The next season of high school sports is being delayed by nearly a month, according to a press release from the Colorado High School Activities Association.

A Feb. 1 start date has been proposed by CHSAA for Season B, which previously was scheduled to begin Jan. 4. Season B includes basketball, ice hockey, skiing, spirit, girls swimming and wrestling.

The release explained that the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment sent a letter to CHSAA indicating that Season B would not be permitted to start as planned on Jan. 4 and indicated no variances will be given to CHSAA sports to start at the time.

In the letter, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment Executive Director Jill Hunsaker Ryan wrote that the department is “very concerned” that the rate of transmission of COVID-19 will continue to increase and does not have enough information about what disease incidence and hospital capacity will look like in January.

Hunsaker Ryan said high school sports will operate based on each county’s dial level restrictions and that no indoor group sports are authorized for counties in level red.

“Season B sports are conducted mainly indoors during the colder months, which reduces the ability to assure social distancing,” Hunsaker Ryan wrote.

CHSAA, state health officials and Gov. Jared Polis’ COVID Response Team plan to meet in mid-January to discuss variances for Season B and reassess COVID-19 data, according to the release.

The delay of Season B also will push back Seasons C and D.