ALDEN, N.Y. — When the superintendent of Alden Central Schools learned that the football team his school played on April 12 had players who later tested positive for COVID-19, he had no problem doing contact tracing.
The Gowanda Schools were helpful in identifying the players on the field who would have had contact with the players who were positive for the virus.
However, the situation became complicated when the Erie County Health Department got more involved.
"I was concerned when they originally said they wanted to quarantine the entire team because in any other incident up until now they've relied on us to do some kind of contact tracing on their behalf," said Superintendent Adam Stoltman.
He admits the bigger issue is quarantining over two dozen student-athletes at a time when being in the classroom is necessary.
"Our students are starving for in-person instruction," Stoltman said.
Only four to eight players were identified on the Alden team with having contact.
On Friday, one day before the next game, Stoltman wanted clarification from the Erie County Health Department on why the entire team needed to quarantine.
"They were looking for players that actively played in the game I asked for a definition of 'actively' is that one player, five players," Stoltman said.
The entire team didn't have contact with the players who tested positive. The kicker had no contact.
On Friday, the Erie County Health Department asked the superintendent to voluntarily cancel Saturday's game. He refused and was told he would get an order to do so. Friday evening, an Erie County Sheriff's deputy came to his home.
"He said by law he had to serve me with this paper to inform me that we were forbidden to play our football game on Saturday afternoon," Stoltman said.
Quite a different situation from an incident in March when the Alden modified football team had a positive case and only those that were in close proximity had to quarantine.
"The inconsistency is what has me baffled," Stoltman said.
He said the call was made by the Erie County Health Commissioner Dr. Gale Burstein.
"She believes that all of the students who are on quarantine were at risk or in contact with a positive COVID-19 case from Gowanda."
At last check no Alden football players have tested positive.