Jackson athletic director: Virus rumors not true

Since the COVID-19 virus found its way to Southeast Missouri, information about its spread has been at once easy to come across but at times difficult to confirm.

Student populations have been among the most commonly mentioned groups regarding the virus, and Jackson School District has been a repeated target of the virus outbreak grapevine. Specifically, the school's athletic programs have been of particular interest.

Within hours of this year's high school football season beginning, rumors have swirled regarding virus cases involving players, and they have only intensified as virus cases in general have spiked in recent weeks.

Monday, athletic director John Martin said there has been no outbreak among Jackson athletes.

"All our coaches and athletes are following the COVID-19 protocol we have in the Jackson R-2 School District," he said in a telephone interview. "If our athletes are not feeling well, they have been instructed to go home."

Martin said training staff, not coaches, make health-related decisions for the athletes.

"Our coaches don't even get involved in that. Our kids have a great relationship with our trainer. If they are not feeling well, he sends them home, and we go from there," he said.

The director contended the district's athletes, including those on the defending state champion football team, recognize the importance of maintaining their health.

"Our athletes are looking at the bigger picture. If they are sick, they don't want to get their teammates sick," he said. "Our athletes are going above and beyond. We have more athletes than regular students that are wearing masks because they don't want the risk of getting sick or losing their season or missing out for any period of time."