Saratoga, Schoharie counties reach positivity rate needed to allow ‘high’ risk high school sports

ERICA MILLER/THE DAILY GAZETTEMechanicville’s Charli Goverski with the ball against Canton’s Catherine Chisholm during the Class B basketball regional semifinals at Saratoga Springs High School on Tuesday, March 10, 2020. — PHOTOGRAPHER:

ERICA MILLER/THE DAILY GAZETTE
Mechanicville’s Charli Goverski with the ball against Canton’s Catherine Chisholm during the Class B basketball regional semifinals at Saratoga Springs High School on Tuesday, March 10, 2020.

Saratoga and Schoharie counties each met Wednesday its respective Department of Health guidelines regarding coronavirus positivity rates to allow for “high” risk high school winter sports – basketball, cheerleading, ice hockey and wrestling – to start.

That benchmark is to be at 4% or lower. According to the state’s website, the seven-day rolling average of coronavirus positivity rate in Saratoga County fell to 4.0% and Schoharie County dropped to 3.9%.

Schenectady County, which had already met the benchmark Monday, was at 3.7% on Wednesday.

Albany County has not yet met the established mark set by its respective department of health. Wednesday, it was at 5.1%.

Montgomery and Rensselaer, the two area counties that gave permission to “high” risk sports to begin fully Monday without needing to meet a positivity-rate level, were at 7.0% and 4.3%, respectively.