After letters from legislators in California were sent to Governor Gavin Newsom last, week playgrounds will be reopening in San Diego. Playgrounds were originally closed under the latest stay-at-home order but after much pushback, state health officials reversed their decision and playgrounds in San Diego plan to reopen soon.
“Playgrounds may remain open to facilitate physically distanced personal health and wellness through outdoor exercise,” state officials said in an update to the order issued for San Diego and other counties in the Southern California region. “Playgrounds located on schools that remain open for in-person instruction, and not accessible by the general public, may remain open and must follow guidance for schools and school-based programs.”
The calls for reopening were bipartisan, with current Mayor Kevin Faulconer, and Mayor-elect Todd Gloria both coming out against the rule.
Many believe that playgrounds are necessary for the mental and physical health of children.
“It’s difficult because my girls need to go out, they need to have a life,” said Jesse Aston-Smith, a father of two, as he watched his 8- and 10-year-old daughters spin around on playground equipment.
“The risk of playgrounds is mixed,” said Dr. Natasha Bhuyan, a family physician with One Medical, adding, “On the one hand, playgrounds are safer because they are outdoors, so they are an ideal place for children to play and have fun and there are ways to minimize the risk at playgrounds. On the other, children aren’t always wearing masks at the playground, children are interacting with others.”
This change to the coronavirus restrictions is very welcomed, but not enough. Southern California has had its small businesses closed, in-person dining banned, and private gatherings of any size prohibited, among other things. The region can not operate in this locked down state.
There should be a precedent set that people can make their own choice to go out, knowing the risk of COVID, and the government should play no part in that process. Florida and several other states have taken that approach. Unfortunately, California has moved in the exact opposite direction, infringing on our freedoms unlike anything we’ve seen in modern history. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito said the restrictions being put in place by some leaders around the country presented “previously unimaginable” restrictions on liberty.
