Latest advice from the EGKA
The following are recommendations from the committee on teaching during Covid. This is by no means an exhaustive list of precautions to take.
- You must complete a Covid risk assessment before reopening. (A draft you can use has been provided by Sensei Mike Draper) this must be made available to all students, parents and the venue if requested.
- Make sure you know your maximum capacity for the room(s) that you use. Remember to consider the space you will need at the front to teach. Take into account any parents that have to stay onsite.
- Ensure each student has at least two meters between them and any other student in every direction.
- A register must be kept for each session to ensure you can ‘track & trace’ if needed. This is a great time to ensure you have the most up to date contact details for your students.
- Ensure your students know how to contact you should they show any Covid-19 symptoms.
- Hand cleaning facilities must be available, either washing or hand sanitiser.
- Contact is only permitted between family groups, as such only non-contact training is permitted at this time.
- If younger students cannot tie their own belts it may be easier to leave them off for now.
- Any equipment used must either be the students own, or not shared between students without being cleaned fully first.
- Advise all students to bring their own water bottles with them, prefilled to avoid using water fountains at the venue.
- If possible, use a one-way system around the building to ensure minimum passing of people in hallways.
- If you have them (and weather permits) open windows and doors to allow fresh air to move around the dojo.
- Encourage students to arrive promptly for the start time rather than gathering for a chat before hand (as we all like to do)
There is an ongoing discussion about wearing masks in the dojo. Some people think it is sensible considering you must wear them to shop, while others think you are ok without as you do not have to wear them to the gym. Unfortunately, there is no sure answer on this I am afraid. If you feel you want to use them in your dojo please do so. If your students want to wear them, please allow it but if you do not deem it necessary that is your decision.
While a 2-meter distance is essential, if someone hurts themselves while training it is natural that you (or your dojo first aider) will want to help them. This again is a grey area, and again one I think we must balance between risk and outcome. If someone has a life-threatening injury or massive heart attack, you will of course help them. If someone twists an ankle you would probably choose to remotely offer first aid (i.e. you would talk them through how to best strap it themselves) Please ensure your first aid kit is easily accessible and that gloves and ideally masks are in immediate reach so they can be put on before the first aider touches anything else. There is advice available from St Johns (and others I am sure) on how to adapt your first aid response during Covid.
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