Announcement About Club Use Due To Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Issued: 17 March 2020
Following the Government announcement about COVID-19 on 16 March, the Trustees have met and carefully considered what is the appropriate action to take regarding club activities at the present time. The overriding aim is to keep the club functioning for core rowing activity whilst doing so as safely as possible and within guidelines. The Trustees have also taken account of advice from the club’s medical adviser, Dr David Chinn & continue to monitor any new guidance from British Rowing & the Government.
With immediate effect the following shall apply to all members & visitors until further notice:
- On water & outdoor training may continue with conditions applied
- The gym & ergo floor are closed & should not be used under any circumstances
- All organised social activity within the building is cancelled
On Water & Outdoor Training
Rowing on the water and outdoor training can continue provided members follow advice and procedures to prevent the spread of infection.
All members are asked to follow NHS advice and wash their hands frequently, including before and after training sessions.
Blade handles, gates and other surfaces that have been handled must be washed down before and after every outing or session. This is vital to try and prevent the virus being passed on.
Parents/Guardians of Juniors should take their own decision if they wish their child to continue to train under the conditions outlined above. We would further ask that juniors are dropped off and collected for training and those with them do not wait or congregate around the Club.
Parents/Guardians to check that a session is going ahead before leaving the Club.
In addition we ask that members do not change or shower at the club after training if possible; the exception to this is if someone falls into the water.
The Gym & Ergo Floor
The rationale for closing this area is twofold. Firstly in the present circumstances because it is not feasible to keep all the surfaces from which infection could be caught sufficiently clean and secondly due to the humid atmosphere within the area.
Social Activity
It was decided that all organised social activities must stop including Clubnights on Wednesdays. The kitchen and clubroom will remain open but all are asked to follow Government guidelines and minimise contact with others, for example by drinking tea outside in the open air rather than in the clubroom
Generally
Our general principle has been, and will remain, to follow the advice from the Government
If any member experiences symptoms as described in Government advice, then they should self-isolate and stay away from the club. Please follow Government & NHS advice.
Members who are over 70, have a long term health condition or a weakened immune system should take particular care to minimise social contact,.
The Trustees ask that all members consider their own health situation and if they have any underlying health issues that put them at greater risk from CORVID-19 then they should consider carefully whether they should take the risks associated with continuing to row or train in the present circumstances.
We appreciate that some members may find these restrictions frustrating, but we must follow Government guidelines and NHS advice in these unprecedented times.
This guidance about the use of the club & facilities will be under constant review as the situation with the Coronavirus epidemic is an evolving picture and Government advice will be updated regularly.
Peterborough City Rowing Club
Trustees
17 March 2020.