Maine CDC investigates potential COVID-19 exposure to hundreds of hockey players
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INTO CONTACT WITH AS MANY AS 400 PLAYERS. (PHIL ON CAM) THE MAINE C-D-C IS INVESTIGATING THE HOCKEY GAMES PLAYED LAST WEEKEND IN THREE PLACES — LACONIA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, THE BIDDEFORD ICE ARENA, AND HERE, AT NORTH YARMOUTH ACADEMY. (VO 1: NYA CAMPUS…RINK EXTERIORS, SIGNS IN FRONT DOOR) NORTH YARMOUTH ACADEMY IS A PRIVATE SCHOOL WHOSE HOCKEY TEAM IS NOT SCHEDULED TO PLAY OR PRACTICE AT THIS RINK UNTIL NEXT MONTH…WHEN THE SEASON WILL BEGIN, IF THE MAINE PRINCIPALS ASSOCIATION GIVES IT THE GREEN LIGHT. THE RINK HAS STRICT PROTOCOLS – TEMPERATURE CHECKS BEFORE ENTERING, MASKS REQUIRED EXCEPT WHEN ON THE ICE, NO LOCKER ROOM USAGE, AND NO SPECTATORS.N-Y- A’S HEAD OF SCHOOL TELLS ME THE GAME LAST SUNDAY WAS áNOTá A STUDENT GAME BUT A MEN’S LEAGUE GAME HANDLED BY THE INFECTED MAINE REFEREE. (SOT UNUSED DR. NIRAV SHAH – DIRECTOR, MAINE CDC @ 7:15 ONLINE OR @ :21 CAPTURE) “THIS IS AN INDIVIDUAL WHO WAS ON THE ICE AS A REFEREE FOR A TOTAL OF EIGHT GAMES OVER A TWO-DAY PERIOD.” (VO 2: BIDDEFORD ARENA) SIX OF THOSE GAMES WERE PLAYED AT THE BIDDEFORD RINK, HOME TO THE “MAINE WILD” YOUTH HOCKEY ASSOCIATION. (SOT UN-USED BRAD CHURCH ZOOM CROPPED, 7:10) “THE REFEREES HAVE NOT BEEN WEARING MASKS ON THE ICE, AND NEITHER HAVE THE PLAYERS.” (VO 3: BIDDEFORD RINK) THE MAINE C-D-C SAYS SO FAR, NO OTHER CASES HAVE BEEN EPIDEMIOLOGICALLY LINKED TO THE ONE REFEREE, BUT INVESTIGATIONS OF HUNDREDS OF POTENTIAL CLOSE CONTACTS, YOUTH AND ADULTS, ARE ONGOING. (VO 4: WMUR/EXETER ARENA) IN ADDITION TO THE LACONIA RINK, NEW HAMPSHIRE HEALTH OFFICIALS ARE INVESTIGATING MORE THAN A DOZEN CORONAVIRUS CASES ASSOCIATED WITH RINKS IN EXETER… CHECKING WITH HOCKEY TEAMS THERE WHO MIGHT HAVE BEEN EXPOSED. (AUBURN ARENA EXTERIOR…TEAM BUS) TODAY, AT THE NORWAY SAVINGS BANK ARENA, IN AUBURN, THE TWIN CITY THUNDER YOUTH TEAM WAS PRACTICING. (SOT ALEX RIVET, PLAYER, TWIN CITY THUNDER, 2:36) “EVERYONE ON THE TEAM HAS A RESPONSIBILITY, KEEP TAKING THE PRECAUTIONS, SO WE’RE ABLE TO PLAY.” (SOT DEREK HESSINGER, PLAYER, TWIN CITY THUNDER, 1:33) “HERE, WE’VE BEEN TAKING TEMPERATURES, SOCIAL DISTANCING, YOU HAVE TO WEAR MASKS ALL THE TIME.” (VO 5: PLAYER EXITS) THE PLAYERS IN TWO LOCKER ROOMS. (SOT DEREK, 1:58) “THAT JUST GIVES US MO
Maine CDC investigates potential COVID-19 exposure to hundreds of hockey players
The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention continues to investigate the potential exposure of hundreds of hockey players after a referee tested positive.State health officials said the referee was at eight games played at the Biddeford Ice Arena, North Yarmouth Academy and a rink in Laconia, New Hampshire.Maine CDC Director Dr. Nirav Shah said the referee was at the Biddeford Ice Arena on Oct. 3 for the 8:35 a.m. and 10:05 a.m. games.He said the referee was at the Merrill Fay Arena in Laconia, New Hampshire, on Oct. 3 for the 5:45 p.m. game.The referee was also at the Biddeford Ice Arena on Oct. 4 for the 7:40 a.m., 9:20 a.m., 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. games.Shah said the referee was also at North Yarmouth Academy on Oct. 4 from 6:30 p.m. until 10:15 p.m.The head of school for North Yarmouth Academy said the game at its facility on Oct. 4 was a men’s league game.He said the rink has strict protocols that include temperature checks before entering, a mask requirement except when on the ice, no locker room usage and no spectators.Six of the games were played at the Biddeford Ice Arena, which is home to the Maine Wild youth hockey association.”The referees have not been wearing masks on the ice, and neither have the players,” Maine Wild Director of Operations Brad Church said.The Maine CDC said as of Friday, no other cases of coronavirus have been linked to the referee, but investigations of hundreds of potential close contacts, including youth and adults, are ongoing.In addition to the Laconia rink, New Hampshire health officials are investigating more than a dozen coronavirus cases associated with rinks in Exeter. They are checking with hockey teams that might have had players exposed.At the Norway Savings Bank Arena in Auburn, which is not connected to the referee, the Twin City Thunder youth team was practicing Friday.
The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention continues to investigate the potential exposure of hundreds of hockey players after a referee tested positive.
State health officials said the referee was at eight games played at the Biddeford Ice Arena, North Yarmouth Academy and a rink in Laconia, New Hampshire.
Maine CDC Director Dr. Nirav Shah said the referee was at the Biddeford Ice Arena on Oct. 3 for the 8:35 a.m. and 10:05 a.m. games.
He said the referee was at the Merrill Fay Arena in Laconia, New Hampshire, on Oct. 3 for the 5:45 p.m. game.
The referee was also at the Biddeford Ice Arena on Oct. 4 for the 7:40 a.m., 9:20 a.m., 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. games.
Shah said the referee was also at North Yarmouth Academy on Oct. 4 from 6:30 p.m. until 10:15 p.m.
The head of school for North Yarmouth Academy said the game at its facility on Oct. 4 was a men’s league game.
He said the rink has strict protocols that include temperature checks before entering, a mask requirement except when on the ice, no locker room usage and no spectators.
Six of the games were played at the Biddeford Ice Arena, which is home to the Maine Wild youth hockey association.
“The referees have not been wearing masks on the ice, and neither have the players,” Maine Wild Director of Operations Brad Church said.
The Maine CDC said as of Friday, no other cases of coronavirus have been linked to the referee, but investigations of hundreds of potential close contacts, including youth and adults, are ongoing.
In addition to the Laconia rink, New Hampshire health officials are investigating more than a dozen coronavirus cases associated with rinks in Exeter. They are checking with hockey teams that might have had players exposed.
At the Norway Savings Bank Arena in Auburn, which is not connected to the referee, the Twin City Thunder youth team was practicing Friday.
