COVID-19: AUCKLAND TO MOVE TO LEVEL 3, LEVEL 2 GATHERING LIMIT INCREASED

September 20, 2021

In light of today’s Covid-19 announcement, Auckland will move to Alert Level 3 tomorrow, Tuesday, September 21 at 11.59 pm for at least two weeks. All rugby league activity remains suspended at Alert Level 3.

Aucklanders are instructed to stay home in their bubble other than for essential personal movement, and despite the level change, keep bubbles tight.

A bespoke Level 4 lockdown has been announced for those in the Mangatangi region. Anyone who has visited or lived there since September 8 has been asked to isolate and monitor symptoms. All rugby league activity in the region is suspended until further notice.

For those in Alert Level 2, gathering limits have changed to allow a maximum of 100 people.

For those OUTSIDE AUCKLAND, Alert Level 2 means rugby league activity can re-commence ONLY if clubs and facilities can abide by all of the below health requirements.

• Rugby League activity must abide by the maximum 100 person gathering limit.
• Physical distancing is required at all times; this is mandatory for those not participating on the field (2 metres).
• Facemasks are mandatory for all those not participating on the field.
• A contact tracing register must be kept at all clubs and able to be accessed quickly. QR codes need to be clearly displayed on entry and exit points.
• All participants are required to scan in when attending or participating in a rugby league event, (i.e. training, games, tournaments) using the NZ Covid Tracer app with Bluetooth tracing turned on.
• Participants should wash and dry their hands before and after training and playing; equipment should be sanitised and dried before and after playing. No one should be participating (or leaving home) if they show any signs of being sick, displaying symptoms of COVID-19, awaiting a test, or if required to self-isolate.

Remember to use the NZ Covid Tracer app with Bluetooth tracing turned on.

Any person feeling unwell or presenting cold, flu, or COVID-19 symptoms should immediately contact their doctor or Healthline on 0800 358 5453.

NZRL will continue to update you with the latest information, subject to government updates.

Thank you for your ongoing resilience and cooperation.

FOR THOSE IN LEVEL 2 & 1 ONLY

CONTACT TRACING REQUIREMENTS FOR RUGBY LEAGUE CLUBS

Rugby league clubs are required to maintain a contact tracing register of participants and spectators to assist the Ministry of Health’s efforts at contact tracing.

The register

• can be hard copy (see template below) or electronic
• Both electronic and manual contact tracing must be available and placed prominently at the entry point to any facility (indoor and outdoor). Click here to download and learn more about the NZ Covid Tracer app.
• MUST record all individuals who have visited your facility.
• MUST include the following information for each individual: Date, Time, Full name, Address, Phone & Email addresses.

Guidance issued by the Ministry of Health requires:

• that these details should be kept for four weeks
• the information collected may only be used for the purpose of contact tracing at the request of the Ministry of Health or local district health boards.

Care should be taken in the maintenance of the guest register, with the following issues being addressed:

• Transparency: Individuals must be made aware of the reason for the register, and what will happen to the information.  It is suggested that the following wording be used:

“This information is being collected to assist in the management of the COVID-19 pandemic. It will be given to the Ministry of Health and/or the District Health Board on request in the event that it is required for contact tracing purposes. We will not use it for any other purpose, and will destroy it after four weeks. It will be kept here at [name of the establishment]. You have a right to access and correct any information we hold about you.”

• Security: Keep the information safe, in a locked area and think about how to prevent individuals seeing the information provided by others on the register, e.g. could you cover the others’ details when later individuals sign in?
• Retention and disposal: Securely dispose of the register after four weeks.  Do not just throw it in the bin.
• Use: The sole purpose of the register is for contact tracing.  Do not use the information for any other purpose, such as building your mailing list.
• Disclosure: Do not give the register to other parties, or let individuals flick through it.

TRAINING

All players, team staff and supporters who attend training will

• need to contact trace using one of the methods outlined above.
• Ensure that you have a system for contact tracing that works for your facility and organisation before training commences e.g. each team manager is responsible for checking in players, team staff and supporters who attend training.

GAME DAY

All players and team staff will use online team sheets as their method of contact tracing on game days.  Click here for support note on how to enter team sheets or here to watch a recorded webinar.

Supporters who access your facility, including fields and clubrooms,

• MUST use one of the methods outlined above.
• Ensure that you have a system for contact tracing that works for your facility and organisation before play commences e.g. a COVID champion is identified in each team and helps their team’s supporters check in. Could your “be a sport” ambassador do this?

Should there be a suspected or confirmed COVID-19 case among someone who visited your facility, you should contact Healthline’s dedicated COVID-19 hotline on 0800 358 5453.  Health authorities will then decide whether to contact anyone else linked to the suspected or confirmed case.

If you need any further details or have any further queries regarding contact tracing and the Privacy Act 1993 please contact the Privacy Commissioner on 0800 803 909 (Monday to Friday, 10am to 3pm).

NZRL_Contact Tracing FORM – print version