B.C. Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry has banned all adult indoor and outdoor team sports in the province in attempt to cut down the spread of COVID-19. But the province is once again allowing kids dance classes.
The order, released on Thursday, prohibits recreational sports because of concerns people were carpooling to games together or gathering socially before, after or even during play.
The new rules come as part of the formal posting on restrictions associated with social gatherings in the province.
Dance classes, and other low intensity indoor activities, had originally been suspended. The youth dance classes are once again allowed with strict social distancing and other COVID-19 preventative measures in place. Adult dance classes are currently not allowed.
This comes following a recent trip by a B.C. oldtimers’ hockey team to Alberta which was responsible for dozens of cases of COVID-19, according to Henry.
Henry would only say the team was from the Interior, and that upon their return the virus spread into the community, leading to “dozens of people who are infected.”
Youth sports will now go back to viaSport’s Phase 2, which means games and scrimmages can no longer take place.
“We are putting additional restrictions on adult team sports indoors as we are recognizing that these are indeed higher risk activities as well. What we will be focusing on is structured programs or sport for children and youth, recognizing how important those are for our young people,” Henry said.
“And we’re working with viaSport to bring those back to the level two viaSport restart guidance that we have had in past.”
The ban includes organized and structured activity involving a number of participants, including basketball, cheerleading, combat sports, floor hockey, floor ringette, road hockey, ice hockey, ringette, netball, skating, soccer, curling, volleyball, indoor bowling, lawn bowling, lacrosse, hockey, ultimate, rugby, football, baseball and softball.
Curling and outdoor team sports like soccer are included in the order.
Swimming laps, tennis, skiing, golf and other individual sports are not restricted under the order.
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