“Play” is being cautiously reopened for observation in the Coachella Valley

Restrictions Lifted On Some Healthy Outdoor Activities:

Running, hiking, biking, golf, tennis, equestrian sport and other non-contact outdoor activities are allowed — with social distancing.

Riverside County has decided to ease some coronavirus restrictions that have prevented people from enjoying certain outdoor activities like golf, tennis and access to open space.

Monday it was announced that private and public golf courses in Riverside County — previously forced to close because of the coronavirus pandemic — will now be allowed to operate, but with certain restrictions under a revised order.

The county further clarified that parks and trails will remain open, including parking lots. Social distancing and face coverings must be maintained at all times.Subscribe

Allowed outdoor activities include running, hiking, biking and equestrian activities and other non-contact outdoor activities such as tennis and golf.

“Play is being cautiously reopened for observation,” said Dr. Cameron Kaiser, Riverside County public health officer.

“After consulting with public health officials and local leadership, we have made modifications for golf and other forms of recreational activity, such as use of parks, trails and outdoor areas for hiking, biking, pickleball and tennis to resume,” said Board Chair V. Manuel Perez, Fourth District Supervisor. “With proper safety guidelines, our residents can benefit from healthy activities that promote physical exercise, wellness and behavioral health so long as physical distancing is practiced. We will continue to listen and base decisions on thorough review, best practices, data and science.”

Outdoor activities that remain prohibited include the use of picnic tables, playgrounds, team sports or other similar public events and gatherings, the county said.

—No in-person dining will be allowed at clubhouses.

The easing of restrictions may help promote healthful exercise among residents, and comes as some researchers from outside the region point to obesity as perhaps the biggest risk factor — outside of old age — in determining severe illness among COVID-19 patients.

As of Monday afternoon, the number of COVID-19 cases in Riverside County stands at 2,847 and deaths rose to 85. People who’ve recovered from the virus reached 700, but 236 patients are hospitalized with the illness — 76 of them in ICU. The county has conducted 30,693 COVID-19 tests.

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