Updated: 5/13/22

As the 2021/22 school year and the FIRST season winds down, FIRST New Hampshire Robotics (FIRST NH) has updated the guidelines for all remaining FIRST LEGO League (FLL) and FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) events conducted in New Hampshire. While we are clearly not out of the woods as it relates to the spread of COVID-19 within our state, the general public and society as a whole has moved to a “masks optional” posture in most situations, including our schools. As such, FIRST NH will follow suit and eliminate the mandatory mask requirement for our remaining events for the 2021/22 season.

The guidelines are as follows:

• All US CDC guidelines in effect on the date of the event will be followed. Refer to Guidance for COVID-19 Prevention in K-12 Schools and Guidance for Quarantine & Isolation for up to date guidelines released by the CDC.
• Any specific guidelines stipulated by the event venue and/or host organization will be followed, including any venue/host policy requiring visitors to wear masks.
• Masks are now optional, yet still encouraged for our participants. And, pursuant to the CDC guidelines, anyone who has been exposed to someone with COVID-19 is asked to wear a well-fitting mask for 10 days past that exposure to minimize the risk of further transmission.
• Spectators are once again welcome to attend any NH FIRST event, though FIRST NH retains the right to limit the number of visitors beyond the participating team members should there be a need to reduce the number of people in an indoor facility.
• Any team member, student or adult, who has contracted COVID-19 must be symptom free and 10 days past when symptoms first appeared before participating with their team at a FIRST NH event.
• Any team member, student or adult, who has tested positive for COVID-19, but is asymptomatic, must remain symptom free and 10 days past the positive test before participating with their team at a FIRST NH event.
• Any team member, student or adult, who has been in close contact with someone who has COVID-19 must provide a negative test taken 5-7 days after the contact before participating with their team at a FIRST NH event.

Questions regarding these guidelines or anything related to the FIRST NH handling of events this season should be directed via email to info@firstnh.org.

These guidelines may be updated as the COVID-19 impact changes within our state and local communities. 

Frequently Asked Questions:

What happens if a team member (student or adult) has COVID or tests positive for COVID? Can they attend a competition or scrimmage event?

No, any student or adult team member who has COVID-19 symptoms or tests positive for COVID-19 cannot attend any organized FIRST NH event. The team member must be symptom free and 10 days past the day when symptoms first appeared or when the positive test was taken before participating in a FIRST NH event.

Is a team allowed to participate in a competition or scrimmage event if at least one team member has COVID or tests positive for COVID?

Yes, a team may participate in a FIRST NH event. However, any team member who was in close contact with any person who has COVID-19 must provide a negative COVID-19 test taken 5-7 days after the contact exposure before being allowed to participate with the team at the event.

What is defined as a “close contact” with someone who has COVID-19?

The CDC defines close contact as being less than 6 feet away from a person who has COVID-19 for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period. For example, three individual 5-minute exposures for a total of 15 minutes would constitute a close contact.