Dr. Ngozi Ezike said on Friday that regions in Illinois that reach Phase 4 of COVID mitigations can play all sports. That includes higher-risk sports like basketball, football and wrestling.
Under the IDPH guidelines, regions in Phase 4 expands the level of play allowed for all sports to allow play at the intra-conference, region, or league levels.
Illinois High School Association representatives met with Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s office on Friday morning. While an IHSA statement is expected later this afternoon, there is no word yet on what this will mean for schedules for IHSA member school. The IHSA schedule released in 2020 had basketball season in early winter and football beginning Feb. 15.
While regions in the state continue to move toward Phase 4 of the Restore Illinois Plan, the risk of a resurgence, particularly with new variants such as the U.K. variant remains serious. The state urges all Illinois residents to continue following guidance aimed at reducing the spread of COVID-19, such as wearing a mask, reducing interactions outside the household, practicing social distancing, frequent hand washing, and receiving the COVID-19 vaccine when eligible.
IDPH will continue to closely monitor test positivity, ICU bed availability, and the number of people in the hospital with COVID-19. Should data show regions trending in the wrong direction, based on the established mitigation metrics, regions could once again find themselves in a higher tier with increased measures.
More to come as the story develops.
