Lanphier HS cancels two football games due to COVID-19 cases

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) - Lanphier High School has canceled its Sept. 10 football game and the game for the following week due to COVID-19 cases in the program.

A District 186 statement said five students at the school tested positive through SHIELD surveillance testing. Four of those cases were on the football team.

The school said protocols required the Sept. 10 game against Normal U-High and the following week's game against Jacksonville to be canceled. Officials said they made the decision in collaboration with the Sangamon County Department of Public Health.

All five students were asymptomatic when they were tested.

"Vaccinated individuals from the football team who are asymptomatic will be able to continue to attend school," the district said. "The Lanphier football coaches will determine how they will proceed with practices based on the number of unaffected athletes."

Lanphier was the third of the district's high schools to do SHIELD testing during the week of Sept. 6. There were no cases at Springfield or Southeast detected through SHIELD surveillance testing.

Officials said unvaccinated athletes take part in SHIELD testing in order to proactively find asymptomatic and presymptomatic cases of COVID-19.