It is shaping up to be a relatively warm start to winter here in Toowoomba today, with a cold front expected to arrive tomorrow, bringing with it a crash in the temperature. However, our spirits ought be buoyed with the early relaxation of COVID-19 restrictions in Queensland, and the prospect that we are getting even closer to a restart of out regular classes.
The new stage of our journey back is due to begin at 12 pm today, two weeks earlier than initially announced. What this means is that for non-contact community sport and cultural activities, we are permitted to have up to 20 people in one indoor space, so long as we are able to maintain social distancing of 1.5 meters per person, a floor space of 4 meters squared per person, and can guarantee that all people and the facility can maintain hygiene and decontamination protocols.
As we have mentioned earlier, at this stage it means a return to Taiko, Iaido and ZKR Jodo is possible, while the other Club activities will have to go on hold till restrictions are relaxed to Stage 3.
We will be finalising plans this week to stage our return to training. However, there are a number of factors that will need to be resolved before we can do this. This includes:
Finalising our COVID-19 components of the Club’s Risk Assessment and Management Plan (RAMP), and getting all Club instructors and discipline coordinators to understand our obligations under it
Obtaining all of the cleaning equipment and supplies necessary to fulfil our obligations under the restrictions
Providing clear advice to members so that they are clear about their obligations in a return to training
Establishing with the owners of the facilities that we use (specifically the MEAC and the Hear and Say Centre/TRC) what their protocols are with respect to hygiene so that we can be sure that our members are not at risk through the use of their facility.
We all need to be vigilant at this time. While we have collectively done extraordinarily well to keep community infection rates low, four weeks of inattention would be enough to spark a second wave of infections that would have us locked down for many more months to come.
Every one of us has a part to play in getting us to the point where we can return to the activities we love. Things that you can do include:
Continuing to maintain social distancing when out and about in the community.
Only make necessary travel, particularly to places that are crowded, and minimise your time there.
Maintain good hygiene, including hand washing
If you feel unwell, stay home. This is especially important once we do go back to classes. If you have a cold, a sniffle, a cough, a sneeze, a temperature, a sore throat, an unusual or unexplained headache, enlarged lymph glands, or you just “feel funny”, please stay away till the symptoms resolve. We will love to see you there, but only when you are well and not posing a risk of infecting someone else.
Just remember that there are a number at the Club who work in the fields of health and disability/aged care support, servicing vulnerable patients/clients. We do not want to be in a position where we are forced off work, or worse still we pass on something to someone who becomes critically ill as a result.
I will post another general update next week once we have a clearer picture of our pathway for return. At this stage, we will still be continuing with our online classes till at least we reach Stage 3. Again, as I have mentioned in previous Bulletins, we are looking to continue our video feed to support the broader Club diaspora that have rejoined our classes over the past couple of months.
So exciting times ahead! Stay tuned, keep safe and I’ll look forward to seeing you soon!