An important update as been emailed to all clubs
please read and make sure this information goes to the key COVID Safety people within your Club!
COVID Update
The NSW Office of Sport and NSW Health has requested that we communicate an update to all our Clubs. With the recent increase in positive COVID-19 cases in school aged young people in particular, the next 6 weeks have been deemed critical for cases within our state. NSW Health are currently reviewing restrictions for community sport and it is expected that there may be an increases in those restrictions in coming weeks. The key points we have been requested to remind our club members include:
Actively Reducing Risk
· Wherever possible, reduce participants, officials and parents etc attending your club
· Avoid excess people gathering whilst sport is taking place – Do parents need to hang out the club during training or game play, unless specifically accompanying their own child? Is it possible to make other arrangements to care for siblings?
· Maintain 1.5m social distancing at all times where possible – use visual cues (cones, tape, rope markings etc) to practically show people what 1.5m spacing looks like
· Increase warnings for those who are sick, showing symptoms etc to remain away from your club.
· Follow the directions of all COVID marshals and club officials in regard to COVID safety!
COVID Safety Plans
NSW Health COVID Safety Marshals will be around our state in increased numbers and will be checking on sporting clubs around NSW from this weekend to assess compliance with COVID protocols. Every club with more than 20 participants (players, officials, spectators, parents etc) is required to have a COVID Safety Plan
Copies of these, and any additional venue/club specific plans that your Club is implementing should all be readily available for reference and checking at your Club. All of these must be produced on request by COVID Safety Marshals, the Police or any other Authorities who visit your venues.
Contact tracing should be continued to be recorded as much as possible, with ideally digital records (the use of QR Codes is recommended, and don’t forget the wealth of contact information stored with Xplorer) and retained for a minimum of 28 days.
Infection rates in children is of a high concern to NSW Health in particular over the next six weeks. We must pay attention to ensuring that our junior competitors/ participants are maintaining social distancing, cleaning/ hygiene requirements and remember
GET IN – play – GET OUT still applies so our Training and Competitions can continue on foot
Other Key Reminders
· Anyone who is unwell should stay home
· Your Club activities can continue as long as the current Public Health Orders are complied with
· Practice good hand hygiene before, during and after Rugby
· Avoid physical contact where possible
· Do not share drinks, towels, clothing etc
· Encourage players to arrive dressed, ready to go
· Encourage the use of the COVIDSafe app for everyone whilst at your club
· A noted above we want to limit spectators to a minimum. Further if there is any confusion on social distancing, following a one person per 4 square metres rule is a very effective way of ensuring sufficient physical distancing between people.
The key thing here is to remain vigilant. Community Sport has done very well to not be the cause so far of any outbreaks, we need to keep up this good work, so our participants can continue to enjoy Rugby for the remainder of the season.
