Connecticut high school hockey and basketball will be played in masks this winter, and several "high risk" sports, like wrestling, have been cancelled for the rest of 2020.
The significant restrictions ordered by Gov. Ned Lamont on Thursday reflect public health officials' grave concerns about community spread of the COVID-19 virus. More than half of the state is now under a public health "red alert" and, on Thursday, the U.S. set another single-day record for new cases (more than 120,000).
"We have a ways to go here," said Acting Department of Public Health (DPH) Commissioner Dr. Deidre Gifford, "We need to take these steps now to turn this increase around, but it's likely that we will continue too see these cases into December."
The governor's latest order includes a ban on high school teams taking part in interstate tournaments, home or away.
In a separate but related move, the CIAC postponed the start of the winter sports season. It was to start late this month. No new date has been announced.