MDHHS updates epidemic order to allow indoor non-contact winter sports to begin on Jan. 16

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MDHHS updates epidemic order to allow indoor non-contact winter sports to begin on Jan. 16

By: MATTHEW B. MOWERY, January 13, 2021, 1:42 pm

As it seems to always happen, a bit of good news was leavened by a large dose of not-so-good.

In Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s Wednesday news conference at the Michigan Capitol with Michigan Department of Health and Human Services director Robert Gordon, they outlined an update to its epidemic order that subtly changed the landscape for winter high school sports.

Indoor, non-contact sports — gymnastics, swimming and diving, and bowling — can begin practice Saturday (Jan. 16) and competitions later this month, while the others that involve contact — competitive cheer, basketball, wrestling and hockey — will remain in a practice-only mode until the order’s expiration.

The order goes into effect on Jan. 16, and runs through Jan. 31, and the contact sports will be able to begin competition on Feb. 1.

The lone outdoor non-contact winter sport, skiing, had already been allowed to compete since December.

Swimming and diving may start competitions on Jan. 22, gymnastics and bowling on Jan. 25.

“Caution has worked for us in Michigan, and we are staying with our cautious approach today. … Much of the prior order remains in place … there is one change: In order to support physical and mental health, we’ll be permitting indoor athletics, provided there is distancing and masking,” Gordon said in the news conference. “Young people can practice sports in gyms, with distancing and masking. Playing those same sports competitively, if it involves contact, is not allowed.”

Masks will be required of all participants except when they are actively participating in gymnastics and swimming and diving, and — per MDHHS orders — crowds will be capped at 100 spectators in gymnasiums and 250 in stadiums and arenas.

With the change in the start dates for competition in the four contact sports, the Michigan High School Athletic Association is working on adjusting the tournament dates and season end points.

“We are glad to have three more sports join skiing in returning to full activity, but we understand the disappointment and frustration on the part of our athletes and coaches whose sports are not yet able to restart completely,” MHSAA executive director Mark Uyl said in a news release later Wednesday afternoon. “We will continue to adjust schedules to provide all of our winter teams as substantial an experience this season as possible, as part of our greater plan this school year to play all three seasons to conclusion.

“We have shown with our remaining Fall sports this month that our schools can participate safely, and we’re confident teams will continue to take all the appropriate precautions as we jump back into indoor Winter activities.”

Under the current pause, imposed by MDHHS order in November, and extended through the holidays, winter sports have been in a holding pattern until the extension of the pause was set to expire on Jan. 15, while the remaining fall postseasons — football, volleyball and girls swimming — have begun the process of completion under a pilot testing program created by the MDHHS.

Spring sports — and those fall teams not participating in the pilot program — may resume four-player workouts and conditioning on Jan. 16, but only non-contact activities.

Wednesday’s news conference also indicated that indoor group fitness classes could begin this weekend, while indoor dining — under yet-to-be-announced guidelines — may be able to open as soon as Feb. 1.

“We need to get this right. I think it’s important to always reiterate: The strengths that we have now, the goals we have made, the leadership position we’re in now is all very tenuous. It depends on all of us continuing to take this virus seriously. I know that the numbers are overwhelming, and this moment has been hard, but I was aghast when I saw the national reporting last night that we lost 4,300 people in one 24-hour period in this nation,” Whitmer said.

“We’re having a 9/11 event every day in this country. This virus is still a very real threat. So masking up, social distancing, hand-washing — these remain incredibly important tools that we have, and we hope people will continue to make sure that we’re using those tools, so we can open up more parts of our economy.”

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• MHSAA: Girls swim finals, volleyball postseason will resume Jan. 4 with testing, finish by Jan. 16 (Dec. 29)

• MHSAA unwraps plans to finish three fall postseasons by end of January; football practices resume Dec. 28, playoffs on Jan. 9 (Dec. 26)

• MHSAA announces adjusted start dates, postseason schedule for winter sports (Dec. 23)

• FALSE START: MHSAA halts resumption of fall sports until rapid-result testing can commence at end of December (Dec. 22)

• MDHHS antigen testing pilot program will allow MHSAA to restart fall postseasons and conclude by end of extended ‘pause’ (Dec. 18)

• No action taken at Wednesday’s meeting of MHSAA’s Representative Council, as association plans for resumption of pushed-back seasons (Dec. 9)

• MHSAA’s Uyl expresses frustration at Monday’s extension of ‘pause,’ lack of explanation for keeping high school sports halted (Dec. 8)

• MDHHS and Gov. Whitmer extend ‘pause’ for 12 more days to help slow spread of COVID-19 (Dec. 7)

• MHSAA’s Uyl optimistic high school sports will be able to resume next week, but still waiting on edge of his seat to find out for sure (Dec. 4)

• MHSAA’s Representative Council lays out initial plans for resuming fall postseasons in December (Nov. 18)

• With COVID-19 numbers quickly rising again, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, MDHHS shut down Michigan’s high school athletics again (Nov. 15)