Days after the varsity's 410-person marching band returned from its efficiency within the Match of Roses Parade final Saturday, an undisclosed variety of college students within the band and pupil physique at Homewood Excessive Faculty in Alabama examined optimistic for COVID early this week, prompting the varsity to modify to distant studying Tuesday.

An electronic mail from the varsity despatched to oldsters of the band members obtained by The Related Press didn't specify the variety of optimistic checks within the band or pupil physique at giant, however merely stated the varsity was deciding to modify to distant courses.

"We apologize for this late discover, however we now have continued to obtain further studies of optimistic circumstances this afternoon and night. We perceive this isn't preferrred, however we consider eLearning at HHS this week will restrict the doable publicity to anybody who could also be an in depth contact to the optimistic people," stated a be aware from superintendent Justin Hefner on the system's web site.

The band, marketed as the biggest highschool marching band in Alabama, had carried out 4 instances within the New Yr's Day parade in Pasadena, California earlier than accepting the invitation once more this 12 months.

The varsity stated the choice was motivated by an "unusually excessive" variety of COVID positives, the identical day the mother and father of band members have been notified of the positives among the many band.

COVID, Alabama High School Band, Rose Parade
Members of the Homewood Excessive Faculty Patriot Band from Homewood, Ala., carry out in the course of the 133rd Rose Parade in Pasadena, Calif., on Saturday. Members of the band have examined optimistic for COVID-19 since returning dwelling, and your complete faculty switched to digital courses due to an outbreak.Michael Owen Baker/Related Press File

The district doesn't launch COVID-19 case numbers by class or organizations, Merrick Wilson, a spokesperson for the Homewood faculty system in suburban Birmingham, stated Friday in response to The AP.

Wilson stated the district sends studies about COVID-19 circumstances to the Alabama Division of Public Well being, however officers with each the state and county well being departments stated they have been unaware of any drawback on the faculty.

Alabama has one of many nation's highest charges of optimistic outcomes on COVID-19 checks at practically 44 %, and that does not embody folks utilizing at-home checks. With greater than 16,580 useless from the sickness statewide, Alabama has the nation's third-highest COVID-19 loss of life fee, in response to researchers at Johns Hopkins College.

Hefner's public Twitter feed consists of images from the California journey that present band members and others in shut proximity on a bus and elsewhere and lots of not carrying face masks, that are really useful to stop the unfold of the coronavirus. Well being officers say social distancing and masks have develop into much more essential due to the omicron variant, which is extra contagious than earlier variations of the virus.

Sweet Carlson, communications director for the Match of Roses, stated the group was saddened to listen to about Homewood's circumstances although officers weren't given any info indicating these resulted from the band's journey to Pasadena.

"The current surge of COVID-19 on account of the omicron variant is regarding for all of us. Nevertheless, we're assured that our strict COVID-19 associated protocols enabled us to mitigate these impacts for our parade members and patrons," the assertion stated.

It added that of the greater than 6,500 members on this 12 months's parade, 91 % have been vaccinated and the opposite 9 % have been required to offer proof of a adverse check inside 72 hours of the occasion.

The Related Press contributed to this report.