Palm Beach Co. has new playground rules

Palm Beach County-run playgrounds and recreational facilities, which have been closed since March due to the coronavirus, are now open for use with some restrictions.

That includes water fountains, campgrounds, skate parks, sports facilities and adult sports leagues. According to county guidelines:

■ Skate parks and bicycle tracks may be open with supervision, which is up to park management.

■ All park playgrounds, water playgrounds, play and exercise equipment may be open.

■ Water fountains may be open.

■ Volleyball courts may be open.

■ Campgrounds may begin taking reservations for stays on or after Oct. 1.

■ Supervised sports facilities with lights may be open after sunset.

■ Adult sports activities and leagues are permitted.

The CDC says outdoor areas require less routine cleaning and disinfection than indoor spaces, according to a county news release. Because playgrounds are high-touch facilities, parks department personnel will clean the play areas and equipment in the morning and another time during the day, the release said.

Park restrooms will be open and fully stocked with soap and water, and portable hand washing stations will be available at parks that lack restrooms, the release said.

Kids shouldn’t play on the playground if they’re sick, and signs will be posted reminding them to stay socially distanced, wash their hands frequently and wear a mask if they can. The release does not say how or whether the reminders will be enforced.

Momentum keeps mounting for Palm Beach County to move into a Phase 2 of reopening from COVID-19. A Phase 2 reopening would mark the next stage, further loosening restrictions and allowing certain businesses and retail estab

lishments to operate at reduced capacities. A date hasn’t been decided for Phase 2, but the county’s reopening plans have kept growing as the rate of new cases and hospitalizations declines.

Over the past two weeks, Palm Beach County has experienced a downward trend in COVID-19 cases, leading to increased discussion of entering Phase 2.

Health experts say leaders should wait at least a month to consider reopening — and that’s assuming the downward trend of cases holds and the positivity rate continues falling.

While Miami-Dade is still in Phase 1, county officials on Tuesday gave the green light for restaurant dining rooms to reopen on Aug. 31.

Broward Mayor Dale Holness on Tuesday said the county isn’t ready yet for reopened playgrounds, because it still needs to see sustained lows with the spread of COVID.

“We still have to be cautious so we don’t open too early,” he said. “We aren’t there quite yet.”