CA OKs Drumline, Band Events In New COVID-19 Youth Sports Rules

CALIFORNIA — In yet another revision to coronavirus guidance for youth sports in California, the state gave a green light for bands, drumlines and similar activities to resume at games.

Band, drumline, choir and drama events are considered "low contact" activities and should follow all relevant recommendations, the state said Monday. This likely means that, for example, choir members may sing — an activity that was previously considered high transmission risk — so long as they are adequately spaced apart.

The guidelines are still being developed.

As the Golden State enters a new phase of the coronavirus pandemic with vaccinations on the rise and schools rapidly reopening, public health officials are scrambling to rewrite the rules. This is the third time officials have revised the youth sports guidance since it was first issued last week.

Last week, it initially said that sideline cheer, band and drumline events would not be allowed.

The Ayala High School cheer team in Chino Hills chanted "Let us cheer! Let us cheer!" in front of its school district office Thursday after learning about the new guidelines just hours before they were set to perform, KTLA reported.

Following outrage from parents, coaches and cheerleaders themselves, the state reversed the cheer ban just two days later.

Like their athletic counterparts, many cheerleading teams, choirs and school bands have been benched for a year amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The state also said Monday that guidance on observers for youth and adult sporting events is under review. The state said in February when it first allowed youth sports to return that youth sports observers should be limited to immediate household members.

Last week, the state revised the rule again to say that just one spectator per player would be allowed at youth games, the San Luis Obispo Tribune reported. The state will likely announce changes to the guidance this week.

"Entire families are now allowed to dine inside restaurants, check out indoor museums, and visit wineries and breweries," Assemblyman Jordan Cunningham told the Tribune. "Soon, they will even be able to watch their favorite professional sports teams play in person. But they won’t be able to go see their child compete in an outdoor youth sporting event?"

Los Angeles County — regarded as the state's coronavirus epicenter — said Friday it would not allow observers for any indoor youth or adult sporting event.

Young athletes were finally able to return to indoor play after a group of parents and athletes battled Gov. Gavin Newsom's office and state health officials.

READ MORE: Orange County Athletes Return To Sports Friday With Modifications

Indoor sports were able to resume earlier this month following a lawsuit. The settlement meant that indoor youth sports could return with testing in counties that report 14 or fewer new cases of COVID-19 per 100,000. That requirement still stands.

But if the rate rises in a county, teams will not be required to stop competing, the state said.

"With conditions improving in our state and testing more readily available, we can limit the risk of transmission across our state and in our communities when combined with strict adherence to wearing of face masks, physical distancing and limitations on inter-team competitions and tournaments," the state said in its updated youth sports guidance.

The state has continued to record a steady downturn in new coronavirus cases, paving the way for more reopenings across the state. On Tuesday, California reported 1,823 new cases of coronavirus and 51 newly recorded deaths.

More than 15 million vaccinations have been administered in the Golden State.

Read the full Q&A on youth sports from the state here.