Playgrounds Stay Open: State Backtracks on Outdoor Play Area Ban
A cordoned off playground in South Central LA, on Dec. 8., 2020. Photo by Tash Kimmell for CalMatters.
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California has backpedaled on closing playgrounds as part of its stay-at-home order after parents and legislators argued that children need outdoor play for their health.
The updated state guidance, posted yesterday, states that “playgrounds may remain open to facilitate physically distanced personal health and wellness through outdoor exercise.” The California Department of Public Health had been defending last week’s order closing outdoor playgrounds in hard-hit coronavirus regions, saying it was intended to keep families from mixing with those outside their households.