New Study Suggests: Kids Who Play Sports Less Likely To Get COVID

According to a new study from the University of Wisconsin Madison, children who played sports this Fall were less likely to get the coronavirus, than children who did not compete in athletics. In the article from the Wisconsin State Journal, the study tracked more than 30,000 athletes during the month of September. The research was led by Dr. Andrew Watson. 207 schools, more than 16,000 practices and more than 4,000 games.

The survey found that 271 athletes contracted the virus overall during the month of September. Compare that to children aged 14-17, who played no sports, 2,318 cases of coronavirus were reported during the month of September. None of the cases among athletes resulted in hospitalization or death. Again, NONE of them resulted in what parents fear the most.

What a shot in the arm for high school athletes. After this study you have to wonder why North Dakota West Region Teams are not playing the East? I get that you don't want to have an overnight trip to minimize the risk, but there's no reason Bismarck High shouldn't be able to schedule a day trip against a Fargo team in my opinion.

Also according to the article, of the 209 athletes who knew where they contracted the virus, only one case was attributed to participation in sports. That's another staggering number. The study suggests that athletics does not give our children a bigger chance of contracting the coronavirus. As we head into winter sports, lets hope our athletic directors in North Dakota pay attention to studies like these, before they make their decisions.