Below is a message from the Region Of Waterloo Public Health Unit regarding team sports.
Hello everyone,
We are reaching out to you, as a local sports association, with assistance from our area municipalities, to ensure you are aware of the risks associated with team sports, that the required measures are in place, and that players, staff and families are reminded of the importance of following public health precautions at all times, i.e. before, during and after play.
Today, Friday, October 23rd, Dr. Hsiu-Li Wang, Associate Medical Officer of Health for the Region of Waterloo provided the following recommendations related to teams sports after more outbreaks in team sport settings elsewhere in Ontario:
- For all settings, I am advising the following general principles:
- Limit close contact to only your immediate household members
- Practice physical distancing and wear a mask or face covering with everyone else
- Outdoors is safer than indoors. Play outdoors when you can.
- Stick to smaller groups. Smaller is safer.
- More specifically, with regards to team sports, based on the risks seen in the outbreaks that have occurred,we are encouraging all sports associations, including organizations or recreational groups, to:
- Minimize social gatherings of participants and spectators both before and after the activity.
- It is often in pre- and post-play settings where spread among players and families has been reported.
- Avoid carpooling with those outside your household.
- If possible, don’t carpool with those outside of your immediate family.
- If you need to carpool, limit the number of occupants in the vehicle, open the windows to create air flow and ensure that everyone in the vehicle is wearing a face covering if they are not from your immediate household.
- Do not share equipment or gear
- Participate on only one team
- Play outside when possible
- These measures, in addition to all the other measures required for a return to play in Stage 3, will help reduce risk of transmission in team sport settings.
Thank you,
Erin Smith
Manager, Information and Planning
Healthy Living and Foundational Standards Division
Region of Waterloo Public Health and Emergency Services