Central Coast COVID-19: Maps, tiers, case numbers and everything else you need to know Share Updated: 4:31 PM PDT Mar 25, 2021 Share Updated: 4:31 PM PDT Mar 25, 2021 Hide Transcript Show Transcript DAN GREEN IS OFF TONIGHT. WE ARE BEGINNING TONIGHT WITH EFFORTS TO GET KIDS IN CALIFORNIA BACK IN CLASSROOMS AND ON THE FIELD... THE STATE LOOSENING THE RULES ON YOUTH SPORTS.... CLEARNING THE WAY FOR SPORTS LIKE BASEBALL, SOFTBALL AND FOOTBALL TO RESUME AS EARLY AS NEXT WEEK. THE GOVERNOR WAS JOINED BY SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS PLAYER ARIK ARMSTEAD WHO TALKED ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF YOUTH SPORTS. 10 38 16 THEY NEED THE CAMERADERIE THEY NEED TO BE AROUND THEIR FRIENDS THEY NEED IT FOR HEALTH BOTH MENTALLY AND PHYSICALLY 10 38 25 OUR SPORTS ANCHOR DREA BLACKWELL JOINS US NOW WITH MORE INFORMATION ON TODAY'S DECISION AND HOW IT WILL AFFECT SCHOOLS AND STUDENT- ATHLETES ON THE CENTRAL COAST. ### CALIFORNIA ...STUDENT- ATHLETES....HAVE BEEN ON THE SIDELINES FOR NEARLY A YEAR. TODAY'S ANNOUNCEMENT...IS A BIG STEP FORWARD ....FOR SCHOOLS AROUND THE STATE.... BUT - SOME WILL BE GETTING ON THE FIELD....SOONER THAN OTHERS. HERE ARE SOME...OF THE SPORTS ...THAT COULD COME BACK....AS SOON ...AS NEXT WEEK. BASEBALL...SOFTBALL.... FOOTBALL...LACROSSE.... SOCCER AND WATER POLO... BUT - IT ALL DEPENDS ON A COUNTY'S COVID- 19....CASE RATE. THAT NUMBER MUST BE BELOW....14 CASES....PER 100- THOUSAND PEOPLE....IN ORDER FOR A COUNTY TO BRING BACK... CONTACT SPORTS. THERE IS SOME CONFUSION...THOUGH ....ON THOSE NUMBERS. THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA....HAS ONE NUMBER... AND OUR LOCAL COUNTIES...HAVE A DIFFERENT ONE. THE SCHOOLS...HAVE TOLD ME...THEY ARE FOLLOWING THE GUIDENCE OF THE COUNTY. RIGHT NOW - NONE OF OUR LOCAL COUNTIES....REACH THAT....MARK.... HOWEVER - THE CASE RATES....LOCALLY HAVE BEEN TRENDING DOWN. SO - WE COULD SEE MORE SPORTS RETURN IN THE COMING WEEKS... IF THAT TREND CONTINUES. SANTA CRUZ COUNTY...IS THE CLOSEST...TO HITTING THAT MARK....AND BRINGING BACK OUTDOOR...CONTACT SPORTS...AFTER ELEVEN MONTHS OF WAITING. ### 3:39 FOR US IN SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT PROBABLY TWO WEEKS. WE HAD EARMARKED THE MIDDLE OF MARCH FOR A TENTATIVE DATE FOR THE BEGINNING OF OUR FOOTBALL SEASON. SO WE ACTUALLY HAVE ALL OF OUR SCHEDULES SET FOR ALL OF OUR SPORTS FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR. FOOTBALL...IS ONE OF THE SPORTS...THAT COULD RETURN UNDER THESE NEW GUIDELINES... BUT - THERE ARE áSPECIFIC RULES...FOR FOOTBALL. BECAUSE OF THE LEVEL OF CONTACT - THE STATE IS REQUIRING THAT ALL FOOTBALL PLAYERS AND COACHES... BE TESTED FOR THE CORONAVIRUS....EVERY WEEK. TEST RESULTS MUST BE IN ...BY GAME DAY. THE STATE SAYS THEY WILL HELP COVER THE COST. ### I AM INCREDIBLY EXCITED. WE HAVE BEEN WAITING A LONG TIME FOR THIS. IT HAS BEEN SUCH A LONG TIME SINCE OUR KIDS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO COMPETE. THIS IS A BIG OPPORTUNITY FOR US BUT WE STILL HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO. WE GOTTA MAKE SURE AS COACHES, THAT WE ARE PROPERLY FOLLOWING THE PROTOCOLS BECAUSE OUR NUMBER ONE RESPONSIBILITY AS EDUCATORS AND COACHES IS TO PROTECT OUR KIDS. COUNTIES ....THAT MEET THE ....CASE RATE THRESHOLD.... CAN BEGIN PRACTICING OUTDOOR...CONTACT SPORTS ON FEBRUARY 26TH. IF ANY OF OUR LOCAL COUNTIES...REACH THAT MARK...IN THE COMING WEEKS... THEY WOULD THEN ....BE GIVEN THE GREEN LIGHT ....TO START PRACTICE. ### ANNOUNCEMENT WAS FOR OUTDOOR SPORTS... WHAT IS THE OUTLOOK FOR INDOOR SPORTS AND WHEN THEY COULD RETURN TO PLAY? IT IS GOING TO TAKE SOME TIME. INDOOR SPORTS ARE CONSIDERED...RISKIER THAN OUTDOOR SPORTS...BECAUSE OF THE CLOSE CONTACT...AND THE RISK OF SPREADING THE VIRUS. SO - RIGHT NOW - THERE IS NO TIMELINE....ON WHEN THEY WILL RETURN. BUT - THE BEST PATH...IS TO KEEP SEEING CASES DROP... AND COUNTIES MOVE INTO LESS RESTRICTIVE TIERS. ###