West Seattle Soccer Club (WSSC)

Covid-19 Action Plan

We all need to work together to help slow the spread of COVID-19. Contact tracing slows the spread of COVID-19 by

• Letting people know they may have been exposed to COVID-19 and should monitor their health for signs and symptoms of COVID-19.
• Helping people who may have been exposed to COVID-19 get tested.
• Asking people to self-isolate if they have COVID-19 or self-quarantine if they are a close contact of someone who has COVID-19.

The bottom line: Making a choice to help WSSC and the King County Health Department in the fight against COVID-19 helps protect our players, coaches, families and our community.

GENERAL MESSAGE

• In order to conduct soccer activities during the pandemic, we all need to work together with the King County Health Department to slow the spread of COVID-19.
• Working with the health department is the best way to protect your family and friends from COVID-19.
• Your immediate actions can help make all of us safer. This may include staying home and staying away from others.

• If you or your player(s) are experiencing any of the following symptoms, stay home and do not participate in WSSC activities:
  • Fever or chills
  • Cough
  • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
  • Fatigue
  • Muscle or body aches
  • Headache
  • New loss of taste or smell
  • Sore throat
  • Congestion or runny nose
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Diarrhea

• If you think you may have COVID-19 and/or are waiting for a test result, stay home and monitor your health to protect your friends, family and others from possibly getting COVID-19.
• If YOU AND/OR YOUR PLAYER ARE DIAGNOsED WITH COVID-19, you MUST NOTIFY WSSC IMMEDIATELY at [email protected] AND SELF-ISOLATE.
• By participating in WSSC activities, YOU ARE CONSENTING TO ALLOW WSSC TO NOTIFY THE KING COUNT HEALTH DEPARTMENT IN THE EVENT YOU OR YOUR PLAYER(S) ARE DIAGNOSED WITH COVID-19.
• Be part of the solution and answer the phone – it may be the health department calling to let you know you’re test result came back positive for SARS-Cov-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, or that you’ve been in contact with someone who has it. This phone call is just one small part of what is known as contact tracing.
• Contact tracing for COVID-19 works best with everyday preventative actions.
  • This means actions such as washing your hands often, avoiding close contact, and covering your mouth and nose with a mask when around others. Doing so can slow the spread of COVID-19. It is especially important before a vaccine or better treatments become widely available.

IF YOU HAVE BEEN AROUND SOMEONE WITH COVID-19

If you have been around someone with COVID-19 (also known as a “close contact”), someone from the health department may call to tell you that you have been exposed to COVID-19. They will ask you to stay at home, away from others and self-quarantine.

• For COVID-19, a close contact is anyone who was within 6 feet of an infected person for at least 15 minutes. An infected person can spread COVID-19 starting from 48 hours (or 2 days) before the person has any symptoms or tests positive for SARS-Cov-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
• Stay at home away from others and self-quarantine for 14 days after you were last around someone with COVID-19. Health department staff will help identify the dates of your self-quarantine. They can also provide resources about COVID-19 testing in your area.
  • Self-quarantine means staying home, monitoring your health, and maintaining social distancing (at least 6 feet) from others at all times.
  • If you need to be around other people or animals in or outside of the home, wear a mask. This will help protect the people around you.
  • If you need support or assistance with self-quarantine, then your health department or a local community organization may be able to provide assistance.
  • Self-quarantine helps slow the spread of COVID-19 and can help keep your family, friends, and other people you have been around from possibly getting COVID-19.
• Take your temperature twice a day, monitor yourself for any symptoms of COVID-19, and notify your health department if you develop symptoms. Seek medical care if symptoms worsen or become severe.
• Discussions with health department staff are confidential. This means that your personal and medical information will be kept private and only shared with those who may need to know, like your health care provider.
• Your name will not be shared with those you came in contact with, even if they ask. The health department will only notify people you were recently around that they might have been exposed to COVID-19.
• Your information will be collected for health purposes only and should not be shared with any other agencies, like law enforcement or immigration.

IF YOU are waiting for a COVID-19 test result

• If you think you may have COVID-19 and/or are waiting for a test result, stay home and monitor your health to protect your friends, family and others from possibly getting COVID-19.
• Think about the people you have recently been around.
  • While you wait for your COVID-19 test result, think about everyone you have been around recently. This will be important information to have available.  If your test is positive, someone from the health department may call you to check on your health, discuss who you have been around, and ask where you spent time while you may have been able to spread COVID-19 to others.
• Answer the phone call from the health department.
  • If the health department calls you, answer the call to help slow the spread of COVID-19 in your community.
    • Discussions with health department staff are confidential. This means that your personal and medical information will be kept private and only shared with those who may need to know, like your health care provider.
    • Your name will not be shared with those you came in contact with, even if they ask. The health department will only notify people you were in close contact with (within 6 feet for more than 15 minutes) that they might have been exposed to COVID-19.
    • Your information will be collected for health purposes only and should not be shared with any other agencies, like law enforcement or immigration.

IF YOU ARE diagnosed with COVID-19

• If YOU AND/OR YOUR PLAYER ARE DIAGNOsED WITH COVID-19, you MUST NOTIFY WSSC IMMEDIATELY at [email protected] AND SELF-ISOLATE.
• When you inform WSSC of the COVID-19 diagnosis, WSSC will notify the King County Health Department.  WSSC will not share your personal information with any other persons or agencies.
• WSSC will notify your and/or your player(s) team and any recent opponents that they may have been exposed to someone diagnosed with Covid-19.  At its discretion, WSSC may also notify its entire membership that a positive Covid-19 diagnosis has occurred.  WSSC will not identify the person diagnosed.
• If you are diagnosed with COVID-19, someone from the health department may call you to check on your health, discuss who you have been around, and ask where you have spent time while you may have been able to spread COVID-19 to others. The health department and community organizations may be able to help connect people to services during self-isolation.
• Discussions with health department staff are confidential. This means that your personal and medical information will be kept private and only shared with those who may need to know, like your health care provider.
• Your name will not be shared with those you came in contact with, even if they ask. The health department will only notify people you were in close contact with (within 6 feet for more than 15 minutes) that they might have been exposed to COVID-19.
• Your information will be collected for health purposes only and should not be shared with any other agencies, like law enforcement or immigration.
• Health department staff will ask you to stay at home away from others and self-isolate, if you are not doing so already.
  • Self-isolation means staying at home in a specific room away from other people and pets, and using a separate bathroom, if possible.
  • Self-isolation is critical to protecting those who you live with as well as your community.
  • Self-isolation helps slow the spread of COVID-19 and can help keep your family, neighbors, and other close contacts from possibly getting COVID-19.
  • If you need support or assistance while self-isolating, then your health department or a local community organization may be able to provide assistance.
• Seek medical care if your symptoms worsen or become severe. Severe symptoms include trouble breathing, persistent pain or pressure in the chest, confusion, inability to wake or stay awake, or bluish lips or face.

Contact tracing works best with everyday preventive actions

• Everyday preventive actions taken by people and communities can slow the spread of COVID-19. This is especially important before a vaccine or better treatments become widely available.
• Preventative actions means that you:
  • Wash your hands often,
  • Avoid close contact,
  • Cover your mouth and nose with a mask when around others, and
  • Cover your coughs and sneezes.

Key actions

• Pick up the phone when the health department calls.
• Follow health department guidance.
• Tell a healthcare provider and the health department if you become ill.
• Call a healthcare provider if you start to feel ill and you have not been tested for COVID-19.
• If you have been around someone with COVID-19 (close contact), stay at home away from others and self-quarantine for 14 days, starting from the last day that you were possibly exposed to COVID-19. Monitor yourself for symptoms of COVID-19.
• Tell those who you had close contact with recently if you become ill, so that they can monitor their health.
• Know what symptoms mean you need to go to the hospital right away.
• Seek medical care if symptoms worsen or become severe. Severe symptoms include trouble breathing, persistent pain or pressure in the chest, confusion, inability to wake or stay awake, or bluish lips or face.

be respectful – no stigma from covid-19

• People can fight stigma by providing social support in situations where you notice this is occurring.
• Stigma affects the emotional or mental health of stigmatized groups and the communities they live in.
• Stopping stigma is important to making communities and community members resilient. See resources on mental health and coping during COVID-19.
• Everyone can help stop stigma related to COVID-19 by knowing the facts and sharing them with others in your community.

Washington Department of Health protocols for Youth Sports:  youth sports updated 042121.pdf

Washington Youth Soccer has provided guidelines for Clubs, Coaches and Players:  Washington Youth Soccer Return to Play Guidelines

General Guidelines

•  Be smart: if you are sick, stay home. This applies to everyone: players, coaches, and parents. If you have been sick, stay home for 14 days after recovery.
• Screening: Greet all participants before practice and ask if they have been sick in the last 14 days or in direct contact with a person who is sick.
• Send home immediately if the answer is “yes”.
  
• Sanitize: have hand sanitizer available and encourage hand washing before and after all activities.
  
• Group play: all activities must be limited to the max number allowed in the current phase.
  
• Physical play: facilitate soccer activities that eliminate physical contact. All drills and small-sided games should have as little physical contact as possible. Tackling, shielding, etc. should not be included in small-sided games or drills.
  
• No high-fives, handshakes, or hugs: as much as we want to physically connect, this is not a safe practice for anybody right now.
  
• Masks: coaches and spectators must wear a mask at all times.  Players shall wear masks during all training, but may remove masks during competition
  
• Drop-off/pick-up: if possible, parents should remain in car for drop-off and pick-up. All spectators must remain 6 feet apart.
  
• Water bottles: to minimize accidental sharing of water, players must keep their water bottles in their own bag when not in use.
  
• Have fun, stay positive: everyone is looking to each other to stay calm, supportive, and compassionate during this time.
  

Coaches Guidelines

• Ensure the health and safety of your players. Inquire how the athletes are feeling, send them home if they act or discuss feeling ill.
  
• Follow all established federal, state, and local protocols.
  
• Ensure all athletes have their individual equipment (ball, water bottles, bag, etc.) and prohibit them from sharing anything. Equipment placement should be spaced at least 6 feet apart.
  
• The coach is the only person to handle cones, disks, etc.
  
• All training must be outdoors and coaches must strictly enforce social distancing per the current phase guidelines.
  
• Coaches must always wear a face mask per current phase protocol and social distance from players when required.
  
• Wash and sanitize your own equipment after every session.
  
• The use of scrimmage vests/pinnies is not recommended.
  
• Increase your communication with parents, they need to know what you are doing as a coach and club to maintain their safety.
  
• Have fun, stay positive – players and parents are looking to you to stay calm, supportive, and caring during this time.
  

Player Guidelines

• Take temperature daily.
  
• Wash hands thoroughly before and after training and any contact outside your home.
  
• Bring and use hand sanitizer with you at every training session. Especially at the beginning and end of sessions.
  
• Limited or no carpooling.
  
• Wear mask before and after all training sessions. This protects others in the event that you are unknowingly carrying the virus.
  
• Do not touch or share anyone else’s equipment.
  
• Bring your own ball to training, label it as your own.
  
• Practice social distancing and place bags and other equipment at least 6 feet apart from your teammates’ equipment during sessions.
  
• Wash and sanitize all equipment before and after every training session.
  
• No group celebrations with players closer than six feet, no high fives, hugs, cheers, etc.
  

Parent Guidelines

• Ensure athletes are healthy, check their temperature daily.
  
• Limited or no carpooling.
  
• Stay in car or social distance when at training, wear mask at all times if outside your car.
  
• Ensure child’s clothing is washed after every training session.
  
• Label your child’s equipment to guard against cross-contamination.
  
• Ensure all equipment, cleats, ball, shin guards etc. are sanitized after every training.
  
• Notify club immediately if your child becomes ill for any reason and do not bring them into contact with coaches or other players.
  
• Do not assist coaches with equipment before or after training.
  
• Be sure your child has necessary sanitizer and cleaning supplies with them at every training.
  
• When traveling, take responsibility to sanitize hotel rooms.
  

KNOW YOUR ROLE! KNOW THE PROTOCOLS. The best practices listed abovr are intended to offer guidance to our Washington Youth Soccer community. Adherence to these considerations and recommendations does not ensure immunity from exposure.