Playing It Safe: Training School and Public Health Staff on Infectious Disease Prevention and Response for Student Athletes.

This article focuses on an infectious disease prevention and response training program developed by the New Jersey Department of Health's Daycares, Schools, and Higher Education (DSH) Team to support school nurses, athletic staff, and public health professionals in protecting the health of K–12 student athletes. The training, informed by statewide outbreak data and interviews with athletic staff, covered topics such as outbreak trends, common sport-related infectious diseases, transmission, reporting, exclusion timeframes, communication strategies, prevention, and case studies. Delivered via live virtual sessions in late 2023, the program received positive evaluations from 113 attendees, primarily public health staff and school nurses, who reported improved knowledge of infectious disease prevention and response strategies. The article highlights the importance of collaboration among school, athletic, and public health personnel and suggests the training as a potential model for other jurisdictions aiming to reduce infectious disease transmission in school sports settings.