Andrea Macko reports in Porcupine Soup that even with Greene County’s seven-day rolling positivity rate for COVID-19 at five percent, above the state's four percent threshold, the boards of education in both Greenville and Cairo-Durham are bringing back high-risk sports. Basketball, competitive cheering, wrestling, and volleyball will resume soon in those schools. On Feb. 8, Albany County also allowed high-risk sports, but the positivity rate there had fallen below the four percent threshold. “I, myself, would prefer a more cautious approach, but the way the guidelines are written, this can happen today,” Albany County Health Commissioner Dr. Elizabeth Whalen said. Greene County Public Health Director Kimberly Kaplan said, “The resumption of these activities does not mean that they are safe or without risk.” And while the Cairo-Durham and Greenville school officials can allow the high-risk sports even when the positivity rate is still elevated, they cannot make anyone referee the games. “There are a lot of officials who are opting out of officiating this season,” said Greenville's Athletic Director Denise Wickham. “Our priority is on the varsity level, to get those games covered first.” Read more about this story in Porcupine Soup.