Zach Pangaro plays basketball with his friend, Robert Murphy, at the Owasco playground court in Owasco on Monday. Cayuga County has ordered all athletic fields and courts and playgrounds to be closed by Wednesday in an attempt to limit spread of the coronavirus.
Kevin Rivoli, 水果派AV
People enjoy a sunny day at Emerson Park in Auburn during the coronavirus pandemic.
Kevin Rivoli, 水果派AV
St. Francis Playground is deserted March 25 in Auburn.
In the latest local effort to enforce social distancing during the coronavirus pandemic, Cayuga County has issued an emergency order closing all of its playgrounds, athletic courts and sporting fields, according to city and school district officials.
In a news release Monday that was the first public announcement of the county's order, the city of Auburn and the Auburn Enlarged City School District announced immediate closures of their facilities and several new measures to reduce crowds at their parks and playgrounds.
According to a copy of the county order provided by the city, the countywide order goes into effect Wednesday, April 8. It also states that public park visitors should maintain a distance of at least 6 feet from others.
Along with closing all playgrounds and their equipment, athletic courts and sporting fields in accordance with the county's order, the city and district are cancelling all public programs and events at city parks, and closing all indoor park facilities.
The city and the district encourage those who visit parks to follow the basic guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on hand-washing, social distancing, avoiding contact with surfaces and staying home if sick or showing any symptoms of the coronavirus.聽
Additionally, the city and the district encourage park visitors to stay close to home and keep visits short, stick to small groups of immediate household members, avoid games and activities that require close contact (like basketball, football or soccer), avoid sharing equipment like balls or Frisbees, and choosing a different park or a different time of day to visit if crowds are already present.
Zach Pangaro plays basketball with his friend, Robert Murphy, at the Owasco playground court in Owasco on Monday. Cayuga County has ordered all athletic fields and courts and playgrounds to be closed by Wednesday in an attempt to limit spread of the coronavirus.
