Outdoor Youth and Adult Recreational Sports Allowed with Safety Measures

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health or Public Health has confirmed 136 new deaths and 2,157 new cases of COVID-19. To date, Public Health identified 1,185,457 positive cases of COVID-19 across all areas of L.A. County and a total of 20,987 deaths.

As of Feb. 19, updated State guidance allows for all outdoor youth and adult recreational sports, including moderate contact and high contact sports, to resume practice, training and competitions in counties where the case rate is at or below 14 cases per 100,000 population, on Friday, Feb. 26. Since L.A. County’s adjusted case rate is now at 12.3 cases per 100,000, county protocols are being revised to align with the new State guidance. Moderate contact sports include: baseball, field hockey, softball, and volleyball, all outdoors, and high contact sports include:  football, basketball, rugby, soccer, and water polo, all outdoors.

The new State guidance requires youth leagues offering moderate and high-contact sports obtain consent from parents or guardians of participants to ensure they are aware of the risks of playing. Competitions are limited to two teams within a county or two teams playing from adjacent counties. Travel to other states and countries to play in competitions or tournaments is prohibited for counties still in the purple tier. Youth and Coaches who participate in certain high-contact sports – namely, football, rugby, and water polo –  are required to get tested on a weekly basis for COVID-19.  

These revised protocols cover all youth and adult recreational sports; schools, city leagues, and private clubs are all required to adhere to all the safety measures in the protocols.  A full list of sports and guidance is posted on www.publichealth.lacounty.gov.

To date, Public Health has confirmed a total of 18 cases of COVID-19 variant B.1.1.7 (U.K. variant), in Los Angeles County. Scientific research suggests COVID-19 vaccines are effective against the U.K. variant. Vaccine supplies are still limited. The local transmission of the potentially more infectious U.K. variant underscores the need for Los Angeles County residents to continue to use every tool that is available to prevent transmission, including not gathering with people you do not live with and distancing and masking when you are out of your home and around others. These measures limit the spread of the virus and known variants and can reduce the likelihood of a surge in cases due to this variant.