Definitions:
Communicable disease is an illness caused by an infectious agent or its toxic product that can be
transmitted from one person to another such as COVID-19, norovirus, and seasonal influenza.
Individual or Participant refers to and includes an employee, coach, volunteer, athlete, participant,
or parent/spectator.
Training environment refers to any in-person group training activities or events that take place
either indoors or outdoors.
Purpose:
An effective communicable disease plan and illness policy includes general measures to reduce the
risk of communicable disease and additional measures for when there is an elevated risk of
communicable disease.
Application:
This policy is applicable to all BCAS operations and programs including, but not limited to, work and
training environments, events, competitions, and meetings.
A. Communicable Disease Prevention Plan:
1. Risk Assessment
a. Preventing communicable disease involves taking ongoing measures to reduce the risk of
communicable disease transmission while participating in BCAS activities including, but not
limited to:
• the work environment including board, committee, or member meetings
• provincial and club training environments
• club, regional or provincial events and competitions
b. Recognizing that the level of risk of certain communicable diseases may increase from time to
time, on a seasonal basis or at a local or regional level, BCAS will monitor and review
communicable disease-related information issued by the regional and provincial health offices
and will follow all orders, guidance, notices, and recommendations issued by either office.
c. As the individual responsible for competition and event management, the Sport Services
Coordinator will be responsible for monitoring regional or provincial health advisories in
consultation with the host club.
d. As the individual responsible for operations and governance, the Executive Director will be
responsible for monitoring regional or provincial health advisories that may affect meetings of
the membership, Board or committees.
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2. Implement Measures, Practices, and Policies to Reduce the Risk
a. Ongoing Measures, Policies & Supporting Practices
BC Artistic Swimming will maintain the following measures to reduce the risk of communicable
disease transmission:
• ILLNESS POLICY: Application of the BCAS Illness Policy to support staff, volunteers and
participants who have symptoms of a communicable disease.
• PROVINCIAL PROCEDURES: Updated Provincial Program & Competition Procedures and
application for medical byes to support athletes, coaches and clubs who are unable to
participate in provincial events or competitions.
• HYGIENE: In addition to facility cleaning and hygiene stations, BCAS will make hand sanitizer
available at all provincial events at the volunteer check-in station, in the officials’ room,
hospitality spaces, and at all scoring and timing stations. Whenever possible, all participants
will be given their own personal bottle of hand sanitizer.
• CLEANING PROTOCOLS: Competition and event hospitality and hosting protocols will be
updated to include appropriate cleaning protocols such as:
o Officials’ hospitality room is to be cleaned with disinfectant between sessions and
before and after meals. [Lead: Host Club/Hospitality Volunteer]
o Food is to be individually wrapped when possible and shared meals are to have clearly
designated serving utensils that are cleaned regularly. [Lead: Host Club/Hospitality
Volunteer]
o Hand sanitizer is to be available at the start of any buffet-style serving station and
guests are encouraged to use hand sanitizer before touching anything on the serving
station. [Lead: Host Club/Hospitality Volunteer]
o Those benefiting from hospitality services are encouraged to bring their own cutlery.
Otherwise, only disposable cutlery and dishes are to be used. Cutlery is to be
individually wrapped in napkins or by other hygienic means to limit touch points. [Lead:
Host Club/Hospitality Volunteer]
o Shared drinking vessels (carafes, pitchers, or ewers) are not recommended but are
acceptable from third-party vendors such as Starbucks or Tim Hortons. Individually
packaged drinks are permitted and all participants are encouraged to bring their own
water bottle that can be replenished from facility fountains. [Lead: Host Club/Hospitality
Volunteer]
o Scoring and timing stations are to be disinfected between events and at the end of
each day. [Lead: Departing Volunteer]
o The announcer’s mic and music station will be disinfected between events and/or
when new volunteer leads takeover. [Lead: Departing Volunteer]
o iPads are to be disinfected between events or when there is a change of videographer.
[Lead: Departing Volunteer]
o Sign in or check in stationsto provide accessto hand sanitizer and clean writing utensils
when necessary. Writing implements are to be sanitized with disinfectant wipes
between uses. [Lead: BCAS Staff/Volunteers]
o Hand sanitizer is to be available in all meeting spaces and tables/seating to be wiped
down between sessions or participants, whenever possible. [Lead: BCAS Staff/Volunteers]
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• PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIMENT:
o BCAS will ensure there is a supply of disposable masks and gloves available to staff
and volunteer to use at their discretion or if they are experience signs of a
communicable disease.
o BCAS will supply gloves to host club hospitality volunteers. Gloves are to be worn at
all times when handling shared food.
• PUBLIC HEALTH MEASURES: During periods of elevated risk, BCAS will follow guidance and
recommendation communicated by provincial and regional public health offices.
3. Communicate Measures, Practices and Policies
a. The measures outlined above will be communicated to BCAS members and the applicable
competition and event hosting policies, procedures, and documents will be updated
accordingly.
b. This document will be posted on the BCAS website and accessible to all members at all times.
4. Monitor and Update Plan
a. Health & Safety Measures to be added to the Chief Referee and Chief Judge Competition
Reports to allow opportunity to comment on protocol implementation or gaps.
b. This document is to be reviewed and updated by BCAS staff on an annual basis and presented
to the Governance Committee for review.
B. Illness Policy:
1. Disclosure & Self-Assessment
a. Participants must inform an individual in a position of authority (e.g., coach, team manager) if
they experience any symptoms of a communicable disease such as fever, chills, cough,
shortness of breath, sore throat and painful swallowing, stuffed or runny nose, loss of sense of
smell, headache, muscle aches, fatigues, loss of appetite, nausea or diarrhea.
b. An individual experiencing fever, diarrhea, or vomiting should never enter the training
environment and should leave immediately if any of these symptoms present themselves
during training and are known or presumed to be infectious.
2. Managing Symptoms of a Communicable Disease
Individuals who are experiencing symptoms of a communicable disease should:
a. Remain at home and contact Health Link BC at 8-1-1.
b. If symptoms arise during training activities, participants should be sent home and directed to
contact 8-1-1 or a doctor for further guidance.
c. No individual may join or participate in a training activity, event, or training environment if they
are symptomatic.
3. Inability to Participate in a Provincial Event or Competition
Individuals who are unable to attend or participate in a qualification or trial event or competition
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due to symptoms of or a communicable disease, must follow the Provincial Competition or Event
Procedures and medical bye process.
