COVID-19 in NJ: Holmdel issues alert after field hockey player exposed; closes complex

HOLMDEL – School district officials issued an alert to parents, canceled all practices on Thursday and closed the Holmdel High School athletic complex for the rest of the week after a field hockey player was exposed to the coronavirus.

Interim Superintendent Leroy Seitz issued a warning to parents via email on Wednesday that the unidentified student had been exposed to the virus at an off-campus event and was being tested. 

“The student has been instructed to remain under quarantine until medical authorities have determined if the student has tested positive for COVID-19,” the message said. “If we are notified of a positive test result, we will advise you of any additional precautions.”

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The alert advised parents to “please have your child(ren) self-monitor: observe your child(ren) over the next few days for any of the common symptoms of COVID-19 including fever, cough, headaches, body aches, shortness of breath, or lung infection.”

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Seitz wrote that every member of the field hockey team who attended Tuesday’s workout should self-monitor and be vigilant checking for symptoms for the next 72 hours. 

"Although it is not required by the NJSIAA (New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association) or the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), out of an abundance of caution we are closing the Complex to all students for the remainder of this week and canceling our summer workout scheduled for Thursday ...  to limit possible exposure and to thoroughly clean the High School.”

Joe Strupp is an award-winning journalist with 30 years’ experience who covers education and Monmouth County for APP.com and the Asbury Park Press. He is also the author of two books, including Killing Journalism on the state of the news media, and an adjunct media professor at Rutgers University and Fairleigh Dickinson University. Reach him at jstrupp@gannettnj.com and at 732-413-3840. Follow him on Twitter at @joestrupp