Blowing whistles and spitting have been banned at sports clubs around the country while children are being warned against celebrating wins with high fives or hugs, under official guidance to prevent a resurgence in the coronavirus outbreak.
Advice published by the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC), issued to clubs preparing to restart activities, recommends a gradual return of children, starting with training at home, then with teams and eventually back to competition.
However it suggests “very young children” should not be allowed to return to any competitive sports for now as it is harder for them to understand social distance and hygiene restrictions.
This is despite “reassuring” evidence “that children are not substantially contributing to the spread of Covid-19 in their household or in schools”, the HPSC document tells sporting organisations.
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“One study suggests that while there is high transmission of Covid-19 among adults aged 25 years or older, transmission is lower in younger people, particularly in those under 14 years of age,” it notes.
The guidelines are being issued after the Government decision on June 5th to allow outdoor summer sports camps resume.
‘Alternative alert mechanisms’
They state that spitting is “strictly forbidden” while “alternative alert mechanisms” should be used in place of the traditional coach’s or referee’s whistle.
Children are also to be discouraged from “unnecessary physical contact, such as high fives, handshakes, fist bumps, or hugs” and clubs should “suggest alternative ways of celebration or greetings that don’t involve contact.”
The guidelines note there is a higher risk of transmitting the disease in contact sports, such as Gaelic games, soccer or basketball, than non-contact sports, like cycling, golf or tennis.
“For close contact sports, as much as possible avoid [the] contact aspect of sport and instead focus on fitness and skills, which can allow maintenance of social distancing during practices,” the advice states.
Children should not be allowed to share water bottles at training or during games and should bring their own bottle, clearly marked with their name, the guidelines add. There should also be no sharing of towels, other clothing and where possible equipment, which should be regularly cleaned.
Spectators are to be limited to one per child participating and people are being warned against travelling with anyone not in their household to games and training.
Club officials and anyone attending, other than those aged under 13, are being advised to wear face coverings where physical distancing is not possible.
Changing rooms and other shared areas at sporting venues should be shut and children should arrive and leave in their sporting gear, with breaks between sessions to allow for a clean down of shared surfaces, the HPSC says.
Teams are also being asked to avoid travel where possible and stay “within their own area”.
Covid-19 officers
Clubs are being asked to designate a Covid-19 officer responsible for hygiene measures, while a “real time” log of everyone attending training or games should be maintained to allow for contact tracing in the event of someone testing positive.
Social distancing and hand-washing is being encouraged in all possible circumstances while clubs should provide hand sanitizers and arrange children into “pods” of players that stay together with the same coaches to limit the risk of an infection spreading.
Minister for Sport Shane Ross said the publication of the guidance and return to sport for children and teenagers marked "a major step on our journey back" from the pandemic crisis.
“The population at large has been greatly missing its sport, but it’s fair to say that children and adolescents have probably missed it most, whether on the TV or more importantly out on the field,” he said.
“Training with friends and teammates is hugely important to young people and provides memories and connections that shape their later lives.
“The experience of the last few weeks has been difficult but I hope that the progress we are making gives young people, and their parents, a real sense that we are coming out of the Covid-19 crisis and that better days are certainly ahead.”
