New Provincial Health Officer Order Affecting the Lower Mainland (Vancouver Coastal and Fraser Health Regions)

November 10, 2020 10:00am

November 7, 2020, a new Provincial Health Officer Order was put in place for all individuals, places of work and businesses across the Lower Mainland. This includes all communities within the Vancouver Coastal and Fraser Health regions, with the exception of Hope, the Central Coast, Bella Coola Valley, the Sunshine Coast, Powell River and Howe Sound. This Order will be in effect for two weeks, from November 7 at 10 p.m. until Monday, November 23, 2020 at 12 p.m. and focuses on four areas: social gatherings, travel, group indoor physical activities, and workplace safety.

Below we have worked to identify how these new restrictions impact our members.

Highlights:

  • No indoor fitness / training that involves heavy breathing.
  • No travel into/out of Lower Mainland (Vancouver Coastal and Fraser Health Regions) for sport.
  • Continue to practice physical distancing and daily screening for symptoms.
  • Choose one sport, one club and stick to that one training group.

 

Social Gatherings / Training Sessions

  • No social gatherings of any size with anyone other than your core bubble. Training and Competitions are not deemed a “Social Gathering” however, athletes should arrive at their scheduled time for training and leave as soon as it is completed. (A core bubble are the people you spend the most time with and are physically close to. For some people, their core bubble is their immediate household. For others, their core bubble may contain a partner, relative, friend or co-parent who lives in a different household.) 
  • Avoid having athletes change training groups from day to day or week to week
  • Track attendance. Note who shows up to practice and when your practice occurred
  • ***Parents can continue to carpool kids to and from approved training sessions and competitions.
  • No person may attend as a spectator at an indoor sport activity unless this is necessary to provide care to a participant.

 

Travel

From November 7, 2020 at 10:00 pm to November 23, 2020 at 12:00 pm travel into and out of the Lower Mainland (Vancouver Coastal and Fraser Health regions) should be limited to essential travel only. Travel to, from and between the regions for athletic competitions is prohibited.

The Order States:
“No person may travel to or from the affected area or between the regions of the Fraser Health Authority and the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority for any sport related activity, including practice, training, games or tournaments, unless they are an identified by Canadian Sports Institute Pacific as a high performance athlete affiliated with an accredited provincial or national sports organization and are already training in the affected area and subject to the safety guidelines of their provincial sports organization.”

 

Group Indoor Physical Activities

Clubs or training groups in the Lower Mainland (Vancouver Coastal and Fraser Health regions) that organize or operate indoor group training must suspend these activities immediately. 

These activities can be replaced with individual exercise or practice that allows everyone to maintain a safe physical distance. These include training for:

  • High Jump, Long Jump, Triple Jump, Pole Vault
  • Hammer Throw, Discus Throw, Shot Put, Javelin
  • Weight Training
  • *These activities can only be conducted indoors if everyone is able to maintain a safe physical distance.
  • No person may attend as a spectator at an indoor sport activity unless this is necessary to provide care to a participant.

All other training should continue to be held outdoors. This includes:

  • Sprinting, Running, Jogging
  • Hurdles
  • Circuit Training
  • High Jump, Long Jump, Triple Jump, Pole Vault
  • Hammer Throw, Discus Throw, Shot Put, Javelin
  • Any activity that increases the respiratory rate

 

Training Environment Safety

Daily Screening (This applies to all Regions in BC and all BCA Member Clubs & Training Groups throughout the Province)

A daily screening should already be included in every club and training groups existing COVID-19 safety plan. Conduct routine daily symptom screenings for all coaches, volunteers, and participants. Wellness questionnaires and use of self-assessment tools are recommended.

  1. BC COVID-19 Self-Assessment Tool.
  2. SAMPLE Athlete Check-In Document

 

2nd Claim Club Memberships

Athletes residing in the Lower Mainland (Vancouver Coastal and Fraser Health regions), who hold a 2nd Claim Club Membership, are asked to select a single club for this period and train exclusively with that club.

Athletes/Clubs located in other Health Regions of the Province should consider adopting this same recommendation for the period Nov 7 to Nov 23 or until there is a lifting, amendment, or continuation of this Order.

 

Looking for more information? Visit viaSport’s FAQ here.

More information on BC Athletics "Return to Sport" policies and guidelines can be found online here.