Too much socializing has brought a temporary end to adult team sports in B.C.

The provincial health officer banned all indoor and outdoor adult team sports today as B.C. battles with rising numbers of COVID-19 cases.

Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry imposed the ban after adult hockey teams brought COVID-19 back from road trips.

“What we have seen in the past few weeks to months is that 10 to 15 per cent of cases have been related to physical fitness and sports activities,” Dr. Henry said. “And that’s an underestimation. Those are the ones that we know and have linked.”

Socialization before and after the games have been key to spreading the virus. She noted that there have been, for example, transmission at tennis clubs. Not from the playing but from the interactions between players before and after.

READ MORE: B.C. Interior hockey team brings COVID-19 back from Alberta, spread it in community

Youth activities can continue but must focus on practice and drills, not games.

She said adults cans still be active and stay fit without team sports.

“I encourage everybody to go out with one or two of your friends – go for a run, go for a walk,” Dr. Henry said. “There are sports like tennis, like swimming, like golf, where people can still participate and maintain their safe distances.

“It’s the locker room. It’s the before or the after, it’s going for a coffee or a beer after the game that has seen the most source of transmission, but sometimes it’s very difficult because much of that is built into the culture of adult team sports.”

The new rules will be in place for some weeks to come, she said.

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