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33 Central Florida high school football players, 5 coaches quarantined after 2 players test positive for COVID-19

LAKE COUNTY, Fla. — More than two dozen members of one Central Florida high school football team and five of their coaches are under quarantine after two players tested positive for COVID-19.

The players and coaches are all involved with the Tavares High School football team in Lake County.

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“Coronavirus

Channel 9 reporter Myrt Price is talking to school officials Wednesday to gather details on the incident.

Price said sources told him that the players and coaches were exposed during practice after the team had to take cover due to weather. They said once they were inside the field house, there was no way to socially distance.

A spokesperson said the team learned days later about the two players testing positive. As a result the field house was cleaned and sanitized.

The district said the team was following the safety precautions until the storm came along.

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Officials said the team won’t be able to resume practice until next week at the earliest.

The district said they will discuss whether the incident will cause them to reevaluate their plans.

"I know it's something our athletic team will be discussing. We try to plan for every possibility and think of all of the what ifs and this is one that will be discussed," a spokesperson said.

The district is set to start school next month, and as of now the first contact football practices are set to start on Aug. 1. Preseason competitions start on Aug. 12-15 with the first regular season games on Aug. 20.

But officials with the High School Athletic Association are set to meet Monday to finalize their plans.

Stay tuned to Channel 9 Eyewitness News for updates.


Sarah Wilson

Sarah Wilson, WFTV.com

Sarah Wilson joined WFTV Channel 9 in 2018 as a digital producer after working as an award-winning newspaper reporter for nearly a decade in various communities across Central Florida.