Saskatchewan’s government has recognized that there is a lower risk of transmitting COVID-19 in outdoor settings, hence their decision Tuesday morning to ease public health measures around outdoor sports activities in the province as of this Sunday with the introduction of Step One of the Re-Opening Road Map.
Initially, all sports activities…outdoor and indoor…weren’t supposed to engage in competitive activity until Step Two went into effect, which will be June 20 as announced by the government yesterday. Indoor sports still have to wait until the introduction of Step Two on June 20 before competition can be allowed. In addition to the lower risk of transmission, the decision to move up the date of outdoor sports being played had the fact that the province’s cases of the novel coronavirus are trending downward while vaccinations are ticking up. Following is the complete explanation of requirements from the Government of Saskatchewan news release…
RE-OPENING ROADMAP: OUTDOOR SPORTS ADDED TO STEP ONE
The Government of Saskatchewan has announced that public health measures around outdoor sporting activities will be eased as part of Step One of the Re-Opening Roadmap, set to commence on Sunday, May 30. Outdoor sports, originally included in Step Two of the Re-Opening Roadmap, will now be added to Step One. Easing of measures for indoor sports remains in Step Two of the Re-Opening Roadmap.
The adjustment to the Re-Opening Roadmap is being made recognizing the lowered risk of transmission in outdoor settings along with the successful uptake in Saskatchewan’s COVID-19 vaccination effort in reducing the transmission of the virus.
“Saskatchewan people have reduced the spread of COVID-19 by getting vaccinated,” Premier Scott Moe said. “So, the next time you drive by a field of happy kids playing softball or football or soccer, please know that you made that possible. Saskatchewan people are putting those kids back on to the field by doing their part, by rolling up their sleeves and sticking it to COVID.”
Beginning May 30, 2021, competition and game play for outdoor team sports can proceed with the following requirements:
- Participants may not compete if they are feeling unwell.
- Players and coaches should be encouraged to screen for COVID-19 symptoms prior to arriving to practice and play, using the self-assessment tool at saskatchewan.ca/COVID19.
- League play is allowed to resume; however, tournaments are not permitted at this time. This will be revisited in Step Two of the Re-Opening Roadmap.
- No interprovincial travel. Teams competing in regional interprovincial leagues need to contact the Business Response Team prior to beginning play.
- Capacity must be in compliance with the public health order for public outdoor gatherings for each playing surface or game area. Public outdoor gatherings are set to expand to a limit of 150 people on May 30 as part of the Re-Opening Roadmap. Common areas, such as those where there are multiple playing surfaces, must also be in compliance with gathering limits in the public health order.
- Individual and protective equipment should not be shared. When helmets and bats or other equipment are shared, cleaning and disinfecting must occur between each use.
- Commonly touched equipment used for game play (e.g. game ball, football) is routinely replaced or disinfected during the course of practice or play.
- Coaches, officials, umpires, referees and players who are not on the field are not required to wear masks outdoors under the public health order. However, masks may be worn if they are more comfortable with that layer of protection.
- No shaking hands, high-fives, etc.
- Spectators not from the same household should maintain two metres of physical distancing.
- Spectators must remain in designated areas. Masks are not required to be worn outdoors under the public health order, but they may be worn if spectators are more comfortable with that layer of protection.
- Hand sanitizer approved by Health Canada (DIN or NPN) or soap and water handwashing stations should be available for participants and spectators.
- No sharing of water bottles.
- Public washrooms, when available, are cleaned and disinfected regularly, and soap and water or hand sanitizer is available.
- Contact information of the coaches, officials and players should be recorded by the home team and maintained in order to assist with contact tracing for 30 days in the case of a confirmed case of COVID-19.
