A recreational soccer league serving the youth of Southwest Michigan.

Happy Monday, my hope is that none of you have a case of the Mondays (insert your Office Space thought here) … If you do, I completely understand, it is Monday.

Anyway, as you know we have been working with Berrien County Health Department and MSYSA throughout the past 18 months dealing with Return to Play, Contact Tracing, and COVID Quarantine. We have been very fortunate as a league to have been as prepared and proactive as we have been regarding this illness thanks to the hard work of SWM SC’s Gil Urban, Jay Meeth, and Superwoman (she knows who she is). This season is no different.

In response to questions we’d had as of late, SWM reached out to Berrien County Health Department for updates to the community and school quarantine regulations.  Our goal here is to address soccer players return to play quarantine options when in a close contact exposure quarantine. 

There are two approved options by the Berrien County Health Department Health Officer:    

For those exposed to a COVID-19 positive individual, quarantine periods are as follows:  

1) Quarantine for a period of 10 days from date of last exposure, if no symptoms develop during this time individuals can return to normal activities after day 10.  

2) Quarantine for a period of 7 days from date of last exposure, if no symptoms develop during this time AND individual receives a negative test on day 5, 6 or 7, then individual can return to normal activities after day 7.  

*In both options we ask individuals to continue to monitor for symptoms through day 14 post exposure.   Also, anyone who is fully vaccinated does not have to quarantine if identified as a close contact. They should monitor for symptoms for the 14 day period (daily health screenings). 

Additionally, if an individual has had COVID-19, they do not need to quarantine for up to 90 days after individual isolation period if identified as a close contact.    

MSYSA R2P guidelines indicate we are to follow local health department guidance.

Should you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate in bringing those to our attention. Remember that health matters are a private matter and that we will keep these items strictly confidential.

Have a great week.

Jefferson