True North Basketball Academy COVID-19 Special Precaution Plan/Guidelines

 

Overview

 

True North Basketball Academy (TNBA) is required to:

 

• implement practices to minimize the risk of transmission of infection among attendees.

• provide procedures for rapid response if an attendee develops symptoms of illness.

• ensure that attendees maintain high levels of sanitation and personal hygiene.

• comply to the extent possible, with the COVID-19 General Relaunch Guidance this guidance, and

       any other applicable Alberta Health Services and Government of Alberta guidance found                  at Alberta.ca/BizConnect.

 

This document has been developed to support True North Basketball Academy League (TNBA), and all the facilities we use in reducing the risk of transmitting COVID-19 among attendees (including participants, staff, volunteers, and the public). This plan outlines public health and infection prevention and control measures specific to our Basketball programs (camps, training, tryouts, teams, leagues, and games) and the operation of the facilities we use.

 

COVID-19 droplet transmission is much more likely when individuals are in close contact. Further, the likelihood of transmission between individuals participating in Basketball, and in an indoor setting is significantly higher. Transmission can occur if this plan or public health guidance is not followed.

 

COVID-19 can also be transmitted if someone touches a contaminated surface and then touches their face without washing their hands. A few of our drills involve shared equipment among participants, coaches/staff, instructors, officials or volunteers (for example, shared Basketballs). The virus does not enter the body through skin; it enters through the eyes, nose, or mouth when an individual touches their face. Therefore regular hand hygiene and cleaning of high-touch surfaces are so important.

 

This document and the guidance within it are subject to change and will be updated as needed. Current information related to COVID-19 can be found at Alberta.ca/covid19.

 

Facility:

• Enable healthy indoor air quality by:

  • Discouraging use of scents to prevent sneezing and coughing.

  • Maintaining appropriate humidity levels

  • Limiting the casual use of overhead ceiling fans or portable pedestal fans as much as possible.

• Provide natural ventilation by opening gym doors wherever possible to increase air flow.

• Designate a responsible person to oversee activities to ensure public health guidelines are followed.

• Parent(s) are currently not allowed to enter the gym at this time (March 2021). One parent per child may eventually be allowed in the gym depending on future AHS and GOA guidelines, and everyone (coaches, parents, volunteer and/or participants) must wear a mask at all time while at the gym and keep a distance of 3 meters from all other participants, coaches, volunteer and/or coaches.

• Provide garbage receptacle close by for any used tissue, cups etc.

• Available hand sanitizers (stations) for use before and after training/camp activities

• Sanitizing of common use areas and objects

• Daily records of anyone entering/attending our training/camps who stays for 10 minutes or longer will be kept up to date and available to facilitate contact tracing in the event of an outbreak.

 

Staff and Volunteers:

• Assign equipment/supplies to individual staff/volunteer members as to avoid any unnecessary sharing

• Staff/volunteers and participants who are exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19, who have returned from international travel in the past 14 days, or who have been in close contact with a case of COVID-19 in the last 14 days must stay home.

• All staff/volunteers must be knowledgeable with respect to how COVID-19 is transmitted (i.e., droplet and contact transmission).

• Staff/volunteers may conduct active symptom screening of training, camp participants every day with a parent/guardian on site, including temperature reading/check as kids are drop off.

• Staff/volunteers including parents/guardians and participants MUST NOT attend training or camp if they are sick and even if symptoms resemble a mild cold. Symptoms includes; fever, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, runny nose, nasal congestion, headache and a general feeling of being unwell.

• A staff/volunteer will be designated as a responsible person to ensure public health guidelines are followed (e.g., watching for adherence to physical distancing).

  • The responsible person should not be someone engaged in other critical duties (e.g. referee).

• Encourage hand hygiene among staff/volunteers

• Staff/volunteers should wear masks when they are not separated by a physical barrier or 3 meter distance from participants.

• Other personal protective equipment may be appropriate depending on the task being performed (e.g., First Aid or resuscitation).

• When staff/volunteers are attending to an injured participant or helping with an activity, both the staff/volunteer member and participant should wear masks whenever a 3 meter distance cannot be maintained.

 

Points of Entry and Controlling Access

• Hand sanitizers (60% alcohol or higher) will be stations at point of entry and exit points, and attendance are encouraged also to bring their own hand sanitizers.

• Limit physical contact by using hands-free check in.

• Participants should arrive no more than 5-10 minutes before the program start time, dress and ready.

• To promote distancing, no more than 5 participant per basket

• We encourage parents/guardians to avoid entering the facility/gym at this time. 

 

Facility Screening

• Staff/Volunteers and participants will be actively screened (where applicable) for symptoms of fever, sore throat, cough, runny nose or difficulty breathing, including temperature reading/check as attendees arrive at the facility.

• mandatory temperature checks by parents before bringing the kids to training/camp on every training/camp day.

• Any participant that is exhibiting any COVID-19 symptoms cannot enter the facility or participate.

 

Sanitation, Cleaning and Disinfecting

• In addition to routine facility cleaning, increase frequency of sanitation of commonly touched surfaces and shared equipment (such as water fountain handles, doorknobs, handrails, light switches, countertops, tables, equipment handles and consoles).

• Cleaning of gymnasium floors before and after use to reduce the risk of transmission from shared objects (e.g., balls).

• Provided hand sanitizer throughout the facility and ensure that hand washing sinks are fully stocked with soap and paper towels.

• Ensuring used cleaning supplies are properly disposed of in a lined waste bin that is emptied at least daily.

 

Locker Rooms and Change Rooms

• No locker rooms or change rooms at the facilities for staff, volunteers, or participants.

  • Attendees must come dressed for all program/camp activities.

• All self-serve and common-use items such as chairs, tables in the lobby area/ or hallway will be removed

 

Physical Distancing

• Staff, volunteers, participants, and spectators are expected to maintain a distance of 3 meters in the lobby area, rest room, the gym and while off the court (players’ bench, bleachers, out in the field, during lunch break etc.).

  • Distancing exceptions can be made for those who are from the same household

• Promoting physical distancing by:

  • promoting one-way traffic flow to avoid individuals from inadvertently interacting at the lobby, hallway etc.

  • Using signs or stickers on the wall/floor at 3 meter distances;

  • limiting program/camps and group to cohort groups only (e.g., camp specific, assigned session times).

• Drop off and pick-up procedures as to allow for uncongested arrival and departure (e.g., dedicated entrances and exits for incoming and outgoing participants, teams etc.).

• Common area chairs and tables will be removed, stacked, or roped off from the area to promote distancing.

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Spectators

• Spectators, including parents/guardians are currently NOT allowed in the gym.

• If/when spectators, including parents/guardians are allowed in the gym, spectators, including parents will be kept out of participant spaces (e.g., basketball court, outside fields/court).

• If/when spectators, including parents/guardians are allowed in the gym, physical distancing of minimum 3 meters will be maintained by spectators/attendee at all times, unless from the same households or cohort family.

• If/when spectators, including parents/guardians are allowed in the gym, one parent/guardian per participant would be allowed in the facility and a distance of 3 meters between parents/guardians must be maintain.

• If/when spectators, including parents/guardians are allowed in the gym, parents/guardians must wear a mask while inside the facility/gym

• If/when spectators, including parents/guardians are allowed in the gym, parents/guardians cheering, and yelling will NOT be allowed.

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Hygiene

• ​Participants must bring their own basketball, water bottle, yoga mat, own lunch, basketball apparels including basketball shoes and must take their equipment’s and belonging with them at the end of training/camp.

• The use of shared equipment will be limited to a few drills and the equipment and participants must sanitize such equipment and hands before and after each use.

  • Participant-owned equipment, including basketball must be visibly clean.

  • Equipment handled by hand or head (e.g., basketballs) during play will be clean frequently.

• All TNBA equipment’s used must be cleaned and disinfected immediately after use. Equipment’s that cannot be disinfected will not be used.

• Participants will not share any personal items (e.g., water bottles, food, towels etc.).

• Staff, volunteers, and participants must perform frequent hand hygiene before, during and after activity.

• Staff, volunteers, and participants are encouraged to carry and use their own hand sanitizer.          

• Staff, volunteers, and participants must refrain from touching their eyes, nose, mouth and face while participating in the program.

• Staff, volunteers and participants are encouraged to exhibit good respiratory etiquette (i.e., sneezing or coughing into the crook of the elbow, no spitting, no clearing of nasal passages, coughing or sneezing into a tissue).

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Masks

• Guidance on how to wear a mask properly can be found here.

• Patrons and participants MUS wear a mask when they are not engaging in intense physical activity.

  • Masks should NOT be worn when conducting intense physical activities.

  • Masks and face shields cannot be assured to stay in place during the course of intense activity.

  • There is some evidence to suggest that wearing a mask during high intensity activities could have negative health effects.

 

Communications

• Communicating to all our participants (coaches/staff, instructors, officials, participants and their guardians, volunteers) about the risk of COVID-19 and practices we are undertaking to mitigate risk.

  • Our communicating platforms are email, including online notices, waivers/contracts, and telephone.

• Information posters and fact sheets place appropriate throughout the facility reminding all participants of:

  • Physical distancing expectations

  • Hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette

  • Cleaning and disinfection practices

 

Equipment

• In the event that a participant requires basic first aid, a family member if present will first attend to the injured participant. If a family member is not present, the first aider must use appropriate personal protective equipment, including a mask and gloves.

• Drills and equipment will be modified to promote physical distancing.

• We will have a process to ensure enhanced cleaning and disinfection of shared equipment between each use by having readily available supplies and cleaning reminders and instructions located in accessible places.

 

Rapid Response to Symptomatic Individuals

• Our rapid response plan to manage symptomatic participants, spectators, volunteers and staff in case an attendee shows symptoms of COVID-19 are:

  • If a participant develops symptoms during training or camp, the participant will be isolated away from other participants and the parent or guardian will be notified to come and pick up the participant immediately. If a separate space is not available, the participant will be kept at least 3 metres away from the other participants/coaches etc.

  • If a participant requires close contact and care, a coach will continue to care for the participant until the parent or guardian is able to pick the participant up.

  • Coach/camp helper will wear a mask during all interactions with the participant and will avoid contact with the participant’s respiratory secretions.

  • Coach/camp helper must wash their hands before donning a mask and before and after removing the mask (as per mask guidance), and before and after touching any items used by the participant.

  • All items used by the participant while isolated must be cleaned and disinfected as soon as the participant has been picked up. Items that cannot be cleaned and disinfected will be removed from the camp and stored in a sealed container for a minimum of 10 days.

  • If a coach/camp helper develops illness while at camp, they will immediately remove themselves from any contact with others, notifying other coaches and go home.

  • In case of a COVID-19 situation connected to our training/camps; training/camp may be closed for 72 hours to allow for contact tracing and to adhere to AHS recommendation.

  • Cleaning and disinfecting of all equipment and surfaces that may have come into contact with the symptomatic participant.

  • All participants will be required to perform a hand hygiene

  • We encourage all participants to download the ABTraceTogether contact-tracing app to assist public health officials with contact tracing in the event an outbreak should occur.

  • Participants name and contact details will be given to Albert Public Health to aid in contact tracing efforts in the event that an attendee tests positive.

 

Food and Beverage

• Hand hygiene before and after lunch and/or drinking breaks

• No food or drink sharing between participants.

• Available hand sanitizers (stations) for use before and after lunch or drinking breaks.

• No hot lunch as to avoid the use of common microwave usage.

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TNBA Training, Camps, Programs and Mini-leagues: Cohorting Participants

• Participants in our Training, Camps, Programs and League teams will be limited to playing within set cohorts  (e.g., camps, training programs and mini-leagues, with a fixed number of participants per program).

  • Training, Camps or Mini-leagues will NOT exceed the AHS/GOA maximum recommended number of participants. This number includes participants, officials, coaches, and trainers who MUST maintain 3 meters of distance from others at all times. This number does not include parents and spectators

  • Each training, camp, program or mini-league will be comprised of the maximum recommended participants or less, NO game play is currently allowed within each group/cohorts, game play will resume between teams in the future as per the AHS/GOA guidelines.

  • If/when allowed; game play between teams would be limited to teams within the same cohort/mini-league.

  • Cohorts or Teams in different camps, programs or mini-leagues will NOT play each other.

  • Players in cohorts training, camps, programs or teams CAN NOT play in other sports or teams while participating in our training programs (training, camps, programs or mini-league), players MUST wait 10 - 14 days before participating in other sports or cohort teams.

• At least 3 meters distancing will be maintained between all when off the court of play (e.g., on benches, during intermission, breaks).

• The 3 meter physical distancing rule can be relaxed for participants from the same household.

• Cohorts training, camps, programs or mini-leagues will remain together during all stages of the Relaunch and only play within the same geographical region (e.g., within a county, town or quadrant of a city).

• Training, Camps, Programs or Mini-leagues will be supervised by team coaches with oversight over maintenance of the group and other public health guidance.

• The 3 meter physical distancing rule can be relaxed for participants from the same household.

                                                       

Participants, Coaches, Instructors, Staff, Volunteers, Officials, Aides

• Participants will be proactively and regularly monitor for symptoms.

• Symptomatic individuals are prohibited from participating.

  • Hands will be cleaned before and after using a basketball.

• Participants will refrain from touching their eyes, nose, mouth and face during activity.

• Participants will refrain from spitting and clearing their nasal passages during activities.

• Group celebrations and other customs during activities (e.g., handshakes, high fives, fist bumps, chest bumps) that bring participants within 3 meters or promote contact are limited

• Water bottles must be labeled with the name of the owner. No sharing of water bottles.

• Participants must arrive dressed and ready to participate.

• There will be control access to the rest rooms as to prevent gathering.

• Participants must minimize time spent in the rest rooms and maintain physical distancing in lobbies and common spaces.

• Transportation to and from activities should be with only cohort members or members from the same household, share rides.

• Players participating in our training, camps, programs or leagues MUST not participate in our sports or teams while participating in our programs. Players MUST isolate for 10 -14 days before participating in our sports, teams, or programs

 

Additional special precautions for our Basketball Programs including camps etc.

• We are taking measures to reduce the risk of COVID-19 exposures and transmission, measures like:

  • Reduced overall number of participants to ensure that a minimum distance of 3 meters is maintained in all directions of each participant.

  • Thoroughly cleaning and disinfecting equipment after each use.

  • Discouraging singing long to the music or shout back at the instructor should be discouraged

  • Creating cohorts specific groups per camp, training and programs.

  • Mitigating the potential for participants to gather before and after a session within the gym/facility.

  • Ensuring gym are well ventilated (e.g., open gym doors if possible).

  • Drill modification to minimize close contact.

  • Participants are require to bring their own equipment’s (e.g. ball, mats, towel, and hand sanitizer if possible).

  • Shared equipment (e.g. basketball) will be cleaned and sanitized between use.

  • Thorough cleaning of gym floor before and after use.

  • Small side games (2 x 2, 3 x 3) will be within cohort group of no more than 6 participants in total if and when allowed as per the AHS/GOA guidelines.

  • Participants are encouraged to constantly clean hands immediately prior to and after use of a shared ball with a coach or for a small sided game.

  • Participants will follow marked one-way traffic patterns when entering and exiting the gym

  • Participants with asthmas or other respiratory conditions and/or other underline health issues are STRONGLY discouraged of participating in our training, camps at this time.

  • mandatory temperature checks by parents before bringing the kids to camp on every camp or training day.

  • Signs will be posted reminding all participants, parents-guardians, coaches and camp helpers to NOT enter or attend camp if they are sick (even if symptoms resemble a mild cold).

 

 

Please DO NOT register your child or have your child attend our training, camp(s), tryout(s) and/or training program at this time if your child is​:

​​

• Living with people with weakened immune systems from a medical condition or treatment, such as chemotherapy and/or people with medical condition vulnerable to COVID-19

• Living with older adults

 

And if your child have:

 

• been in contact with someone that is confirmed to have COVID-19

• been notified that he/she were in a high risk setting for COVID-19 in the past 14 days (e.g., on a plane or at an event)

• travelled outside of Alberta in the last 14 days

• done a COVID-19 test recently and still waiting for the result

• a new onset of any of the following symptoms:

  • Sore throat/hoarse voice

  • Loss of taste or smell

  • Shortness of breath

  • Vomiting or diarrhea for more than 24 hours

 

• a new onset of two or more of the following symptoms:

  • Vomiting or diarrhea for more than 24 hours

  • Runny nose

  • Muscle aches

  • Nausea or loss of appetite

  • Skin rash or unknown origin

 

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Our training, camps, and programs depends on the Alberta Health Services (AHS) public health guidelines for Basketball, including the above TNBA Special Precaution Guidelines for all Participants, including Families, Coaches and Volunteers.