ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – All Orange County-run youth sports leagues, including practice and games, are suspended beginning Thursday until further notice, the Orange County Mayor announced.
Demings said nearly 1,100 boys and girls take part in the county sports league but with the recent rise in COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths officials are attempting to limit exposure to unvaccinated youths.
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“Due to the spike in the COVID cases and the fact that our residents ages 11 and under are not eligible for a vaccine, all county-run youth sports leagues, including games and practices, are suspended until further notice,” Demings said.
While this will be disappointing to the children who play sports Demings said the decision was made because “we cannot take a chance with their welfare.”
The county posted a notice at OrangeCountyfl.net on Thursday notifying families of the change.
All county parks remain open but recreation centers are operating at limited capacity.
Last year, the county closed parks and playgrounds during the initial wave of COVID-19 cases in Florida. Now, the delta variant is fueling a new surge in cases, overwhelming local hospitals.