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Tennessee releases new guidance on sports, summer camps & higher education

All of the activities that are allowed to resume must follow safety guidance to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Noncontact sports, camps, and higher education can resume in most Tennessee counties under new guidelines issued by the State of Tennessee.

Governor Bill Lee’s Economic Recovery Group issued new guidelines for the same resumption of those activities under the Tennessee Pledge in 89 of 95 counties. Larger metro areas like Knox County were allowed to make their own reopening plans.

Under Executive Order No. 38 issued May 22, noncontact sports may resume with certain precautions, including social distancing, wearing masks when feasible and adding sanitization measures. They include but aren't limited to baseball, softball, volleyball, golf and tennis. 

Sports like football and wrestling are still not allowed except for practice that limits physical contact with others. 

The guidance also advises limiting the size of crowds at the athletic activities, no shared food or drinks for players, and not using a locker room. You can read the full guidance here.

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RELATED: What can reopen under Phase 2 of Knox County's reopening plan?

RELATED: Knox Co. athletic teams can practice at county parks, but no games allowed

Knox County's phase 2 guidance does allow for sports practice but not games at this time.

As for summer camps, overnight stays are now allowed with additional protective measures including pre-screening measures, limited mixing of campers and staff and modified sleeping arrangements. The full details are here.

Colleges and universities can reopen while complying with a number of enhanced safety precautions. They must establish policies for on-campus housing, how to isolate and care for sick students and staff and limit the number of students for in-person classes. The guidance was created by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission in partnership with state colleges and universities and related associations and the Unified Command and can be found here.

RELATED: UT's fall semester will be shorter but with fewer breaks

“We’re able to continue reopening our state thanks to the sustained efforts by Tennesseans to social distance and mitigate the spread of COVID-19,” said Gov. Lee.  “It’s important we continue to take personal responsibility for our health and the health of our neighbors, while recognizing and honoring the need for Tennesseans to get back to work and support their families.”

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