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Responding to COVID-19

As the advice of health authorities can vary depending on individual circumstances, this information is provided for guidance only based on the general advice provided to Football NSW by NSW Health.
Where advice is provided directly to participants, clubs and Associations by health authorities, the advice of those health authorities is to take precedence. In all cases, clubs, Associations and individuals should consult with the Service NSW 24 hour Covid Helpline.

24 HOUR HELPLINES

National Coronavirus Health line on 1800 020 080
Service NSW Covid-19 Helpline on 13 77 88

Link to Service NSW CovidSafe Business Assistance for Cubs requiring assistance with Covid-19 Safety Plans, Covid safe workplaces, financial assistance, Support & Resources.

If a participant advises they have come into close contact with a positive case of Covid-19 or are feeling unwell or experiencing cold or flu like symptoms

  • The individual must self-isolate immediately; and
  • Get tested at a COVID-19 testing clinic;
  • For advice call the National Coronavirus Health line on 1800 020 080 and/or contact their GP.
  • Do not return to football until a negative Covid result is received; and
  • Do not return to football until any self-isolation and/or testing requirements (if specified by NSW Health Authorities or a medical professional) have been completed and the participant is cleared.
  • Clubs should contact the Service NSW Covid Helpline on 13 77 88 for advice.

If a club is advised that a participant is being tested for Covid-19

  • The club should ask the participant to advise the club of the results of their test when the results are known and any other requirements as advised by NSW Health or their GP.
  • If the participant has attended football in the previous 14 days, the participant’s team should be stood down until the test result is known;
  • If any other participants feel unwell or become symptomatic at any time, they must self-isolate immediately and get tested;
  • If the participant’s test result is positive, all players would be deemed close contacts and must self-isolate and get tested and contact the National Coronavirus Health line on 1800 020 080 and/or contact their GP for advice.
  • The club should contact Service NSW Covid Helpline on 13 77 88 for advice.

If club is advised of a confirmed case of Covid-19 in their club
The general advice is:

  • The club should notify its Association and the Association should notify Football NSW as soon as possible. FNSW NPL and State League clubs should notify Football NSW directly.
  • The club and the Association should immediately contact NSW Health on 13 77 88 – press 2 and ask for the Covid specialist line.
  • Club/Association organises an immediate deep clean of all amenities at the venue. The venue must not be used until the clean is completed.
  • The club must immediately stand down the player’s team and officials and advise them to self isolate and get tested.
  • The person with Covid-19 and their family and any known close contacts will be advised by health authorities to immediately self-isolate.
  • The NSW Health Contact Tracing Team will contact the player and will undertake contact tracing to determine who has been in close contact or casual contact with the positive case.
  • In due course, the NSW Health Contact Tracing Team will then contact the player’s close contacts to advise them to self-isolate and get tested.
  • NSW Health Contact Tracing will then contact the club for a full list of team members. They will then assess the circumstances in relation to close and casual contact and advise anyone who needs to self-isolate, get tested or monitor for symptoms. They may require contact details of members and contact details of the Association so that they can contact opposition teams if the player has participated in any matches.
  • The advice given by NSW Health to the individual and the club may vary depending on the results of the contact tracing.

The following persons are likely to be required by NSW Health to self-isolate and get tested for Covid-19:

  • All members of the player’s team including team officials; and
  • Any other person that the player is known to have come into close contact with at the club. These persons can seek advice from their GP or the National Coronavirus Helpline on 1800 020 080.

Furthermore:

  • Any other teams that the player played against may also be required to self-isolate and get tested if they are identified as coming into close contact with the player. This will be advised by the NSW Health Contact Tracing Team once they have assessed the levels of contact.
  • If the player did not play any games themselves, but his/her team had been in contact with the player while infected and has since played against other teams, the Association must:
    – contact those clubs and teams to advise them that players need to be monitored for symptoms, and
    – advise those clubs and teams that if any players in those teams become symptomatic, they need to self-isolate immediately and get tested.  For advice call the National Coronavirus Helpline on 1800 020 080.
  • Anyone else at the venue where the positive player was present during 14 days prior to testing should be advised to monitor for symptoms and if they become symptomatic, they need to self-isolate immediately and get tested.  For advice call the National Helpline on 1800 020 080.
  • Persons who have tested positive should only return to football when they are cleared of Covid-19 and are no longer required to self isolate.
  • If at anytime the club is unsure what to advise their members, they should seek the advice of the Service NSW Covid Helpline on 13 77 88.
  • All participants, clubs and Associations are required to follow the advice of health authorities at all times.

Responding to Reported School Cases of Covid-19

Where a school is closed due to Covid-19 or a school notice or NSW Health notice has been issued due to a student or students testing positive to Covid-19, students will be advised to self-isolate and get tested at a Covid-19 testing site as a precaution until contact tracing can be undertaken by NSW Health to identify students and teachers at the school who have come into “close contact” with the positive case/s.

When this occurs:

  • Students identified by NSW Health as “close contacts” will be advised by NSW Health to self-isolate and get tested;
  • Once contact tracing is completed by NSW Health the school will usually be closed for a period of time for deep cleaning;
  • Once contact tracing is completed by NSW Health and other students are advised that they are no longer required to self-isolate, those students who are not required to self-isolate will be required to monitor for symptoms and if they become symptomatic they will then be required to self-isolate and get tested.

Therefore:

  • any players who have been identified as a “positive case” are not permitted to participate in football until they are cleared of Covid-19 and are no longer required by NSW Health to self-isolate;
  • any players who have been identified as a “close contact” and are self-isolating are not permitted to participate in football until they have been tested, received a negative test result and are no longer required by NSW Health to self-isolate;
  • any players who attend the same school are not permitted to participate in football until NSW Health has completed contact tracing to identify students who are “close contacts”;
  • once contact tracing is completed, any players who attend the same school can continue to participate in football as usual, except those who are required to self-isolate and get tested or self-isolate and monitor for symptoms;
  • the teams that players who attend the same school usually play in can continue to participate in football as usual, minus any players who are self-isolating;
  • players who are siblings of students in self-isolation or are siblings of players who attend the same school are permitted to continue to participate in football as usual, unless advised by NSW Health to also self-isolate or get tested; and
  • all players participating in football should monitor for cold and flu like symptoms and immediately self-isolate and get tested if they become symptomatic.
  • Where Covid-19 cases occur in a school and clubs or teams are affected, the club should contact and notify their relevant Association.

What is Close Contact?
A close contact is someone who has been face to face for at least 15 minutes, or been in the same closed space for at least 2 hours, as someone who has tested positive for the COVID-19 when that person was infectious.
If you are a close contact of a person with confirmed COVID-19 infection, you need to be isolated for 14 days after you last saw that person, get tested and follow the advice of Health authorities. Home isolation and testing applies to all close contacts, even if they are well.

At all times any person who is a positive case, a close contact or is symptomatic must seek the advice of their GP and/or NSW Health and/or contact the National Coronavirus Helpline on 1800 020 080.

What is Casual Contact?
A casual contact is defined as someone who has had face-to-face contact for less than 15 minutes cumulative over the course of a week, or been in the same closed space for less than 2 hours with a person with a COVID-19 infection while they were infectious. This may include healthcare workers, other patients, visitors or members of the public who were in the same closed space as a case, but for shorter periods than those required for a close contact. Other closed settings might include shops, workplaces, schools or offices.

If you are a casual contact or are unsure whether you are a close or casual contact, self-isolate and contact the National Coronavirus Helpline on 1800 020 080 or your GP for advice.

Further Information

 

FOOTBALL NSW ASSOCIATIONS