Covid-19 Protocol

SEASON 6 CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES COVID-19 PROTOCOLS

Updated as of 3/15/21

The health and safety of everyone associated with the NWHL from players, staff, fans, rinks and partners is the NWHL’s top priority. This document establishes the Covid-19 Protocols for the upcoming Championship Series to be held at Warrior Ice Arena in Boston. The Protocols were created by the Office of the Commissioner with guidance from qualified medical advisors.

All NWHL staff including full-time, part-time and volunteers, players, officials and production crews are required to read and implement these Protocols.

Team workouts will commence the week of March 1 (dependent on local regulations).

Local regulations will be used to determine the number of players permitted to participate in the on-ice sessions (e.g., full teams or small area drills).

Championship Series will be played March 26 and March 27.

Team must receive rink COVID-19 cleaning and sanitizing policies prior to initiating practice.

All players and staff will be required to complete the daily survey prior to their arrival at the rink each day. A digital application may be available for all to use prior to reporting to the rinks each day.

Questions	Yes	No
Do you have a new fever (100.0 F / 38 C or higher), or a sense of having a fever?	Yes	No
Do you have a new cough that you cannot attribute to another health condition?	Yes	No
Do you have new shortness of breath that you cannot attribute to another health condition?	Yes	No
Do you have a new sore throat or runny nose that you cannot attribute to another health condition?	Yes	No
Do you have new muscle aches that you cannot attribute to another health condition or that may have been caused by a specific physical activity?	Yes	No
Do you have chills or repeated shaking with chills?	Yes	No
Do you have a new headache that you cannot attribute to another health condition?	Yes	No
Do you have a new loss of taste or smell?	Yes	No

Players and staff will be required to check their temperature at home before coming to practice or game facilities. Each team is responsible for supplying thermometers.
Temperature will also be taken daily upon arrival at arena with infra-red no touch device, and temperature must be below 100.0 F/ 38 C.
The team Athletic Trainer will be responsible to ensure all players complete the Daily Mandatory Survey and retain all results for tracing purposes.
Each player to be non-contact temperature scanned prior to entering facility by team staff member. Does not need to be medical personnel. Player must pass temperature screen (T less than 100.0) to enter locker room.
Failed temperature test may be followed up with one secondary test, five minutes after first test. Between tests, player must move at least 20’ away from building, rink entrance and/or locker room entrance and all other persons. Person must remain “at rest”.
Two (2) failed temperature checks disqualifies player, coach or staff from play/participation and must immediately self-quarantine and take a COVID-19 test.

All non-player staff to wear masks in facilities at all times including when on the ice.

Players to wear masks at all times, except when on-ice.

Teams to provide each player and staff with (2) reusable washable masks supplied by each team.

Medical personnel to be provided by teams with N95 (or equivalent like KN95 that do not require fit testing) masks for use when working on players, etc. All other staff (coaches,equipment managers, volunteers, referees etc.) to be provided with surgical masks.

Additional masks should be available in case of damage to existing mask or player/staff show up without mask.

Teams to provide and pay for hand sanitizer at all team events for players and staff.

Teams to provide and pay for all protective non-latex gloves for all non-player personnel that wish to use them (e.g., AT, equipment manager)

Sanitizing wipes and supply of masks to be provided to equipment manager.

There will be distinct testing protocols for practice periods and the Championship Series.
Individuals that had positive tests for COVID post January 1, 2021 and have fully recovered, and players that are fully vaccinated, are not subject to temperature or Covid-19 testing and are not subject to contact tracing as described in these Protocols.

A. Weeks of March 1, 8, 15:

Players and staff members that are coming to Boston must receive a PCR test at least once weekly.

Each team must provide a complete list of up to 21 players and additional staff to be covered by this protocol, and their status (Previously Positive and Recovered, Positive, Negative, Fully Vaccinated) for each test, to the league within 24 hours of the results being available.

All tests will be conducted by certified laboratories capable of turning around PCR (antigen) tests within 12 hours. US-based teams will work with Yale, the League’s Covid-19 testing partner, and Toronto will arrange testing with a Toronto-based partner. Yale University School of Medicine’s Department of Pathology, located in New Haven, CT is a leader in pathological diagnostic services; and, Yale, through the Department, operates a CAP accredited, CLIA certified laboratory and perform clinical quality improvement testing of its laboratory.

Players that test positive must be quarantined from the team until either 10-day quarantine elapses or they receive two negative PCR tests at least 24 hours apart.

In the event of a positive test, contact tracing will be undertaken to identify any players or staff who spent 15 minutes or longer unmasked and within 6' of the Covid positive player. Such players will be required to withdraw from team activities for a period of 5 days and only resume participation upon receipt of a negative PCR test on the fifth day.

B. Week of March 22:

Players, league and team staff, officials, and production crew (“Tournament Participants”) will receive a PCR test on Monday, March 22 prior to any transportation to Boston.

Tournament Participants may only depart for Boston after receiving negative tests back.

Any individual receiving a positive test result is precluded from attending the playoffs in Boston and must be isolated from the team.

Tournament Participants to receive a rapid test prior to boarding transportation to Boston or transportation to the airport of embarkation. No individual travel to Boston is permitted for players or staff.

Tournament Participants will receive rapid tests upon arrival at Warrior Ice Arena on Friday. In the event of a positive test, such player will be required to withdraw from the playoffs.

Rapid tests on Saturday morning will only be administered to a team if a player or staff from that team was exposed to a known positive or exhibits symptoms.

Arena staff will be following their own internal COVID-19 protocol to ensure safety of all individuals, and admission to the rink and associated facilities shall be limited to essential personnel.

Following the games, any athletes returning to a province or state will comply with whatever regulatory requirements are in force at that time (e.g., obtaining a negative PCR test 72 hours prior to crossing the Canadian border).

Players to wear masks in locker rooms and at all times when off-ice.

Locker rooms to be outfitted with hand sanitizer, extra masks, sanitizing wipes at all times which will be provided by each team.

Players to be divided into two locker rooms to halve player density when available. The League will work with Warrior to allow for social distancing to occur in locker rooms.

Working assumption for practice period is that players will be allowed in locker rooms in accord with state/provincial guidelines.

Locker rooms to be cleaned by rink staff immediately prior and after practices.

Locker room access by any party to be precluded during practice (other than a player who may need to access the locker room).

A dedicated locker room for each NWHL team should be contracted with practice rinks (based on market availability).

Player equipment to be kept in place (based on market availability). If not possible, adhere to local rink cleaning policies between uses.

Locker rooms to be locked and access minimized at all times when not in use by team.

In the event that a consistent practice and/or game locker room is not available, there will be a specific cleaning protocol, determined by the rink, but meeting NWHL standards, implemented before players enter and exit each room, including the sanitization of all surfaces.

All food and drink to be restricted from locker rooms (including water and electrolyte drinks).

Food and drinks may be provided in “to go”/individual bags before and after practice. No shared food.

Players to maintain possession of their own water bottles and to wash and fill them on their own.

Treatments to take place outside locker room in a dedicated room.

Treatment room to be fully cleaned by rink personnel before and after use. As an added precaution, table to be wiped down with disinfecting wipes by AT/PT.

Transportation to and from rink during the practice period is via players’ cars only. In Boston, buses will be provided to transfer players to and from hotels for practices and games.

No fans to be in attendance.

No team travel out of local market, or by public transportation.

Players should maintain social distancing when not on ice.

Group celebrations in close quarters to be discouraged.

Team “hugs,” “pig/hog piles,” congregating around not allowed.

High fiving with hockey gloves on is permitted.

No spitting, gum chewing, or chewing tobacco.

Any off-ice team events should take place outside, socially distanced, masked, and no fans can be in attendance.

Medical team (physician and AT) should meet with all players and staff virtually to review policies and protocols outlined in this document. Ongoing education and reminders will be the responsibility of all team members and led by the medical teams.