National Sports Day Healthcare Protocol & Public Health Measures

The Aim

This protocol aims to provide guidance on the best means to facilitate safely holding sports activities associated with the National Sports Day this year amid the COVID-19 pandemic, and particularly the adoption of effective preventive public health measures to protect the health of participants and the community by reducing the risk of COVID-19 transmission before, during and after the Sports Day.

Scope of Allowed Activities and Its Locations

• This year, only individual sporting activities are allowed, such as jogging/running, swimming, and cycling.

• Contact sports that require physical contact between players are prohibited, for example football matches.

• Competitive sports that require more than one team in a limited space is prohibited.

• All sporting activities, during training and preparation and during the event itself, must be conducted entirely in outdoor settings. All sporting activities in indoor settings are entirely prohibited.

• In case the use of vehicles is required to reach the locations of the activities, the number of passengers should not exceed 4 persons in each car, including the driver. in the case of using buses, the number of people on the bus should not exceed 30% of the maximum capacity load, taking into account the opening of the windows. All should comply with wearing face masks during transport.

• All sports and gym equipment in parks, sports paths and all other public places are closed.

Other Public Health measures

• Face masks are mandatory and should be worn at all times except during the sporting activity itself. In the event of stopping sporting activity, it must be put back on.

• Avoid shaking hands, hugging or kissing at all times.

• Close interaction with other people should be avoided before starting and after finishing sporting activities and a safe distance must be maintained at all times during the sports activity.

• Participants are advised to maintain a minimum distance of 1.5 meters while talking to other participants with strict compliance to wearing face masks.

• Participants are not to share clothes, towels, soap or any other personal items, and they must use their own drinking bottles and not to share it with others. They should use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer to clean hands.

• Cleaning and disinfection of frequently touched surfaces.

• No spitting no cheering, no live choir, and no live singing by spectators as this can spread virus.

• Provide trash cans with lids to dispose of used tissues in all vehicles and venues.

• Anyone who is feeling unwell should not participate in any sports activity and should to the nearest health center.

Participants in the individual sports activities during the National Sports Day should take into account the following:

• Spectators are not allowed to attend any of the activities during the sports day.

• Family groups of the same household can sit together in the open air, but with the minimum of 2m distance from other families in all directions.

• Thermal screening must be conducted for athletes upon entry to any area to practice any sports activity. Entry will be prohibited for those with temperature above 37.8 degrees. In addition, check that the status is green in EHTERAZ app to allow entry.

• Everyone must wear face masks all the time when they are not performing exercises or during walking.

• Vulnerable and high-risk groups including people aged 60 years and older and people with chronic illnesses should be discouraged from attending the activities for their own safety.

Catering

• It is preferable not to eat while exercising or during sports activities.

• Meals should be served in accordance with the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) guidance for restaurants.

• Food outlets at venue are restricted to ready-made, take-away in disposable packaging. Only outdoor dining is allowed.

• Queues for obtaining meals must comply with the minimum of 1.5 m physical distancing precautions - mark floors to ensure compliance and provide staff or volunteers to ensure public compliance. No buffet food is to be served in any venue.

For more general health and prevention information, inquiries can be directed to the Ministry of Public Health.