COVID-19 AND CORONAVIRUS RESPONSE

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All persons entering the FIT facility must complete the FIT COVID-19 Questionnaire. 

These policies will be continually updated as USA Fencing and the United States and local governments evolve standard operating procedures for businesses, and especially sports facilities.   The knowledge and circumstances around COVID-19 are changing constantly and, as such, the Fencing Institute of Texas makes no representation and assumes no responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of this information. Further, you should seek advice from medical professionals and/or public health officials if you have specific questions about your return to training and competition. 

In the following, the term “parent” should be interpreted to mean parent or guardian for the fencer. Nannies or housekeepers must be assigned “guardianship” in writing by the parent and this must be filed with the FIT Office Manager (Ms. Lauri).

• Our Free Friday night class is discontinued for the present. If you would like to schedule a one-on-one introductory lesson with a coach to see if you would like to pursue fencing as a sport, please complete the “contact us” form on our website and a coach will contact you to set up a time. As we must disinfect equipment and the coaches will be making special trips, there will be a $25 fee for this service. Most introductory lessons will be scheduled for Saturdays.
• Persons not already fencers or family members at FIT, or scheduled for an introductory lesson, will not be allowed inside our facility. Only one adult family member will be allowed inside the facility to accompany a minor fencer. No ancillary persons will be allowed inside the facility with an adult fencer.
• No visitor fencers will be allowed to participate in our club activities at the time being. Please watch our website for future participation.
• ENTRANCE: Everyone entering the facility shall enter only through the door by the office. There will be a sign in/out contact log at the table by that door. Everyone entering the building is required to have a completed COVID-19 Questionnaire on file with the office. Once this is signed and on file FOR EACH PERSON (fencer and parent) who desires entry into our facility, only the sign in/out contact log needs to be completed. Persons entering our facility will self-certify their form remains correct, enter their body temperature, and list the time in.
• Everyone entering the facility must wear a protective face mask that covers the nose and mouth, and can be worn underneath the fencing mask, and gloves. Youth will be required to wear cloth face masks underneath their fencing mask. Caution must be taken that cloth coverings under fencing masks do not create a buildup of carbon monoxide. If a student feels light headed, nauseous, develops a headache or other symptoms, they should stop immediately, leave the fencing area, and remove their fencing mask and face covering. 
• Persons entering the facility will use the infrared thermometer at the entry desk to take their current      temperature and record that on the sign in/out contact log. The  thermometer works within 2 inches of the forehead, behind the ear, or on the inside of the wrist; DO NOT TOUCH YOUR SKIN with the sensor. Each person entering the facility shall put on a food service worker glove provided at the table in order to not touch the table, paper or pen when signing in/out, or the infrared thermometer with their bare hand.
• EXIT: Use only the marked EXIT doors to leave the building. Every person shall sign out at one of the doors when exiting. Again, use a new food service worker glove provided so your skin does not touch the pen, paper or table. Do not reenter through the exit doors. Those fencers training in the armory side of the facility or in the small room shall exit through the door by the armory along with their attending parent. Those fencers training in the side nearest the office and kitchen area shall exit through the door in the carpeted area along with their attending parent.
• Students with SCHEDULED lessons or invited for salle group instruction should arrive no more than 15 minutes prior to the scheduled time. Students must remain in the car or parking lot until this time. Students must leave the facility and be picked up immediately after their training. Parents should ensure they know the end time for training. FIT staff will not be responsible for fencers whose parents      drop them off and do not pick them up on time. 
• NO CIRCUIT TRAINING (SWITCH LESSONS)  WILL BE ALLOWED AT THE PRESENT TIME. The treadmill and bike are currently off limits. For the strength and conditioning class, students will be issued  weights and other equipment to use at their station. These items and the yoga mat must be disinfected after the class before they are put back on the storage racks. 
• All persons inside the club should maintain a 6-10 foot radius around them as all times. The virus is transmitted through fluid droplets; however, these are theoretically heavy enough to fall out of the air (and a person's breathing space) within the 6 foot radius. Fencers should not sit on the floor!
• Parents and fencers should not sit on couches or other “soft” surfaced seating. The wooden benches are 6’ in length, so should be limited to one family or one person only. If the kitchen area tables and/or chairs are used, these should be wiped down with disinfectant towels before leaving.
• PARENTS AND OTHERS WHO ARE NOT FENCERS OR COACHES MUST STAY OFF THE FENCING FLOOR. Everyone at the club is responsible for enforcing this rule. Parents waiting for their fencer should sit in one of      the waiting areas with a minimum of 6-10 feet between them and other parents or fencers.
• No one shall stand on the fencing floor between strips. If you are waiting to fence or participate in an exercise, you should remain seated on the benches or floor while maintaining the personal boundary of 6-10 feet radius. 
• Students shall not sit in close groups to watch videos, or stand close together in lines. We have enough space for students to spread out and maintain the 6-10 feet between them.
• Students should not congregate in the restrooms or in the lounge area. Fencers are not allowed to sit in the lounge area. Fencers shall not use personal lockers until further notice. This is to prevent breach of social distancing at the lockers. The strip next to the lockers shall not be used at any time. The outer      line of the strip is 10 feet from the lockers.
• Anyone who feels unwell should not come to practice. If a student complains of any symptoms, they      will be sent home immediately. 
• Parents, do not bring children who are not participating in a training session or lesson to the club. Fencer's siblings will be required to remain outside of the facility. Only one parent will be allowed inside the facility at any time.
• Disinfectant wipes and hand sanitizer are placed throughout the facility. Students should not store equipment in lockers at the current time. All fencers using club equipment should wipe masks out      before and after use, as well as the hard surfaces of weapons. This should      be followed by their use of hand sanitizer. (Hand sanitizer is only effective if it is allowed to DRY!) Soft equipment (gloves, jackets,      underarm protectors) shall be used once and placed into the laundry basket that is lined by a plastic bag; do not put these items back into the club area.
• Current beginner students may rent an equipment kit for $25 per month that they will keep at home for their personal use. Students will be responsible for replacing any unserviceable equipment or safety      equipment in addition to the monthly rental fee. Students who desire to purchase their own equipment should contact Mr. Ovy in order to get the club discount from the venders.
• Students should bring their own filled water bottle(s); do not refill water bottles at the club. No water bottles, cups or other trash should be left at the club.
• Encourage your children and family member to constantly wash their hands with soap and water after handling any club equipment and before/after practice, and to not touch their face (eyes, nose or mouth).
• Anyone using benches, tables or chairs should wipe these down with disinfectant wipes just before they leave. Remember, you may be asymptomatic and still transmit the virus to others.
• The fencing floor shall be sprayed with disinfectant every 4 hours, and at least once per day reegardless of use.

The USOPC has published information on their website concerning COVID-19, returning to training and events 

The link to the full USOPC document is below.  The following are excerpts from that document:

The information in this document is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. All content, including text, graphics, images and information, are provided for general informational purposes only. The knowledge and circumstances around COVID-19 are changing constantly and, as such, the USOPC makes no representation and assumes no responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of this information. Further, you should seek advice from medical professionals and/or public health officials if you have specific questions about your return to training and competition.

Return to Training Phases

[Phase 1 and 2 requirements removed]

1. Phase 3: Public health authorities allow small group activities (< 10 people), but public training facilities remain closed

     a. Criteria for participation in group training sessions (includes athletes, coaches and staff)

         i. Required

            1. No signs or symptoms of COVID-19 (Appendix 2) in the past14 days

                a. If the person has had a case of documented COVID-19 infection, they need a note from

                    their doctor indicating they are cleared to participate in training

          [live-in requirements removed]

            3. No close sustained contact with anyone who is sick within 14 days of beginning group 

               training.

                 a. Since the signs and symptoms of COVID-19 can be fairly non-specific and not just 

                      respiratory symptoms, it is recommended that athletes should not be in close 

                      sustained contact with anyone who is sick for 14 days prior to beginning group 

                      training. This requirement reduces the risk of introducing COVID-19 into the training 

                      group by someone who may have COVID-19 but isn’t experiencing any symptoms yet.

         ii. Additional or alternative criteria that could be used based upon advancements in 

                scientific knowledge, test availability,  and athlete/organizational resources **

                1. Two negative COVID-19 tests separated by 24 hours

                     a. The tests must be performed and results available prior to beginning group training. 

                          Tests would need to be repeated if the individual:

                           i. Had close sustained contact with someone with documented COVID-19 infection

                          ii. Developed signs or symptoms of COVID-19infection

                2. Coronavirus serology demonstrating prior infection (i.e.,presence of IgG), but no 

                     current infection (i.e., lack of IgM)

                    a. The test must be performed and results must be available prior to beginning group 

                         training

     b. Minimize changes in small group participants [FIT will develop Cohorts]

          i. If a group of individuals live together, consider assigning them to the same small group for 

              training

     c. All participants must self-monitor for symptoms of COVID-19 twice daily. If any signs of 

         symptoms of infection are present, the participant should not attend the practice, should

         notify coaches and staff, and should contact their healthcare provider

          i. Athletes must record their signs and symptoms (including temperature) on a paper or 

             electronic log that is monitored by coaches or staff

     d. Upon arrival to train, coaches or staff should ask each athlete if they are experiencing any 

          signs or symptoms of COVID-19 and take their temperature

          i. If the athlete has any signs or symptoms of COVID-19, they should be sent home and  

             instructed to contact their healthcare provider

     e. Infection prevention measures should be followed during practice and when in public 

          i. Make sure appropriate infection prevention supplies are present in multiple targeted areas 

             (e.g., hand sanitizer, facial tissues, facial coverings, etc.)

     f. Small group training sessions should take place outside in an area where social distancing 

         can be maintained

     g. Participants should use their own equipment and avoid touching each other with their 

          hands

          i. If a ball is being used (e.g., basketball), make sure only one player is using a specific region 

             of the court and/or basket at a time, and the court in that region needs to be cleaned 

            before another player uses the ball in that space to prevent indirect transmission from ball 

            1 to ground and from ground to ball 2.

          ii. Use own water bottle, towel, personal hygiene products (e.g., soap, deodorant, etc.)

     h. No activities that would require direct (e.g., judo) or indirect (e.g., high jump pit, basketball) 

          contact between athletes

     i. Rigorous, frequent cleaning schedule/protocol of equipment with disinfectant before, 

         during, and after training - wearing appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) (e.g., 

        gloves, face mask, etc.) to prevent contact with contaminated surfaces and protect against 

        toxicities associated with cleaning products

     j. Coaching can occur onsite, but coaches must maintain social distancing from all participants

4. Phase 4: Public health authorities allow public training facilities to open, no limitations on group size

     a. Criteria for participation in group training sessions (includes athletes, coaches and staff)

          i. Required

             1. No signs or symptoms of COVID-19 in the past 14 days USOPC 

                 a. If the person has had a case of documented COVID-19 infection, they need a note from 

                     their doctor indicating they are cleared to participate in training

          2. Live in training location for 14 days prior to beginning group training

               a. This requirement reduces the risk of introducing COVID-19 into the training group by 

                    someone traveling from a different region

         3. No close sustained contact with anyone who is sick within 14 days of beginning group 

              training

             a. Since the signs and symptoms of COVID-19 can be fairly non-specific and not just 

                  respiratory symptoms, it is recommended that athletes should not be in close sustained 

                  contact with anyone who is sick for 14 days prior to beginning group training. This 

                  requirement reduces the risk of introducing COVID-19 into the training group by 

                  someone who may have COVID-19 but isn’t experiencing any symptoms yet.

                 i. Additional or alternative criteria that could be used based upon advancements in 

                    scientific knowledge, test availability, and athlete/organizational resources 

                   1. Two negative COVID-19 tests separated by 24 hours

                       a. The tests must be performed and results must be available prior to beginning group 

                        training. The tests would need to be repeated if the individual:

                              i. Had close sustained contact with someone with documented COVID-19 infection

                             ii. Developed signs or symptoms of COVID-19 infection

                    2. Coronavirus serology demonstrating prior infection (i.e., presence of IgG), but no 

                    current infection (i.e., lack of IgM)

                         a. The test must be performed and results must be available prior to beginning group

                        training

      b. All participants must self-monitor for symptoms of COVID-19 twice daily.  If any signs of 

      symptoms of infection are present, the participant should not attend the practice, should 

      notify coaches and staff, and should contact their healthcare provider

            i. Athletes must record the results of their self-monitoring on a paper or electronic log 

             that can be monitored by coaches or staff

     c. Upon arrival to train, coaches or staff should ask each athlete if they are experiencing any 

     signs or symptoms of COVID-19 and take their temperature

           i. If the athlete has any signs or symptoms of COVID-19, they should be sent home and 

           instructed to contact their healthcare provider

     d. Continue standard infection prevention measures (e.g., frequent hand-washing,avoid 

     touching your face, cover your mouth when coughing, etc.), but social distancing is no longer

     required

          i. Make sure appropriate infection prevention supplies are present in multiple targeted areas 

          (e.g., hand sanitizer, facial tissues, facial coverings, etc.)

     e. Normal sized group training sessions outside and/or inside using training facilities

     f. Participants may use each other’s equipment, but equipment should be cleaned between 

     use if possible

     g. Continue to use own water bottle, towel, personal hygiene products (e.g.,soap, deodorant, 

     etc.)

     h. Activities with direct (e.g., judo) or indirect (e.g., high jump pit, basketball) can resume

     i. Rigorous, frequent cleaning schedule/protocol of equipment with disinfectant before, 

     during, and after training should continue, including wearing appropriate personal protective 

     equipment (PPE) (e.g., gloves, face mask, etc.)to prevent contact with contaminated surfaces 

     and protect against toxicities associated with cleaning products

     j. Coaching can occur onsite

5. Phase 5: A vaccine or cure for COVID-19 is developed

     a. Incorporate COVID-19 vaccination into the standard vaccinations of athletes,coaches and 

     staff

     b. Continue to educate athletes, coaches and staff on the signs and symptoms of infection. If 

     they develop signs and symptoms of infection, they should not attend practice, should notify 

     their coaches and/or staff, and contact their healthcare provider

     c. Continue standard infection prevention measures (e.g., frequent hand-washing,avoid 

     touching your face, cover your mouth when coughing, etc.)

     d. Continue rigorous, frequent cleaning schedule/protocol of equipment with disinfectant 

     before, during, and after training

Cleaning of training facilities should follow the CDC recommendations for cleaning and disinfecting community facilities. Frequently touched areas (e.g., door handles, light switches) should be cleaned multiple times daily. Work-out equipment should be cleaned with anti-septic cleansers prior to use, between use by different athletes, and after use.