Lichfield Hockey Club – Covid Policy
Policy brief & purpose
This policy includes the measures we are actively taking to mitigate the spread of coronavirus. You are kindly requested to follow all these rules diligently, to sustain a healthy and safe sports area in this unique environment. It’s important that we all respond responsibly and transparently to these health precautions. We assure you that we will always treat your private health and personal data with high confidentiality and sensitivity.
This coronavirus (COVID-19) policy is susceptible to changes with the introduction of additional governmental guidelines. If so, we will update you as soon as possible by email.
Scope : This coronavirus policy applies to all of our club members who participate in hockey, support hockey or officiate at hockey matches for Lichfield Hockey Club. We strongly recommend to our oppositions to read through this action plan as well, to ensure we collectively and uniformly respond to this challenge.
Policy elements : Here, we outline the required actions participants should take to protect themselves and their co-participants from a potential coronavirus infection.
Any symptoms :
| – If you have cold symptoms, such as cough/sneezing/fever, or feel poorly withdraw from the sport until the symptoms have gone and/or you have been tested with a negative outcome. – If you have a positive COVID-19 diagnosis, you can return to the sport only after you’ve fully recovered, with a doctor’s note confirming your recovery. |
Non-participation requests :
- Players should be made to feel part of a team even if whilst during this pandemic they are restricted from playing because of symptoms they are suffering or members of their bubble are.
- If you have recently returned from areas with a high number of COVID-19 cases (based on Centres for Disease Control and Prevention announcements), we’ll ask you to not to take part in sport for 14 calendar days, and return to the sport only if you are fully asymptomatic. You will also be asked not to come into physical contact with any colleagues during this time.
- If you’ve been in close contact with someone infected by COVID-19, with high chances of being infected yourself. You will also be asked not to come into physical contact with any colleagues during this time.
- If you’re a parent and you have to stay at home with your children, or have relatives who are self-isolating because of some underlying health problem.
- If you need to provide care to a family member infected by COVID-19. You’ll only bepermitted to return to the office 14 calendar days after your family member has fullyrecovered, provided that you’re asymptomatic or you have a doctor’s note confirming you don’t have the virus. You will also be asked not to come into physical contact with any colleagues during this time.
Traveling/commuting measures :
| – With restrictions about social distancing, the world we are in at present is so different to that we have been used to. Participants must abide by social distancing, wherever possible. |
| – Until further notice all travel to training and matches should either be in the individual players transport, (no sharing of lifts), or with other family or bubble members. – All meetings should be done virtually where possible. |
| General hygiene rules : |
| – Wash your hands after using the toilet, before eating, and if you cough/sneeze into your hands (follow the 20-second hand-washing rule). You can also use the sanitizers you’ll find around the playing area. – Cough/sneeze into your sleeve, preferably into your elbow. If you use a tissue, discard it properly and clean/sanitize your hands immediately. – Avoid touching your face, particularly eyes, nose, and mouth with your hands to prevent from getting infected. – If you find yourself coughing/sneezing on a regular basis, avoid close physical contact with your co-workers and take extra precautionary measures. Get a Covid 19 test completed as soon as possible. – All players must have their own hand sanitiser available at all times. – All players must have their own water and bottle and any food that they may require during their participation of training or a game. – All players must have a face mask available for when walking to the facility and for during team talks. – No player is to pick up the ball during practises or a game situation. In the event of this happening the ball must be sanitised by the coach as soon as is possible. – Coaches must wear gloves during both practises and games. They will be the only people to pick up the balls at the end of either games or practices. If the equipment is not used for a period of three days then the virus should have been eradicated so that it can be used again. – Facemasks or other personal equipment used during a game or practise must be only used by the same person and not used generally. If this cannot be guaranteed then the rules of the game will need to be changed by agreement between the two teams. – Goalkeepers will be responsible for their own kit and should store it behind the goal that they are defending, rather than in the dugout. – Bibs for substitutes must now not be used. Substitutes should wear their own top of a different colour to the playing shirt. – Any equipment used during training or in pre-match warm ups is the responsibility of the coach and must not be touched by players or spectators. – During this period the use of clubhouses, especially changing rooms, is not happening. Therefore, players must arrive changed to play and not expect any social aspects of the game that they may have enjoyed in the past. – At both of the home venues for Lichfield Hockey Club there are portaloos, these can only be used in extreme circumstances. There will be hand sanitiser available and also disposable toilet seat covers in the toilets. |