WESTFIELD – The Westfield-Amherst Friday night football game has been postponed due to the high-risk for Eastern Equine Encephalitis and West Nile Virus in the Amherst area. To avoid nighttime activity, school officials have moved the kickoff to Saturday at noon.
“We have to do our best to keep our kids safe,” Westfield athletic director Karen Gomez said. “Westfield will do the best to accommodate athletes and other school districts that are dealing with situations in their towns.”
In “high” or “critical” risk towns, high school sporting events will start no later than 4 p.m., with practices ending well before dusk, according to Gomez.
While away games may be affected, Westfield has no plans to alter its home slate yet.
“At this point we will be keeping our evening schedule unless otherwise directed by the superintendent,” she said.
School nurses are working closely with the city’s Health Department to stay on top of the outbreak, which is affecting all parts of the country. Bug spray is being made easily accessible, and all athletes are being made aware of the threat.
A press release on the EEE and WNV is expected to be issued from the local Health Department within the next 24 hours.
The state Department of Public Health recently announced the third human case of EEE in a Massachusetts resident, a female under the age of 18, and has since raised the threat level in many cities and towns across the state. All planned evening outdoor activities are discouraged in the affected areas until the season’s first hard frost.
