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