Pope football team sidelined due to confirmed COVID-19 case

The varsity football team at Pope High School team has suspended activities after a confirmed COVID-19 case was reported to Cobb and Douglas Public Health.

That comes from the Cobb County School District, and a district spokesman said the following Monday afternoon:

“The team will not meet until contact tracing protocols have been completed. Once the contact tracing is complete, it is our expectation that the team will resume activities.”

He did not respond to a question about when the confirmed case was reported. The Greyhounds defeated Wheeler 28-21 on Friday and are scheduled to play Kennesaw Mountain this Friday, but no announcement has been made about that game.

The spokesman did not indicate when the contact tracing may be completed.

Over the summer there was a confirmed COVID case within the Pope football team as it gathered for off-season workouts.

That’s among the 382 confirmed COVID cases within the Cobb school district that have been reported since July 1.

Cobb high school students will return to classroom learning on Nov. 5, but a number of extracurricular activities, including athletics, have been taking place on campuses.

The district does not break down the numbers of students and staff who are confirmed COVID cases.

There have been an unspecified number of confirmed COVID cases at several East Cobb elementary and middle schools since classes resumed at those grade levels within the last month.

Earlier this month, varsity and junior-varsity football activities at Kell High School were cancelled for what the Cobb school district said were COVID protocols and contact-tracing.