Orange County has shut down youth sports leagues as coronavirus cases continue to surge in the area.
County Mayor Jerry Demings says the decision was made because ages 11 and younger are not yet authorized to receive the COVID-19 vaccine yet.
Demings says countywide recreational facilities and parks are still open.
“We know that this has disappointed nearly 1,100 boys and girls who take part in the sports leagues. But we can not take a chance with their welfare.”
Orange County Public Schools will continue to run its sports programs, as most of those programs involve children 12 and older.
Schools spokesperson Scott Howat says teams and staff are being closely monitored for coronavirus, "making sure that again, emphasizing, if athletes don’t feel well, don’t come to practice, don’t come to school, stay home.”
Howat says several games have already been canceled in the first week of school.
On Thursday, the prep football game scheduled between Edgewater and Seminole was canceled due to reports of unconfirmed COVID cases on the Edgewater team.
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