Play, Active Recreation and Sport at Alert Level 2 Auckland
Your Alert Level will depend on where you are in New Zealand.
The current Alert Level for your region can be found at https://covid19.govt.nz/covid-19/restrictions/current-alert-level/
Alert Level 2 - Reduce
Under Alert Level 2 the disease is contained, but there is still a risk of community transmission. The objective of these guidelines is to minimise the risk of transmission of the virus, and to be able to rapidly track and isolate any cases that may arise.
Subject to the range of public health measures outlined below, play, active recreation and sport can take place under Alert Level 2. This includes contact team sports and physical activities only if good contact tracing is possible and hygiene measures, particularly washing and drying of hands with soap, and regular cleaning of equipment and surfaces are in place. Make sure you know (or can identify) anyone who is participating in your activity, including players, officials and spectators/supporters, in case someone gets sick.
Public health measures
At Alert Level 2, you can leave home, but you must follow public health measures and consider others around you.
Contact tracing
It is mandatory for any business or service to display a QR code for the NZ COVID Tracer app prominently at the main entry point of their building. Further information on the QR code and how to get one can be found here.
You must also keep a record of and retain the contact details of all people involved in, or attending, your activity. This must be in place to enable contact tracing should it be required. This information should be accessible at all times for contact tracing purposes up to 2 months after the contact was recorded.
Gatherings, events and public venues
Community sports are limited to groups of 10 in a defined space. The 10-person limit includes all players, officials and spectators. A sports field can have multiple defined spaces by keeping:
- people in groups of up to 10
- groups separate either through consistent 2 metre physical distancing when outdoors or barriers.
These groups are prevented from intermingling or sharing common facilities at the same time.
For elite, professional and semi-professional sport, players are considered employees in a workplace and are not subject to gathering rules, but spectators are considered a gathering and have a 10-person limit per group.
A person in charge of a social gathering must ensure records are kept for contact tracing purposes, except where every person in a gathering knows, and can identify for the purposes of contact tracing, every other person who is a participant in the social gathering. This includes in your home, community hall or other space.
You must not participate in any gatherings if you have COVID-19 symptoms or if you need to be in isolation for any reason.
Physical distancing
Keep your distance when out and about:
- 2 metres in public and in retail stores, like supermarkets and clothes shops.
- 1 metre in most other environments like workplaces, cafes, restaurants and gyms.
It is recognised that contact during physical activity will occur but this should be minimised as much as possible, especially off the field of play.
Face coverings
At Alert Level 2 the risk of COVID-19 being present in the community is higher.
You must wear face coverings on public transport and planes. Face coverings are also highly recommended in situations where physical distancing is not always possible.
Cleaning and Hygiene
Surfaces and equipment should be regularly cleaned and disinfected where practicable.
Good personal hygiene practices should continue – wash and dry your hands before and after activities, cough into elbow and don’t touch your face.
General guidance
Stay home if you’re sick and do not take part in sport or recreation. If you have flulike symptoms, self-isolate at home and get tested immediately.
People at high risk of severe illness from COVID-19 (particularly older people and those with existing medical conditions) should take additional precautions when undertaking physical activity. More information can be found here.
Business premises (e.g. cafés/bars in club rooms, or pro shops) can be open for staff and customers provided that they meet the relevant workplace requirements.
Travel should be done safely to reduce the possibility of transmission and spread of the virus.
What does this mean for play, active recreation and sport generally?
Alert Level 2 allows for opportunities to engage in play and active recreation and allows for competitive sport at a local level, if the public health measures outlined above are implemented to create a safe environment. It is essential to make sure all the protocols in place before undertaking activity and ensure that everyone in your club or organisation is on the same page. Please work closely with your regional and/or national organisation to get advice on how to make your activity safe.
Personal hygiene is a key public health measure that will reduce the risk of transmission of the virus through physical activity. Each participant should wash their hands with soap and dry them before and after play or use hand sanitiser if this is not possible. There will also need to be regular sanitation of shared equipment. In addition to practicing good hygiene, the ability to record participants to aid contact tracing is very important, further information on hygiene requirements and contact tracing can be found here.
Playgrounds, gyms, pools and public courts will be able to open, subject to meeting the above public health measures. Public conservation land is open to the public for walking, biking, and hunting but there are guidelines on the use of DOC huts and campgrounds. Check that where you want to go is open before setting off – you may need to book in advance.
During Alert Level 2 there may be some refinements to the public health measures. Any implications for play, active recreation and sport as a consequence of changes to the government’s expectations and measures will result in these guidelines being updated and reissued.
-
Considerations that apply to all of Play, Active Recreation
Alert Level 2
Contact Tracing
Contact tracing register for all participants and spectators must be in place and able to be accessed quickly. All facilities and organisations must also display the NZ COVID Tracer QR code at every entry point to allow people to track their own movements.
Cleaning and Hygiene
You must adhere to basic hygiene measures, including washing and drying hands with soap before and after any activity. Also exercise caution with common touch points (e.g. gates or doors) and wash or sanitise your hands after touching these surfaces.
Facilities must have a written plan for safe operation in place. Sanitation measures can be found here. Facilities, water, soap and towels/drier should be made available for participants to wash and dry their hands or hand sanitiser (containing at least 60% alcohol).
Gatherings
Gatherings must be limited to a maximum of 10 people (either indoors or outdoors).
If unwell
If you or members of your household are unwell, you should stay home.
You should not participate in physical activity (or leave home) if you are displaying symptoms of COVID-19, awaiting a test result, or required to self-isolate.
Physical Distancing
People are encouraged to remain 2 metres apart from people they don’t know (e.g. outside of direct friends and family).
You should wear face coverings in situations where physical distancing is not possible.
Risky activities
Activities should only be completed within your confidence and skill level to continue to reduce the need for emergency services assistance.
Scenarios at Level 2
Contact Tracing
Ensure that all events and facilities have a contact tracing register, either paper based, an electronic system or an online registration system, and that all participants and spectators complete it.
You must also display the NZ COVID Tracer QR code to allow people to track their own movements.
The register should be accessible to the Ministry of Health for contact tracing purposes at all times for up to 2 months after the contact took place. This process should be detailed in your organisation’s WorkSafe plan. You may need to consider restricting the number of spectators or asking people to register in advance.
Cleaning and Hygiene
All participants should wash and dry their hands before and after partaking in any play, active recreation or sport. Ideally, they should be advised of this in advance of attending to allow time for this to happen safely.
Measures should be taken to minimise the sharing of equipment if possible. Equipment must be washed and dried before and after use. For example, balls washed before and after each game.
Gatherings
Community sports games are subject to gatherings requirements (i.e. 10 person limit). This includes both indoor and outdoor sports facilities. Players (including substitutes) and coaches from both teams involved in a game, along with officials, spectators (including parents/caregivers) are generally part of the same gathering (but see below), unless mingling between players and spectators can be prevented (including before and after a game). Multiple gatherings can take place at the same event or facility, as long as they can be kept separated. Phasing of activities could be used to allow time for people to pass through communal areas safely. For smaller venues a reduced capacity may be more appropriate to maintain physical distancing.
Physical Distancing
Physical distancing remains important, when people are interacting with people they don’t know and that wouldn’t be able to be easily traced. For example, while mountain biking, avoid gathering at trail heads or sections of the trail where physical distancing will be difficult.
-
Play
(e.g. playing in homes, neighbourhoods and playgrounds)
Alert Level 2
Public and school playgrounds are able to open and families can get together for their children to play.
You can drive to play in a public space, for example a beach or a park.
Physical Distancing
People are encouraged to remain 2 metres apart from people they don’t know (e.g. outside of direct friends and family).
Scenarios at Level 2
Cleaning and Hygiene
You should wash and dry your hands or use hand sanitiser before and after using play equipment.
You should also try not to touch your face, cough and sneeze into your elbow, and if you have cold or flu symptoms to stay off the equipment.
Physical Distancing
You should, where possible, keep a physical distance of 2 metres from people that you don’t know and wouldn’t be able to trace.
Gatherings should be restricted to 10.
-
Active Recreation
(e.g. walking or going to the gym)
Alert Level 2
Contact Tracing
Facilities and events must keep a contact register recording contact details for everyone who visits and display the NZ COVID Tracer QR code at every entry point. Individuals should also make a note, or use the NZ COVID Tracer App to keep track of the places you visit and when to assist in contact tracing.
Cleaning and Hygiene
Measures should be taken to minimise the sharing of equipment/ balls. However, for activities where equipment must be shared, ensure that all participants wash and dry their hands before and afterwards, and where possible clean and disinfect the equipment before and after use.
Also exercise caution with common touch points (e.g. gates or doors) and wash or sanitise your hands after touching these surfaces.
Facilities, water, soap and towels/drier should be available (where practicable) for participants to wash and dry their hands or hand sanitiser (containing at least 60% alcohol) must be provided.
If unwell
If you or members of your household are unwell, you must stay at home.
You should not be participating in physical activity (or leaving home) if you are displaying symptoms of COVID-19, awaiting a test, or required to self-isolate.
Physical Distancing
You should try as much as possible to maintain 2 metres physical distancing from people that you don’t know (e.g. outside of direct friends and family) while exercising and recreating.
Risky activities
Activities should only be completed within your confidence and skill level to continue to reduce the need for emergency services assistance.
Activities previously not allowed at higher Alert Levels
Hunting is allowed on public conservation land with the necessary permits at Alert Level 2. Longer and overnight tramping is permitted, although these should still be easy trips within your ability and to places you’ve been before. The Department of Conservation have further advice on specific public health measures to take and the availability of their facilities. More information can be found here.
Scenarios at Level 2
Contact Tracing
When exercising take a note of where you have been. For example, make a note of the route you ran and when. If visiting a public facility (e.g. a gym or swimming pool) make sure that you complete their contact register.
If going on a ‘pack’ run or cycle ride, someone in the group needs to record the names of the participants.
Cleaning and Hygiene
Where possible equipment should be cleaned before and after each use, for example gym users should wipe down and clean equipment between each use.
For recreation activities where equipment is unable to be sanitised, for example ropes, a withholding period could be considered to allow any virus particles on these surfaces to die.
Gatherings
Active recreation activities are subject to gatherings requirements (i.e. 10 limit). This includes both indoor and outdoor facilities.
Multiple gatherings can take place at the same event or facility, as long as they can be kept separated. Phasing of activities could be used to allow time for people to pass through communal areas safely. For smaller venues a reduced capacity may be more appropriate to maintain physical distancing.
Physical Distancing
Try to maintain 2 metres physical distancing e.g. when running make sure to run single file when approaching others and give them a wide berth when passing.
e.g. If sharing a lane when swimming in the local pool avoid resting at the same time at the same end.
Risky Activities
Activities should still be well within your confidence and skill level to reduce the likelihood of needing emergency services. For example, only go mountain biking on known trails within your ability level and when tramping stay on clearly defined and marked tracks when in the back country.
-
Sport
(e.g. team sport)
Contact sport – is an activity, particularly a team activity, in which by participating you are coming into close contact to others as part of competing or taking part in that activity – for example, physical contact sports like rugby and wrestling, sport where there is close contact like football, squash, basketball, hockey, netball or a rowing crew (in which case also refer to guidance for Water-based Activities below).
Non-contact sports – are activities in which you can comfortably avoid coming closer than 2 metres to others as part of participating in that activity – for example, running, cycling, golf or bowls.
Alert Level 2
All facilities should practice sanitation measures, and must record contact tracing details. Facilities with employees must have a WorkSafe plan in place. Facilities must also display the NZ COVID tracer QR code at every entry point.
Contact Tracing
Contact tracing register for all participants and spectators must be in place and able to be accessed quickly. Facilities and events must keep a contact register recording contact details for everyone who visits and display the NZ COVID Tracer QR code at every entry point.
Gatherings
All facilities must adhere to conditions regarding gatherings.
Cleaning and Hygiene
Participants should wash and dry their hands before and after playing; equipment should be washed and dried before and after playing.
Measures should be taken to minimise the sharing of equipment/balls/uniforms. However, for sports or activities where equipment must be shared ensure that all participants wash and dry their hands before and afterwards, and clean and disinfect the equipment before and afterwards.
Also exercise caution with common touch points (e.g. gates or doors) and wash or sanitise your hands after touching these surfaces.
If unwell
No one should be participating (or leaving home) if they are displaying symptoms of COVID-19, awaiting a test, or if required to self-isolate.
Physical Distancing
People may participate in team sport and physical activity, however the playing of contact sport constitutes a gathering and numbers must be kept under 10 (and all other public hygiene measures along with contact tracing need to be in place). Noncontact activity is generally permitted providing 2m physical distancing is observed.
Participants should maintain physical distancing when not participating in the sport or activity.
Scenarios at Level 2
Contact Tracing
The NZ COVID tracer QR code and contact tracing register must be in place and it must be quickly accessible if needed by public health authorities.
Particular care should be taken to record the details of any spectators at a game.
Cleaning and Hygiene
Make sure that participants wash and dry their hands before and after playing.
Facilities, water, soap and towels/drier should be available for participants to wash and dry their hands. If that’s not possible you must provide hand sanitiser (containing at least 60% alcohol).
Make sure the equipment is washed and dried before and after games.
For example, equipment that is shared by people but at different times (e.g. a club kayak) should be cleaned before and after each use.
Gatherings
Community sports games where there is contact between players are subject to gatherings requirements (i.e. 10 limit). This includes both indoor and outdoor sports. Players and coaches from both teams involved in a game, along with officials, are to be considered part of the same gathering unless 2m physical distancing can be maintained at all times. Mingling between participants and spectators should be prevented (including before and after a game). Multiple gatherings can take place at the same event or facility as long as they can be kept separated. Phasing of activities could be used to allow time for people to pass through communal areas safely. For smaller venues a reduced capacity may be more appropriate to maintain physical distancing. Sports clubs should follow public health guidelines on physical distancing and personal hygiene. If you are having club events, consider limiting numbers to ensure physical distancing can take place, take extra care on cleaning surfaces and when preparing food to minimise risks. Now is not the time to have a large club prizegiving or event. Think about keeping things simple.
Physical Distancing
Think about modifications that can be made to your game to minimise the amount of contact between players.
Participants should try to maintain physical distancing before and after the game, and in changing rooms or in clubrooms.
-
Water-based Activities
(e.g. swimming, kayaking, surfing)
Alert Level 2
All recreational boating and water-based activities, including motorised activities, are permitted.
Physical Distancing
Participants should try to keep to the physical distancing requirements as much as practicable.
Cleaning and Hygiene
Measures should be taken to minimise the sharing of equipment. However, for sports or activities where equipment must be shared take all reasonably practical steps to ensure participants minimised sharing equipment as much as possible, ensure that all participants wash and dry their hands before and afterwards, or use hand sanitiser, and if possible clean and disinfect the equipment before and afterwards.
Also exercise caution with common touch points (e.g. gates or doors) and wash or sanitise your hands after touching these surfaces.
Risky activities
Activities should only be completed within your confidence and skill level to continue to reduce the need for emergency services assistance.
Scenarios at Level 2
Cleaning and Hygiene
Ensure that club boats are cleaned before and after each use and any shared equipment, like life jackets, is disinfected. Where equipment is unable to be sanitised, for example ropes, a withholding period could be considered to allow any virus particles on these surfaces to die.
Risky activities
Be responsible and follow Maritime NZ guidance (https://www.maritimenz. govt.nz/recreational/).
-
Commercial
(e.g. sports who sell merchandise or run bar/café facilities)
Alert Level 2
All venues and sporting facilities, including clubrooms and gyms, are able to open.
All venues must have a WorkSafe plan in place for safe operation. Retail and hospitality operations must meet the public health guidelines for these operations. Business premises can open for staff and customers.
Services can also be provided on customers’ premises (e.g. coaching or personal training). These businesses must operate safely. This means:
- Complying with general Alert Level 2 settings
- Meeting appropriate public health requirements for their workplace, as outlined above (e.g. having QR codes displayed and contact tracing systems)
- Fulfilling all other health and safety obligations.
