Following recent updates to provincial health requirements, Special Olympics BC Club Fit programs can reopen beginning January 20, 2022. All SOBC Return to Sport safety protocols must be followed completely, in order to remain in line with the provincial requirements for gyms and fitness centres to operate.
Provincial health requirements for fitness classes:
- Participants must wear masks whenever they are not actively exercising. Participants are strongly encouraged to wear masks even when exercising.
- 7 square metres of space must be maintained between people in a group class.
- There is a capacity limit of 25 people, if space allows.
- The cleaning requirements in the SOBC Communicable Disease Prevention Plan must be followed.
For all programs
Special Olympics BC continues to carefully monitor the provincial health landscape and follow the guidance of the Provincial Health Officer to keep everyone safe. At this time, because of the strong safety protocols in the SOBC Communicable Disease Prevention Plan, all other in-person SOBC programs can continue without alterations, as long as all SOBC safety requirements are followed.
- If you are sick, do not attend your SOBC program or event.
- Make sure you are following all the hygiene requirements in the SOBC Communicable Disease Prevention Plan at all times.
We are so grateful to all athletes, coaches, volunteers, and families for your ongoing commitment to following SOBC safety protocols. Your efforts to diligently follow all provincial requirements allow sport programs to stay open and safe. Thank you so much for all your hard work and dedication to keeping everyone safe and making Special Olympics programs possible.
Right now, for sports, the provincial health focus is on keeping sport programs open in safe ways. Adjacent activities like in-person social events are not permitted at this time.
Competitions
Tournaments and competitions for team sports are paused, until at least February 16, 2022. The Provincial Health Officer has clarified that competitions for individual sports can continue. All participants must show their proofs of vaccination and must carefully follow all SOBC and venue safety protocols.
We will continue to monitor the emerging guidance for team sports competitions, and will let you all know as soon as we know of any changes.
Checking proof of vaccination
Volunteers checking proofs of vaccination are now required to use the BC Vaccine Card Verifier app (instead of just doing the visual check). Please click here to find app download links and instructions.
The requirement to scan is for vaccine proof checks moving forward, with any future events and any program registrants starting in January 2022. If your proof of vaccination has already been checked, you do not need to redo that to continue participating in your programs.
Proofs of vaccination at one-time events (including competitions) must be scanned. All event participants need to show their proofs of vaccination at one-time events, even if they already showed their proof of vaccination when they registered for their sport program. This is to make everything easier for volunteers managing events.
Questions?
If you have any questions or feedback, please don’t hesitate to contact SOBC Vice President, Sport, Lois McNary at Lmcnary@specialolympics.bc.ca or 604-616-1341.