Lexington/Richland District 5 is the latest school district to halt summer workouts as covid-19 cases continue to rise.

The district, which includes Chapin, Dutch Fork and Irmo High Schools, announced Sunday it would immediately suspend summer workouts and athletic activities at its schools due to a spike in positive covid-19 (coronavirus) cases in the area. 

This action is out of an abundance of caution, and the district will continue to monitor the situation before announcing a return (practice/workout) date for student-athletes.  

“We are being proactive and keeping the safety of our student-athletes and staff at the forefront,” District Five Director of Secondary Education Al Pressley said in the statement. “Like other districts and groups, we will continue to monitor the situation, work closely with state officials and make the best decisions possible.”  

Voluntary workouts began June 22 at the respective high school facilities. The district followed the guidelines set by the South Carolina High School League (SCHSL) which were now made requirements following this past Thursday’s meeting.

In addition, fines were put in place by the SCHSL for schools which did not follow the guidelines.