WASHINGTON — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advised Sunday that organizers should cancel large events of more than 50 people that are scheduled in the next eight weeks.
Among the events the CDC recommends be canceled are “conferences, festivals, parades, concerts, sporting events, weddings” and other similar group events.
“Events of any size should only be continued if they can be carried out with adherence to guidelines for protecting vulnerable populations, hand hygiene, and social distancing,” the CDC’s statement reads. “When feasible, organizers could modify events to be virtual.”
The CDC added that its advisory does not apply to places of business and schools.
While most American professional sports leagues had already suspended play for the time being, the CDC’s recommendations will likely further delay play. According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, NBA executives believed a “best-case” scenario for resuming the season was “mid-to-late June.”
Major League Baseball had hoped to begin its season April 9, but will likely need to further delay the start of its season due to the CDC’s newest recommendations.
