Guidelines for non-contact sports during COVID-19

All facilities, organizers, staff, coaches, athletes, and spectators associated with youth or adult noncontact sports should implement these guidelines to assist with safely resuming sporting events and activities due to COVID-19. These guidelines are subject to change. Venue operators should evaluate the profile of the relevant activities at such venue to make appropriate adaptations as necessary, even if not specifically described below. Additional protocols from a sport’s governing association may be applicable, and additional measures may be applicable depending on the circumstances.

Event Organizers, Facility Managers/Staff, Vendor, and Volunteer Protection

Screen all staff and volunteers reporting to work/event for COVID-19 symptoms with the following questions:

Have you been in close contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19 in the past 14 days? (Note: This does not apply to medical personnel, first responders, or other individuals who encounter COVID-19 as part of their professional or caregiving duties while wearing appropriate PPE.)
Are you experiencing a cough, shortness of breath or sore throat?
Have you had a fever in the last 48 hours?
Have you had new loss of taste or smell?
Have you had vomiting or diarrhea in the last 24 hours?

Temperature screening staff and volunteers:

Best practice: employers or organizer to take temperatures onsite with a no-touch thermometer each day upon arrival at work/event
Minimum: temperatures can be taken before arriving. Normal temperature should not exceed 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit.

Direct any staff who exhibits COVID-19 symptoms (i.e., answers “yes” to any of the screening questions or who is running a fever) to leave the premises immediately and seek medical care and/or COVID-19 testing, per Ministry of Health guidelines. Employers should maintain the confidentiality of employee health information.
All staff should stay home if feeling ill, report any symptoms of illness to supervisor and require notification of COVID-19 positive case in employee’s household. Staff who are particularly vulnerable to COVID-19 (e.g., due to age or severe underlying medical conditions) are encouraged to refrain from participating.
Staff should wear face masks or face coverings (not N-95 or medical masks, which should be reserved for healthcare workers) and other personal protection items as recommended by the CDC/WHO.
Provide training for staff on personal protective equipment based on CDC guidelines.

Practice recommended social distancing of 2 metres or 6 ft. apart to the greatest extent possible.

Stagger shifts, breaks and meals, in compliance with wage and hour laws and regulations, to maintain social distancing.
Prohibit congregating in break rooms or common areas and limit capacity of such areas to allow for safe social distancing minimum of 6 feet whenever possible.
Staff should increase hygiene practices—wash hands more frequently, avoid touching face, practice good respiratory etiquette when coughing or sneezing.
Plan for potential COVID-19 cases, and work with the MoH public health team when needed (e.g., monitor and trace COVID-19 cases, deep clean facilities).
Prepare for absence of critical staff by developing a roster of qualified individuals who can fill in if staff members are absent due to illness or family circumstances.
Post extensive signage on preventive measures, including information, to help educate on COVID-19 best practices:

To stop the spread of the virus.
COVID-19 symptoms

Coach, Athlete, Official, and Spectator Protection

Screen coaches, athletes, officials, and spectators for illness upon arrival to facility each day with the following questions:

Have you been in close contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19 in the past 14 days? (Note: This does not apply to medical personnel, first responders, or other individuals who encounter COVID-19 as part of their professional or caregiving duties while wearing appropriate PPE.)
Are you experiencing a cough, shortness of breath, or sore throat?
Have you had a fever in the last 48 hours?
Have you had new loss of taste or smell?
Have you had vomiting or diarrhea in the last 24 hours?

Temperature checks are a best practice. Those with temperatures above 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit should not be permitted on premises
Direct coaches, athletes, officials, and spectators who exhibits COVID-19 symptoms (i.e., answers “yes” to any of the screening questions or who is running a fever) to leave the premises immediately and seek medical care and/or COVID-19 testing, per MoH guidelines. Maintain the confidentiality of health information
All coaches, athletes, officials, and spectators should stay home if feeling ill, report any symptoms of illness to supervisor and require notification of COVID-19 positive case in employee’s household. Staff who are particularly vulnerable to COVID-19 (e.g., due to age or severe underlying medical conditions) are encouraged to refrain from participating
Practice recommended social distancing to the greatest extent possible

Limit group sizes and mixing. Keep groups small and, to the extent possible, avoid mixing between groups
Athletes/Coaches:

Should maintain at least 6 feet of separation from others when not on the field of play or otherwise engaged in play/activity, where feasible
Consider physical markings in the benches, or other shared or athlete staging areas to help remind athletes and coaches of appropriate social distancing. Consider alternate seating locations or larger staging areas for athletes or staff to increase social distancing
Athletes and coaches should refrain from high fives, handshake lines, and other physical contact with teammates, opposing teams, coaches, umpires, and fans. Coaches should regularly review social distancing ruleswith athletes

Spectators should maintain at least 6 feet of separation from others not from the same household, including in seating areas or bleachers, and refrain from entering athlete areas
Umpires and Officials should maintain 6 feet of separation from others and when interacting with athletes, coaches, and spectators off the field of play. Avoid exchanging documents or equipment with athletes, coaches, or spectators as much as possible

Encourage those who can to wear cloth face coverings. Wearing a cloth face covering may not be possible while actively participating in an athletic activity, but an effort should be made to wear a face covering between games, when in dug outs, and when not actively engaged in physical activity

Coaches, umpires, and officials should wear face coverings if in close proximity to others and if using a projected voice within 15 feet of others
Athletes should wear face coverings when not actively participating
Spectators should wear cloth face coverings when maintaining appropriate distance from other spectators.

Locker rooms should not be utilized for the time being due to it being a confined area; athletes and coaches should dress in uniforms at home.
Require that all athletes, coaches, and officials wash or sanitize their hands upon arriving and leaving each day, and encourage spectators to do the same. Athletes and coaches should regularly wash their hands or use hand sanitizer between activity while on-site
Coaches and athletes should increase hygiene practices—wash hands more frequently, avoid touching face, practice good respiratory etiquette when coughing or sneezing. Limit spitting
Recommend that persons more vulnerable or at-risk for COVID-19 (e.g. due to age or severe underlying medical conditions) take extra precaution or refrain from attending or participating for the time being. Where possible, it is recommended that athletes travel to the venue alone or with a member of their immediate household.
Drinks and snacks provided from home:

Athletes, managers/coaches, and umpires/officials should bring their own personal beverages to all athletic activities. Drinks should be labeled with the person’s name. If a parent or coach provides beverages for the team, utilize single-person containers and label for each athlete
If the organizer provides hydration stations or coolers (e.g., water table for team or group run participants), limit prep areas to persons other than essential staff. Provide cups for pick up by athletes at separate areas/tables in a manner that does not encourage congregation, or separate coolers by at least six feet.
Individuals should take their drink containers home each day for cleaning or use single-use bottles
Avoid shared or team beverages
Athletes should bring individual, pre-packaged food, if needed. Avoid unpackaged shared team food
Avoid eating and spitting seeds, gum, other similar products

Facility- or Administrative-Related Process Adaptations

Arrange any seating areas, tables, chairs, etc. (indoors and out) at least 6 feet from each other. If safe distances are not achievable, barricade or remove seating areas. Install barriers and protective shields where needed to safely distance staff and visitors.
Post signs encouraging social distancing (visible to athletes and spectators). Use signs or ground markings to indicate proper social distancing at ticket booths, concession areas, bathrooms, or anywhere else a line is anticipated to form. If necessary for the venue, consider establishing a “guest flow” plan, including managing queues and making walkways or stairways one-way or clearly divided for bi-directional travel, with appropriate directional signs/markers. Address high-traffic pedestrian intersections to maximize physical distance between persons.
Staff or volunteers should conduct regular disinfecting of high-touch surfaces, equipment and common areas of the facility using disinfectant cleaning supplies according to Environmental Health established guidelines. An increased number of volunteers or staff may be necessary
Hand sanitizer and/or hand washing stations with soap and running water should be readily accessible.
Limit the number of people present in bathroom facilities at any one time to reduce potential exposure within those confined spaces, and ensure that sanitization is occurring at increased intervals.
Temporarily close water fountains and encourage athletes and spectators to bring their own water.
Individuals should not congregate in common areas following the event or practice and should depart the premises as soon as is reasonably possible.
Communicate expectations and new protocols to participants and families in advance of the sporting event.
Positive COVID-19 case management: Organizer should maintain a complete list of coaches, athletes, and staff present at each event and be prepared to cooperate with the MoH public health team in the event of a confirmed case of COVID-19 by a participant. An effort should be made to maintain a log of spectators, to the extent possible.
Limit the number of people in restroom facilities at any one time to reduce potential exposure within those confined spaces, and ensure that sanitization is occurring at increased intervals. Properly sanitize and distance porta-potties, if used. Provide hand sanitizer or hand washing stations with running water and soap for each porta-potty. Space out porta-potty clusters to create greater social distancing within lines; consider decreasing the ratio of the number of persons per porta-potty. Work with vendor or volunteers to maintain hygiene supplies and to regularly sanitize porta-potties (wearing appropriate PPE) throughout event
Continue to offer virtual participation options, particularly for persons who are vulnerable or uncomfortable in larger groups.
Limit awards ceremonies or post-event celebrations to reduce potential for larger crowds.
Use areas, venues, or facilities that allow for greater physical separation of athletes (e.g., spread out team practice across extra field space, use wider starting line for cycling, triathlon or running events).

References

https://www.tn.gov/governor/covid-19/economic-recovery/noncontact-sports.html

CDC Considerations for Youth Sports: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/youth-sports.html

Little League® Best Practice: https://www.littleleague.org/player-safety/coronavirus-update/season-resumption-guide/best-practices/organizing-playing-watching-games/

Note that as the COVID-19 situation continues to develop, the Ministry of Health will provide

updates if any additional precautions are recommended.