California Youth Sports Returns – NBC 7 San Diego

California public health officials loosened the rules for youth sports on Friday, allowing all outdoor sports to resume in counties where COVID-19 case rates are at or below 14 people per 100,000.

San Diego’s case rate, as of Tuesday, was 22.2.

The new guidance clears the way for sports like baseball, softball, gymnastics and cheerleading to resume Feb. 26 for at least 27 counties, including places that are in the most restrictive tier of the state’s virus designations.

High-contact outdoor sports like football, basketball and rugby can also resume under that standard, but only if all coaches and players 13 and older get tested once a week. Test results must be available within 24 hours of competition.

The rules apply to all organized sports for kids and adults, including schools and community-sponsored programs. It does not apply to collegiate or professional sports or “community events,” which include marathons and other endurance races.

The guidance requires all coaches and spectators to wear masks. It says athletes should wear masks when not participating, such as when they are sitting on the sidelines.

Twenty-seven counties currently have case rates at or below 14 people per 100,000. The largest is Santa Clara county, which includes the city of San Jose.

An additional 16 counties have case rates that could soon meet the new standard, including Los Angeles, San Diego, Sacramento and Fresno counties.

Dr. Tomas Aragon, director of the California Department of Public Health, said state officials loosened the rules because case rates and hospitalizations are declining across the state.

“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,” he said.

The news was welcomed by San Diego County Board of Supervisors Chair Nathan Fletcher, who released a statement on Friday that said, “We have seen considerable progress on vaccines and lower cases, and this is a positive step forward in our recovery. I applaud Governor Newsom and commend Ron Gladnick who has been a great partner in working with my office, the governor and our public health experts to see progress in the effort to let our kids play.”

Gladnick is the head football coach of Torrey Pines High School and has been a vocal advocate for letting youth sports resume. He sent a tweet thanking Fletcher, Supervisor Jim Desmond and former Republican candidate for governor John Cox for working across ideological lines on the issue.

“It’s awesome when people can put small differences aside to serve a higher purpose like kids,” he wrote.

The guidance encourages, but does not mandate, vaccinations for athletes, coaches and staff.

It also maintains previous guidance limiting spectators to immediate household members, with limits on overall numbers to ensure physical distancing.

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This story has been corrected to say the new rules for youth sports take effect Feb. 26.

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City News Service contributed to this report