"Let's Talk" COVID Exercise & Sport - Antrim & Newtownabbey Borough Council

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"Let's Talk" COVID Exercise & Sport - Antrim & Newtownabbey Borough Council
“Let’s Talk”
                          COVID
             Exercise & Sport

As we are still in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, we want you to know that the Environmental
Health Department is here to help with all of your covid and social distancing queries. We have also
included useful links in this edition to help assist your business with recovery planning.

Please feel free to contact us.

Environmental Health Contact Details
Tel: 028 9034 0160
Email: envhealth@antrimandnewtownabbey.gov.uk
Website: www.antrimandnewtownabbey.gov.uk

                                                                   Edition 1: May 2021
"Let's Talk" COVID Exercise & Sport - Antrim & Newtownabbey Borough Council
Exercise and Sport

From 30th April, gyms, swimming pools and indoor leisure facilities may       The return to sport protocols put in place by sports governing bodies should be
open for individual exercise and also one-to-one training/ coaching           strictly adhered to including hygiene measures, social distancing and other
with social distancing.                                                       mitigations.

Up to 10 people (including children of all ages) from a maximum               Any behaviour which may encourage the risk of transmission around sports
of two households can take part in unstructured outdoor exercise or           activities, such as car sharing, congregation of people on the side-lines
sports activities. This might include football in the park or other leisure   and sporting celebrations, should be avoided.
type activities.
                                                                              Sports governing bodies have a responsibility to ensure full compliance with
Up to 15 people (including coaches) can take part in structured out-          the protocols and are expected to put arrangements in place to deal with
door sports events, organised through clubs or individuals affiliated to      non-compliant clubs, participants and coaches.
recognised sports governing bodies or representative organisations for
sport and physical activity.                                                  Elite training and competition can continue, both indoors and outdoors. Elite
                                                                              sporting events must be held behind closed doors without spectators.
Sports preparing for team competition may merge a small number of
training groups to form a training squad but this squad size must be          **DEFINTION OF AN ELITE ATHLETE IS INCLUDED IN THIS NEWSLETTER AND IN THE
kept to the minimum number essential for this purpose.                        REGULATIONS**

Competitive outdoor sport can be organised by a club, individual or
individuals affiliated, with numbers (including participants, officials,
management and essential support personnel) not exceeding 100                      Indicative date
and no spectators permitted.
                                                                                   An indicative date of 24 May has been set for the return of indoor
Outdoor sports facilities can reopen but only to permit their use for              group exercise and training (numbers informed by venue) and the
those allowed in the regulations. Club houses and indoor sports facili-            full return of outdoor sport (with an overall limit of 500 spectators at
ties (changing rooms, showers, kitchens, meeting rooms), apart from                outdoor sporting events).
essential toilet facilities must stay closed.
                                                                                   An indicative date of 31 May has been set for the return of com-
                                                                                   petitive indoor sport (subject to risk assessment and appropriate
                                                                                   mitigations).

                                                                                   The indicative date of 24 May is subject to review on 20 May.
Links to Regulations
elite athlete” means a person who—
I.     derives all or the majority of their income from competing in
       sport,                                                          The regulations and amendments can be accessed at the following
II.    plays in a professional league or competition,                  link:

III.   is a senior representative nominated by a relevant sporting     https://www.health-ni.gov.uk/publications/health-protection-
       body, or                                                        coronavirus-restrictions-regulations-northern-ireland-2021
IV.    is on an elite development pathway.

                                                                       A guide to the regulations is also available and is updated frequently to
For the purposes of the definition of “elite athlete” and of regula-   reflect changes to restrictions, link below:
tion 11 (Restrictions on sporting events)—
                                                                       https://www.health-ni.gov.uk/publications/guidance-accompany-
a.     “senior representative” means a person who is considered by
       a relevant sporting body to be a candidate to compete in a      health-protection-coronavirus-restrictions-regulations-northern-ireland-
       major competition;                                              2021

b.     “relevant sporting body” means—
I.     the recognised national governing body of a sport which
       may nominate athletes to compete in a major competition,
       or
II.    the regional governing body of a sport which may nominate
       athletes to represent a county in Northern Ireland or the Re-
       public of Ireland in an inter-county league or inter-county
       competition, where that league or competition is organised
       by the national governing body of the sport;
C.     “elite development pathway” means a development path-
       way established by a relevant sporting body to prepare
       athletes to—
I.     derive a living from competing in that sport, or
II.    “compete in a major competition including the Olympic
       Games, Paralympic Games, Commonwealth Games, Euro-
       pean Championships, World Championships or (in sports with-
       out international competition) inter-county competitions or-
       ganised by the national governing body of the sport.
Click below for guidance for those who work in sports facilities          COVID-19: Guiding principles restricted access and safe use of changing and
                                                                          shower facilities
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/working-safely-during-coronavirus-
                                                                          https://www.communities-ni.gov.uk/sites/default/files/publications/
covid-19/providers-of-grassroots-sport-and-gym-leisure-facilities
                                                                          communities/dfc-covid-19-guiding-principles-restricted-access-and-safe-use-
                                                                          changing-facilities.pdf
Click below for guidance of the reopening of gyms, leisure

facilities and wider fitness industry                                     COVID-19: Guidance on the safe return of limited spectators to outdoor sports
https://www.ukactive.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/COVID-19-A            events *No indicative date yet*
-framework-for-the-re-opening-of-gym-leisure-centre-and-wider-%EF%        https://www.communities-ni.gov.uk/sites/default/files/publications/
AC%81tness-industry-during-social-distancing-V34.pdf                      communities/covid-19-guidance-on-return-spectators-outdoor-sport.pdf

DfC had published several guidance documents in relation the return       COVID-19: Guidance on the safe return of limited spectators to indoor sports
to sport, limited spectator numbers and use of changing facilities, see   events *No indicative date yet*
links below.
                                                                          https://www.communities-ni.gov.uk/sites/default/files/publications/
                                                                          communities/covid-19-guidance-on-the-safe-return-of-spectators-to-indoor-
COVID-19: Guidance on the safe return of sport:                           sports-events.pdf

https://www.communities-ni.gov.uk/sites/default/files/publications/
communities/covid-19-guidance-on-the-safe-return-of-sport.pdf             Sport NI website is updated frequently in line with easing and changing of

                                                                          Restrictions online, see link below:
COVID-19: Guidance on car sharing                                         http://www.sportni.net/return-to-sport/
https://www.communities-ni.gov.uk/sites/default/files/publications/
communities/covid-19-guidance-car-sharing.pdf
                                                                          Sports Ground Safety Authority (SSGA) had published guidance; Planning for
                                                                          social distancing at sports grounds in Nov 2020, linked below.
COVID-19: Guidance on managing a confirmed or suspected COVUID            https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jI2Hw1eMDgeuhLcfd_xfEXJek24Q9wFd/view
19 case for sports

https://www.communities-ni.gov.uk/sites/default/files/publications/
communities/covid-19-guidance-on-managing-a-confirmed-or-
suspected-covid-19-case-for-sports.pdf
➢Working safely during COVID-19
     Coronavirus (COVID-19)

     COVID-19 is an infectious respiratory disease caused by                Click below for guidance in regards to workplace safety in different business
     a newly discovered Coronavirus.                                        settings

     It is still very important to wash your hands
                                                                                https://www.nibusinessinfo.co.uk/content/coronavirus-working-safely-
     regularly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds
                                                                                                     different-business-settings
     before preparing, handling or eating food.

                                                                            ➢Assessing Health and Safety Risks

                                                                            Click below for a template to help assess Health and Safety Risks within your
                                                                            business during the COVID-19 pandemic:

                                                                                 https://www.hseni.gov.uk/news/example-risk-assessment-covid-19-
                                                                                                           workplaces

                                                                            Don’t forget our website...

                                                                            ➢ You can find more details on how Council is supporting local businesses:
                                                                            during the Covid-19 pandemic by clicking on the link below:

➢Links to PHA guidance and posters- the posters for handwashing and             https://antrimandnewtownabbey.gov.uk/coronavirus-information-
social distancing will be useful for display and available from the link
below:                                                                                                    for-   businesses/

https://www.publichealth.hscni.net/publications?keys=coronavirus OR

https://www.publichealth.hscni.net/publications/social-distancing-posterW
Water Systems                                                             Recovery Planning

When buildings re-open, it is essential that hot and cold water systems   The Council’s Economic Development team offers support to local businesses
such as taps, showers and water features are not brought back into        through free mentoring.
use without first considering the risk of Legionnaires’ Disease.          Topics include:

The following links provide guidance on how to assess and manage               strategic planning
any potential risks prior to reopening.                                        financial management
                                                                               access to funding
https://www.cieh.org/policy/coronavirus-covid-19/resources/                    procurement
                                                                               marketing and sales
(Legionnaires’ disease: lockdown risks and reopening safely)
                                                                               research and development
                                                                               business efficiency
https://www.hse.gov.uk/coronavirus/index.htm                                   human resources
                                                                               ecommerce.
https://www.hse.gov.uk/healthservices/legionella.htm
                                                                          All mentoring at present is delivered remotely through telephone calls, video
                                                                          conference and email. These sessions provide an opportunity to plan ahead
https://www.daera-ni.gov.uk/publications/guidance-businesses-re-          and prepare for the future, even if your business is currently closed.
opening-after-temporary-closure
                                                                          For further details on any of the current business support initiatives, please con-
                                                                          tact our Economic Development team by emailing
                                                                          business@antrimandnewtownabbey.gov.uk or by texting Business to 80039.

                                                                          A range of free business webinars, filmed in response to COVID-19 is now
                                                                          available online by visiting https://antrimandnewtownabbey.gov.uk/lean/

                                                                          You can also access the latest Government guidance for businesses via our
                                                                          website by following the link below.

                                                                          https://antrimandnewtownabbey.gov.uk/coronavirus-information-for-
                                                                          businesses/
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