![a green soccer field with a goal net in the foreground and young players in blue uniforms playing in the background](https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/n7-mcnn/7bcc9724adf7b803/uploads/2020/09/a-green-soccer-field-with-a-goal-net-in-the-foreground-and-young-players-in-blue-uniforms-playing-in-the-background-16x9-1.jpg)
Children benefit from social interaction, and participating in sports activities is one way to spend time with peers. It's a chance to exercise and learn socialization skills.
"But most sports require close contact, and during the COVID-19 pandemic, this is creating a dilemma," says Dr. David Soma, a Mayo Clinic pediatrician.
In this Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Soma discusses risks and benefits of youth sports during the pandemic and offers suggestions to minimize the transmission of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
Information in this post was accurate at the time of its posting. Due to the fluid nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, scientific understanding, along with guidelines and recommendations, may have changed since the original publication date.
For more information and all your COVID-19 coverage, go to the Mayo Clinic News Network and mayoclinic.org.
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