NEW ORLEANS — The city of New Orleans will reopen its parks and playgrounds and will resume high school and youth athletics starting today, Monday, Sept. 21, the city's medical director, Dr. Jennifer Avegno announced Monday.
The reopening will include restrictions and mandates on crowds and mask wearing as well as testing and hygiene protocols for athletes and sports staffs.
Avegno said that spectators would be limited to 25 percent capacity or 250 people, whichever is less, in an outdoor setting and 25 percent or 100 people, whichever is less, at indoor events.
The crowd limits would include marching bands and cheerleaders, if applicable. However, in a nod to the importance and tradition of the high school marching band, they will be allowed to be outside of the stadium, come on to the field to perform at halftime, and then leave again and not count against the limit inside the venue.
"Sports provide physical and mental health benefits to our young people," said Avegno. "(At this time) the benefits outweigh the risks."
Avegno also said a high priority would be placed on masks, sanitizing and hygiene, isolating athletes and their contacts, implementing a code of conduct to limit high-risk behavior by athletes when they are not on the field. Also a high priority is testing, though how often testing would be done was not laid out.
Avegno said the restrictions were to protect the athletes, but also "the staff that takes care of them and the family they go home to."
Last week, the LHSAA’s coronavirus task force made a recommendation to Cantrell about the immediate future of high school sports in Orleans Parish.
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