To minimise the chance of infection with Novel COVID-19 virus, or Coronavirus, health authorities advise taking simple precautions that should allow people to go about their normal work and sport.
Our Club fully supports this approach. After input from one of our doctor members, every registered Sutho member – Juniors, Women, Men and Masters – will receive the following information. We will also be sending it to all the Associations in which Sutho players compete.
Inform and protect
The information is:
To better protect its players, supporters and visitors against potential infection with the Novel Coronavirus 2019, Sutherland Hockey Club asks its players and visiting players to observe the following:
- No handshaking at the start or conclusion of games. This has already been mandated at schools. We suggest replacing this gesture of sportsmanship with opponents simply tapping sticks on the ground. Another choice is a thumbs up.
- Use alcohol-based hand wash available at the canteen counter, dugouts, and blue seat stands outside the change room.
- Those with flu-like symptoms should self-exclude themselves from playing, training, and spectating.
- Use labelled water bottles. These must be strictly single person use. If teams have communal water bottles they must be the no contact type.
- Gloves must be worn when attending to players with injuries – especially against blood exposure but also to prevent contact with mouth-guards.
- Take care with food handling at games; for example, oranges or lollies at half-time or full-time. Use tongs to serve them. Definitely no sweaty hands in storage containers.
- Mouth-guards should be washed after each game, followed by cleansing of hands.
- NOTE: Viruses can be transmitted by most body fluids, such as mucus, blood and possibly sweat. They can be contracted through mouth, nose and EYES.
Further information
Further information on Coronavirus management from the Australian Institute of Sport at:
COVID-19 and Sport FAQ: https://ais.gov.au/health-wellbeing/covid-19#covid-19_and_sport_faq
In general
- When coughing or sneezing, cover your nose and mouth with a tissue or flexed elbow
- Try and stay at least 1.5 metres away from people coughing or sneezing.
Sutherland Hockey Club Committee, 9 March 2020
