Waterloo Region’s top doctor has issued a decree that bars all those over the age of 18 who are not fully vaccinated from entering sports facilities.

On Sept. 1, Ontario Premier Doug Ford unveiled a vaccine passport pan that included all sporting facilities but his government made an exception for youth sports.

This included those under the age of 18 as well as coaches, instructors, trainers and referees.

A couple of days later, the Ontario Minor Hockey Association declared that all those who were eligible to vaccinated had to be vaccinated, although others, including Skate Ontario and Basketball Ontario, did not follow in their footsteps.

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On Wednesday, medical officer of health Dr. Hsiu-Li Wang issued the decree, closing the loophole for coaches, referees and volunteers.

“Delta continues to circulate in our community and it is highly transmissible,” she said in a statement.

“Given that individuals such as coaches, officials and volunteers will have close and prolonged contact with youth who may be unvaccinated, extending the requirement for proof of vaccination to these individuals in indoor sports settings helps protect all those participating and reduces the risk for transmission in these settings.”

The region notes that organized sports may involve close contact, heavy breathing, long exposure times, crowded indoor spaces and masks removed during physical activity, which will lead to an increased likelihood of transmission.

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