What New CDC Mask Guidelines Mean for Youth Baseball

Baseball mask requirements might be changing soon.

On April 28, 2021, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the country’s top medical advisor, stated that “as the level of infection gets down [from vaccinations], you will see more liberal [CDC] guidelines.”

One day earlier, the CDC had announced that fully vaccinated people could gather outside without masks, except in certain crowded settings (think outdoor concert venue).

This would seem to suggest that the baseball mask requirements for players, coaches, and spectators will soon be coming to an end. Oh, if it were only that simple.

What the CDC Summer Camp Guidelines Mean for Baseball Mask Requirements

On April 19, 2021, just days before Dr. Fauci talked about loosening COVID-19 guidelines, the CDC issued its recommendations for summer camps, stating that “[w]hen possible, it, sports and athletic activities should be done outdoors, wearing a mask.”

The same report provided that in general: “[a]ll people in camp facilities should wear masks at all times with exceptions for . . . certain settings or activities, such as while eating and drinking or swimming.” (Emphasis in the original).  

While the guidelines do not specifically address youth sports outside of camps, they squared with the December 2020 Considerations for Youth Sports Administrators. The youth sports guidlines:

• Called for “the consistent and correct use of masks, by making sure that staff, athletes, and spectators are covering their noses and mouths.”
• Stated that “[a]thletes who do not consistently adhere to . . . mask wearing, and other prevention behaviors pose more risk to the team than those who consistently practiced these safety measures.”

Are We Going to Have to Wear Masks This Summer Baseball Season?

I spoke to Dr. Alexander K. Li, Deputy Chief Medical Officer for L.A. Care, the country’s largest public health plan, who said we shouldn’t read too much into the stringent camp deadlines.

“With camps,” Dr. Li said, “kids are not always going to be spaced out. And most kids are not going to be vaccinated, because kids aren’t yet eligible for the vaccine.”

With baseball, however, he didn’t see the same health issues. He said generally kids should not be required to wear masks when playing baseball because it’s spaced out, but it was “more questionable when [the kids were] on the bench.”

When asked about coaches and spectators, he said “[i]f a coach is vaccinated, and not on the bench, it’s okay not to wear a mask.”

Similarly, Dr. Li said vaccinated spectators shouldn’t be required to mask.

As for the mask rules officially changing, he said that we should expect to see less restrictions going into the summer.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE MASK RULES FOR YOUTH BASEBALL? LET US KNOW IN THE COMMENTS.

For a discussion about the epidemic of pitching-related injuries, see Why I Don’t Let My Son Pitch in Little League.