Statement on COVID-19 Outbreak: Current Precautions and Preparedness
Updated March 12, 2020
For the benefit of those concerned about COVID-19, we want to offer our reassurance that we are monitoring all updates from the World Health Organization, Government of Canada, and Government of Alberta and are prepared to respond as necessary to further developments. We are also studying what other sport clubs and martial arts organizations are doing in response to COVID-19.
The safety of our Membership, Instructors, and the wider Community are our chief concern.
1. Current Precautions
The risk of contracting COVID-19 remains LOW to Albertans at this time.
To ensure everyone’s safety and to help with the slowing the spread of illness in general, we encourage all students to wash their hands thoroughly and often. Students should also ensure that their uniform is washed after every class. In addition, the following changes to class etiquette and training will occur, effective immediately:
1. All students must either wash their hands thoroughly with soap and water, or use hand sanitizer prior to coming onto the floor. At our Grandview location, there is a sanitizer dispenser right inside the main dojo entrance.
2. Effective immediately, no club equipment will be used as part of training. This means no striking shields, focus mitts, weights or strength training equipment or communal club hand-pads will be used.
3. Effective immediately, no close-range “body-on-body” training or kumite drills will be done. More generally, and as guidance for instructors, any activity that could risk students touching each other will cease.
4. In the case of our Grandview Training location, we are in contact with the Community Hall to understand what additional cleaning tasks are occurring. For now, prior to every class, Instructors will wipe door knobs and handles with disinfectant.
If you are feeling unwell for any reason, stay home.
Our instructors will be reinforcing these precautions with students at the start of every class.
We ask that if anyone has visited a Grand Princess Cruise, Iran, Italy, or China’s Hubei province in the last 14 days, please self-isolate until two weeks have passed since their return, even if you
are feeling well. We encourage everyone to follow government-recommended travel precautions at this time, including limiting non-essential travel, especially by air.
Anyone who has experienced any of the following, regardless of recent travel, should self- isolate and call Health Link at 811:
– Contact with someone who was suspected or confirmed to have COVID-19
– Time spent in a health-care facility
– Symptoms such as cough, fever, or tiredness
2. Preparedness for Potential Further Required Action
Unless otherwise advised through guidance from the AB Chief Medical Officer, the Government, or from Governing Bodies for our sport or sports like ours, the Club will remain open and operational with the modifications outlined above. In the event that a closure is necessary, we will communicate the details of that closure and provide updates as more information becomes available and circumstances unfold.
In advance of any upcoming events, we will closely monitor updated information to ensure that we are following guidelines pertaining to limiting the amount of people who are gathered at one time as needed.
Recommended Resources
– Health Link: 811
– Government of Alberta: https://www.alberta.ca/coronavirus-info-for-albertans.aspx
– Government of Canada: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/coronavirus-disease-covid-19.html
– World Health Organization: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019