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Modified youth and recreational adult sports can start in SLO County on Friday 

Legislators ask governor to allow youth sports to resume

–Organized youth and adult sports with modifications may resume in San Luis Obispo County starting Friday, with some modifications based on guidance from the California Public Health Department.

The guidance applies to all organized youth and adult sports, including school, community programs, private clubs, and leagues. This change is possible because San Luis Obispo County’s COVID-19 case rate dropped below 14 cases per 100,000 – the state’s threshold for allowing these activities to return.

“Youth sports are important to our children’s physical and mental health, and our public health approach has worked to balance those benefits against COVID-19 risks,” said Dr. Tomás Aragón, CDPH Director and State Public Health Officer. “With case rates and hospitalizations declining across California, we are allowing outdoor competition to resume, with modifications and steps to reduce risk, in counties where case rates are lower.”

The updated guidance includes requirements that must be observed by all sports, including use of face coverings by observers and coaches, distancing between non-household members, limitations on spectators, limitations on tournaments, and other requirements.

It also includes requirements that must be followed when sports under the Orange Tier and Red Tier lists are played in counties in a more restrictive tier. This includes weekly testing for players and coaches in certain high-risk sports – like football, rugby and water polo – where players are likely to be unmasked, with close, face-to-face contact over a long period of time. Outdoor moderate-contact sports, such as baseball, cheerleading, volleyball, gymnastics and badminton, can be played without the testing requirement, but require informed consent.

For all sports listed under the Red and Orange Tiers, teams must provide information regarding risk to all parents/guardians of minors participating, and each parent must sign an informed consent indicating their understanding of the risks. For more information on examples of sports with different levels of contact and risk by tier view the updated guidance.

For more information, visit www.ReadySLO.org or call the recorded Public Health Information Line at (805) 788-2903. A staffed phone assistance center is available at (805) 543-2444 to assist with questions related to COVID-19 Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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The news staff of the Paso Robles Daily News wrote or edited this story from local contributors and press releases. The news staff can be reached at info@pasoroblesdailynews.com.