BC Wheelchair Sports Statement on COVID-19 – ALL PROGRAMMING SUSPENDED

In light of recent developments related to the spread of the COVID-19 virus, BC Wheelchair Sports is suspending all sport programming at this time. This means that all wheelchair rugby, wheelchair tennis and wheelchair athletics practices, training camps and events are cancelled until further notice, as well as all Bridging the Gap related activities. We request that our member clubs suspend practices and programming as well.

The suspension of these activities will take effect immediately and will continue through to the end of March. We will re-evaluate this suspension at the end of this month and will extend as necessary. The health and safety of our community is our first priority.

Please visit our website www.bcwheelchairsports.com, Facebook or Instagram pages for updates or contact the office directly at 604 333-3520, or by email at info@bcwheelchairsports.com. The BCWSA office remains open at this time,however individual staff may be working remotely and are therefore best reached by email.

The following information has been put together by our partner organization, SCI-BC who has given us permission to share it as well:

Please remember that if you are feeling unwell or suspect or know that you have been in contact with someone infected with COVID-19 you should do your best to avoid contact with others, and you should call HealthLink BC at 811 or your doctor, and make sure you call your doctor’s office or clinic before going there to be diagnosed or treated.

Although the risk of COVID-19 to the general population remains low, it is important to acknowledge that several of our members have compromised respiratory and immune systems that may make them at greater risk for contracting serious symptoms should they be infected with COVID-19. We do not want to create undo stress or anxiety, but do want to make sure we provide information about how you can reduce the chance of getting infected and spreading the virus.

For more information on the COVID-19 virus and what to do, you can check out the sites listed below:
Public Health Agency of Canada: Government of Canada’s online site for COVID-19
BC Centre for Disease Control: BC Centre for Disease Control site for COVID-19
BC Centre for Disease Control’s guidance for people with chronic illnesses

Here is some additional information about the virus, provided by Vancouver Coastal Health:

COVID-19 is transmitted by close contact with those who are symptomatic through droplets, similar to other respiratory
diseases such as influenza. The symptoms of COVID-19, are similar to other common illnesses, including the flu and common cold. They include fever, cough, headache, shortness of breath and diarrhea.

To stop the spread of the virus, practice proper hygiene etiquette during the cold and flu season. This includes proper hand-washing with soap and water, or alcohol-based hand sanitizer, covering your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing, and staying home when you are sick. If you have health concerns, call HealthLink BC at 811 or your health care provider.

Cleaning and disinfecting objects and surfaces that are frequently touched by multiple people (e.g., high touch surfaces such as doorknobs, faucet handles, computer keyboards, etc.) will help to prevent the transmission of viruses from person to person through contaminated hands. If household or commercial disinfection products are not readily available, hard surfaces can be cleaned of visible dirt and then disinfected using a mixture of 1-part bleach and 9-parts water. You may also consider increasing the number of hand wash stations (or alcohol-based sanitizer stations) around your space, as well as providing tissues and waste receptacles.

These simple steps are effective at preventing the spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses.