Masks required for indoor sports, performances and events in latest SLO County guidelines
.jpg "SLO County Public Health Department has ordered mandatory mask wearing indoors, regardless of vaccine status.")
Nearly everyone who performs or competes indoors must wear masks under updated San Luis Obispo County guidance to limit the spread of COVID-19.
The updated rules, announced in a county news release, affect — among others — all singers, wind and brass musicians as well as athletes competing in most indoor sports.
“Following these requirements and best practices is key to keeping our community safe and open during this surge (of coronavirus cases),” Public Health Officer Dr. Penny Borenstein said in the release.
“Vaccination continues to be our best path out of the pandemic. Until we get there, masking, testing and other common-sense precautions make it possible for us to more safely continue the activities we love, like sports and performance arts.”
Masks required for indoor youth activities
Organizations that offer youth sports, including public schools, private schools, leagues, clubs and more, must require athletes to wear masks while playing indoors whether or not they’re vaccinated, according to the county.
“Any face mask that becomes wet or saturated with sweat must be replaced immediately,” the news release read.
Youth athletes don’t need to wear a mask indoors in the following situations:
Competitive cheer involving tumbling, stunting, flying, spotting, or building
Gymnastics involving fixed apparatus or aerials
Wrestling
Water sports
Masks are a safety hazard in those situations, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. When the athlete finishes the activity, they must immediately put their mask back on.
All players and staff involved in those mask-less activities must get a coronavirus test once a week with PCR or antigen testing, the news release said.
New mask rules apply to performing arts, too.
All performers must wear a mask indoors, and singers and wind musicians and must stay 6 feet apart from other performers. In addition, “specialized masks for performers may be worn only while actively performing and must be replaced with a standard mask at all other times indoors,” the news release said.
Wind or brass musicians must use bell covers on the instruments.
The county recommended that organizations move all indoor activities outdoors, place singers and wind instrument musicians 12 feet away from other performers, prohibit the use of indoor showers and saunas in locker rooms, “conduct weekly screening testing of all unvaccinated participants” and require mask-wearing outdoors when “in a crowded setting,” according to the release.
The county listed a few best practices for youth activities:
- Encourage vaccination.
- Only drive with people from a single household.
- Participants with symptoms should be tested immediately for coronavirus and “excluded from participation” until they test negative for the virus.
- If a participant tests positive for coronavirus, all close contacts should get tested, and unvaccinated contacts should quarantine.
Adults must mask, too, while performing indoors
All adult performers must wear a mask indoors whether or not they’re vaccinated. They can only wear specialized masks while “actively performing,” the news release read.
Like youth musicians, adult musicians must use bell covers on wind or brass instruments.
The County Public Heath Department recommended that venues “implement universal masking of audience in crowded outdoor spaces,” but it’s not required.
Masks required at indoor, some large outdoor events
Masks are required at all indoor events regardless of size, including sporting events, rallies, parties, fundraisers and more.
At indoor events with less than 1,000 guests, the county recommended that venues provide an outdoor eating and drinking area, open windows and doors to improve ventilation, and require guests and staff to present proof of vaccination or a negative coronavirus test upon entry, according to a news release.
At indoor mega-events, which is an event with more than 1,000 people, guests must show proof of vaccination or a negative coronavirus test taken within 72 hours of the event. The county recommended that venues provide masks for guests, an outdoor area for eating and drinking and open windows to improve ventilation.
For outdoor events with less than 10,000 people, guests must wear masks when they enter an indoor area like restrooms or restaurants.
Guests are required to wear masks at outdoor events with more than 10,000 people in attendance.
This story was originally published September 18, 2021 at 4:36 PM.
