Updated COVID-19 rules explained

Athletic Directors were given direction from the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union and the Iowa High School Athletic Association following Gov. Reynolds' Public Health Proclamation on December 16, 2020.

The proclamation language allows for the host of an event to allow two tickets for each athlete, participant, performer, etc. unless all ticket holders are from the same household.

If a family has two participants, they get two allotments and are not limited to a household. For example, an athlete participates in basketball and her brother is in the pep band. For one participant, the participant can invite the household; the other gets a maximum of two additional tickets.

If a participant has a divided household (i.e., the parents have joint custody), both halves of the family is part of the participant's household. They are both households for the participant, when viewed from the participant's vantage point.

The host school, as organizer, would be required for ensuring compliance with the language of the proclamation. In the case of an athletic event, the host school coordinates ticket requests for the visiting school.

A household includes those people who live/reside under the same roof as the player/participant/performer/coach, etc.

The student who is living in two homes due to a divorce or similar situation would be allowed to have tickets for members of both households.

Districts are only allowed to provide tickets to the members of the household that the athlete, performer, etc. reside under the same roof with or two tickets, but not both for one athlete. Thus a district cannot issue additional tickets to provide for grandparents.

How each district manages the ticketing process is in local control and host schools for athletic events are charged with following the guidance. The intent of allowing members of the household is to increase the number of spectators tied to one individual without substantially increasing the risk of spreading the virus. Two tickets did not cover entire families, nor provide options for divorce situations.

The two tickets that were previously allowed in all categories - athletes, performers, band members, cheerleaders, dance teams members, coaches - have now been expanded to include all members of the household for that individual.

Members of the same household may sit together, but must social distance from other households. Masks are still required. Nothing in the proclamation changed those requirements.

If schools/conferences wish to continue with the two spectator limit, they may do so as a school and or conference.

Spectators still need to leave after their child has competed or performed. The latest proclamation does not change that requirement.