H1N1 and the Skating Season
Dear Skating Family,
There has been a lot of news lately on the best prevention and treatment against H1N1 Infection but unlike other medical conditions, the information is changing quickly and often conflicting from week to week. It is sometimes difficult to know what is true and what to do!
Currently, Skate Canada is advising that all clubs increase member awareness of proper hygiene to reduce the transmission of respiratory infections like H1N1 and seasonal flu. We are not recommending any additional measures such as infection surveillance or enforcement of cancellations of lessons, competitions or social events at this time. If these Skate Canada recommendations change based on government notification, we will issue another communication to keep you up to date.
We encourage you to post the information we have included below at your club.
Here is a list of good prevention habits and ideal infection control that you should practice at home and in the arena:
- Hand Washing Hygiene
◦ Frequently
◦ Thoroughly
◦ Water and/or Sanitizer
- The Sleeve Sneeze
◦ Catch those germs on garments not hands, face or air spray
- Distance between Buddies
◦ Meet and greet without hand and face contact
◦ Three feet or an arms length between buddies
- The Wipe-Down Brigade
◦ Frequent cleaning with anti-viral cleaning solutions
◦ Make all surfaces that have hand contact easy to wipe
Skate Canada is keeping up to date with the provincial Health Ministries as they advise on best practice for each province. You can too by visiting www.fightflu.ca.
Flu-Proofing the Skating Rink:
- Keep magazines, books, cloth toys etc. out of lounge areas – they are difficult to wipe down
- Wipe down counters and surfaces frequently and have disposable cleaning cloths available
- Dressing rooms should not be overcrowded and each skater should have six feet of space
- Have lots of facial tissue on hand and lots of plastic lined garbage disposal cans
- Hand sanitizer should be available in every washroom, lounge area, food area and entrance way
- Make sure that towels, gloves, pillows and other items are not shared between skaters
- Hugs can easily be replaced by friendly non-contact greetings like elbow bumps, peace signs and air kisses
- Always give permission for someone who is not feeling well to stay at home, pressure to perform or attend could lead to infections being in the rink unnecessarily.
Wishing you a healthy skating season,
Dr. Julia Alleyne William Thompson
Chief Medical Officer Chief Executive Officer
