COVID-19 Policy

WHA COVID-19 POLICY (Updated January 2022)

 

The Wilmette Hockey Association (WHA) takes the health and safety of its players, coaches and families very seriously. The following procedures and policies are based on guidelines from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, USA Hockey and input from medical professionals. These procedures and policies have been put in place to mitigate the risk of exposure to and contracting of COVID-19 while participating in hockey activities. These policies are likely to evolve as the season proceeds and national, state and local guidelines evolve.

The goal remains the safety and health of our players, coaches, families, and community. WHA reserves the right to update and change this policy as guidelines from CDC and IDPH evolve.


General Guidelines

  1. If you are sick for any reason, please stay home. Players and coaches shall not participate in hockey activities if they have a temperature greater than 100.4 or experience other symptoms related to COVID-19. Parents are responsible for evaluating their players before leaving for the rink, whether for a practice or game. This rule should be followed irrespective of vaccination status.
  2. Players and coaches shall not participate in hockey activities while awaiting the results of any COVID-19 test. For example, if a player or coach takes both a rapid and molecular/PCR test and receives a negative rapid test result, the player or coach shall not retake the ice until the molecular/PCR test is returned negative as well.
  3. Players and parents must abide by the COVID-19 rules, regulations and/or protocols of any ice rink or conditioning facility our players attend. These may vary by rink or facility.
  4. All players, coaches, team managers and volunteers eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine are encouraged (but not required) to get vaccinated, per CDC and IDPH recommendations.
  5. All individuals should have a face covering with them at all times for indoor activities. Face coverings are recommended to be worn (if medically tolerated) when indoors for unvaccinated individuals and for vaccinated individuals in areas of substantial to high COVID19 transmission. Players should wear a face covering when around the rink, in the locker room or not on the ice. When on the ice, all players are encouraged to wear a bubble mask on their helmet.
  6. Players shall bring their own water bottles to every practice and game and fill them at home. Bottles should be marked with the player’s name.
  7. Players are encouraged to wash their hands frequently and have hand sanitizer in their equipment bag.
  8. If a player starts to feel ill while on the ice, they shall immediately notify their coach so they can be removed from hockey activities and leave the rink.

 

Protocol for Players FEELING UNWELL OR EXHIBITING SYMPTOMS of COVID-19:

  • Similar to school, if a player or coach does not feel well or is exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 (as defined by the CDC), he should not participate in team activities.
  • Get tested to rule out or confirm COVID-19.
  • Notify the team’s manager as well as Bobby Acri (Hockey Director) if positive for COVID-19.

 

Protocol For Players or Coaches Who TEST POSITIVE for COVID-19 (despite vaccination status) must:

  • Stay home from WHA activities for 5 days.
  • With Symptoms: Day 0 is the first day of symptoms. Day 1 is the first full day after onset of symptoms.
  • Without Symptoms: Day 0 is the day the specimen was collected. Day 1 is the first full day after specimen collection.
  • Player or coach may return to WHA activities as long as the following criteria are met:
  • Completed 5-days isolation / restriction from WHA activities (return on Day 6).
  • Must be fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication and other symptoms have improved.
  • Should continue to wear a well-fitting mask around others for 5 additional days (day 6 through day 10) after the end of your 5 day isolation period.
  • Continue to have no symptoms (if asymptomatic). If symptoms develop after testing positive, the 5 day isolation period should start over. Day 0 would be the first day of symptoms.



Protocol for EXPOSURE OR CLOSE CONTACT with someone with COVID-19:

For purposes of this section, WHA policy adheres to CDC guidelines for exposure / close contact. CDC defines “close contact” as:

Less than 6 feet away from an infected person (laboratory-confirmed or a clinical diagnosis) for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period (please note that the CDC makes no exception for mask usage outside of the K-12 school setting)


  • ANY PLAYER OR COACH EXPOSED TO SOMEONE POSITIVE WITH COVID-19 SHOULD (regardless of vaccination status):
  • You should wear a well-fitting mask around others for 10 days from the date of your last close contact with someone with COVID-19 (the date of last close contact is considered day 0).
  • Monitor for symptoms of Covid-19
  • Get tested on day 5 after you last had close contact with someone with COVID-19 or sooner if you develop symptoms.

 


https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/quarantine-isolation.html

https://dph.illinois.gov/covid19/community-guidance/quarantine-guidance.html

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