PLAY SAFE GUIDELINES - HEALTH & HYGIENE GUIDELINES FOR PLAYERS AND COACHES

These guidelines link directly to the Auckland Table Tennis Association Activity During COVID-19 Alert Level Guidelines. Please go here to make yourself familiar with the recommendations for table tennis activity at Alert Level 2.

The information below has been created based on specific advice from NZ Government, Ministry of Health and Sport NZ, and relates to Alert Levels 2, where table tennis activity is allowed under specific circumstances. Please remember, at Alert Level 4 and Alert Level 3, there is no activity at the Auckland table tennis stadium. During Alert Level 2 only stadium keyholder members can access the Auckland table tennis stadium.

These health and hygiene guidelines are for players and coaches. Until we are advised otherwise, the following recommendations are applicable during Alert Level 2. 

The Auckland Table Tennis Association has established a COVID-19 safety plan based on Work Safe, MOH and Government guidelines.

Before you play

You must stay at home if you:

• Have been in contact with someone with COVID-19 in the last 14 days
• Have been overseas or exposed to someone with COVID-19 in the last 14 days
• Have flu-like symptoms
• Or are in a high risk health category.

Attending table tennis activities

• Only stadium keyholder members 
• Book your table or coaching session in advance through contactless booking (e-mail attabookings@gmail.com or phone +64 9 520 2291)
• Wash your hands before you play, and afterwards too
• Complete the online contact tracing form at https://members.tabletennis.net.nz/visitor
• Arrive and leave as close as possible to when you need to
• Parents/guardians who are not stadium keyholders can check-in their children then depart
• Take your own equipment if possible. Do not share equipment with people outside of your bubble
• Exercise caution with common touch points (e.g. doors and gates)
• Check the Auckland Table Tennis Association safety plan to make sure you are aware of, and can follow the guidelines
• Physical distancing

Table tennis holds a unique advantage as a sport which requires no direct contact between players. Be sure to keep 2 metres away from other people while taking part in any table tennis activity. Do not walk through adjacent courts when other players are playing.

Behaviours

To protect against infection, you should:

• Wash/sterilise your hands before and after you play and avoid touching your face while playing
• Not share water bottles and bring your own full bottle
• Wash your hands frequently with soap and water or hand-sanitiser when available. It is recommended to carry your own hand sanitiser with you
• Cover your coughs and sneezes and dispose of any used tissues immediately
• Avoid touching your face
• Do not attend if you are feeling unwell
• Avoid touching any shared surfaces (net posts, chairs etc). If you do touch anything that is not your own equipment, you must clean these thoroughly before you leave.

After play

If you become sick with COVID-19 symptoms within 10 days of playing at the Auckland table tennis stadium, it is vital that you inform Shane Warbrooke, CEO, e-mail aucklandtt@xtra.co.nz or phone +64 9 520 2291

• A COVID-19 safety plan is in place, including risk controls for staff on site
• All students must register for contact tracing: https://members.tabletennis.net.nz/visitor
• Shorten coaching sessions where necessary to ensure no cross over between players
• Live ball drills and game-based play is recommended over multi-ball
• Maintain physical distancing at all times including when giving feedback and while players are resting
• Ensure players keep 2 metres distance from one another
• Avoid activities, exercises and drills where players come in to contact or too close to one another
• Do not allow students to walk through adjacent courts when other players are playing 
• Do not let students handle any coaching equipment - coach to pick up balls and feed drills
• Payments to be made via bank transfer – avoid handling cash

Table tennis equipment

• Do not let students handle any balls or coaching equipment. Only the coach should be in contact with shared equipment
• Make sure you clean your hands before and after coming off the table
• Do not touch your face after touching a ball, bat, or other table tennis equipment
• Use fewer balls per session
• Replace all balls if someone with/suspected to have COVID-19 comes in contact with them
• Clean all table tennis gear with alcohol-based disinfectant including bats, towels, and coaching gear such as multi-ball baskets

Clean environment

Providing a clean environment to play table tennis in is essential. The Auckland Table Tennis Association will:

• Provide soap, hand-sanitiser or wipes at all main contact points
• Clean all surfaces, such as counters, tabletops, doorknobs, bathroom fixtures, toilets, phones, keyboards, tablets, and tables, at least once a day wearing disposable gloves
• Clean any surfaces which may have blood, body fluids and/or secretions or excretions on them
• Regularly remind and encourage everyone, particularly juniors, of the need to wash hands regularly and adopt the other principles of a good hygiene strategy
• Display signage about handwashing and hygiene techniques at strategic points like at the front entrance and at all Hello Club kiosks