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Dec. 9 (UPI) -- California on Wednesday reversed a measure that would have closed playgrounds as part of the state's stay-at-home order that began this week. The updated guidance declared that "playgrounds may remain open to facilitate physically distanced personal health and wellness through outdoor exercise," overturning previous rules which said playgrounds would be closed in areas where critical care service was strained due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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On Monday, residents in 11 counties in Southern California were placed under the new restrictions, which also closed bars, hair salons, museums, movie theaters and indoor recreational facilities.
Several state lawmakers sent a letter to California Gov. Gavin Newsom last week, warning that the rule would particularly impact low-income areas where many residents don't have outdoor spaces to take their children.
"While we must appropriately consider best practices to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission, we also must ensure the children across the state are not unfairly deprived of their opportunities for outdoor access and play," the letter stated.
San Francisco Mayor London Breed praised the decision in a series of tweets on Wednesday, saying playgrounds in the city would be open by Thursday, but urged parents visiting the facilities to practice proper COVID-19 safety procedures.
"I agree with this decision and it's important that people can safely exercise and be outdoors. But it is imperative that we continue to avoid gatherings with people you don't live with and wear a mask," Breed wrote. "We have to get this surge under control now before our hospitals are overrun."
