NEVZA U19 2021 ROVANIEMI 
COVID-19 RISK MANAGEMENT PLAN

CONTENT

General Considerations
Finland and Rovaniemi as a destination
Medical review
International travel

Participating Groups
Teams & accommodation
Public & teams

COVID - 19 Response
Prior the event
During the event

COVID-19 testing facilities
Line of Command and Communication
GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS 

Rovaniemi as a destination for sport
​This bulletin includes the recommendations and guidelines issued by the Lapland Hospital District and the City of Rovaniemi (13th Oct, 2021). 

Rovaniemi is at the baseline level of the coronavirus epidemic, which means that the number of new virus infections is low and the covid epidemic based restrictions are low. 

The generic recommendation is that people who are 16 years old or more should use face masks in public transport and in public places where it is impossible to maintain a safe distance to other people. This recommendation applies to shops, shopping centres, libraries, office buildings, theatres, museums and restaurants, among others. The recommendation is directed even to those who are fully vaccinated. 

Sport events currently follow specific rules and standards including;
  • International teams enjoy no exemption from travel restrictions. 
  • The travellers are guided to check the instructions and restrictions of entry into Finland. You can find the instructions and restrictions regarding entry on the Finnish Border Guard’s website.
  • Each person arriving in Finland is still subject to the obligations of the Communicable Diseases Act and instructions by health authorities.
  • FINENTRY service gives you personalised instructions on what actions you need to take.
  • Login to FINENTRY service and fill your information before you arrive in Finland. Showing your FINENTRY summary on your phone makes your entry to Finland easier.
Using these services facilitates significantly better health safety upon entry into the country.


Medical review
While all precautions will be taken at this event to reduce the risk of COVID-19, just due to the nature of the event, number of people involved and travel, the risk cannot be fully eliminated. As such there needs to be a plan to reduce the risk of introducing COVID-19 or spreading COVID-19 during the event. The added challenge is the knowledge that people can be asymptomatic carriers and spreaders of COVID-19, and that COVID-19 testing can be falsely negative. This document is addressing actions to be taken prior, during and after the event.


International travel
There are currently international travel restrictions to / from Finland for specific geographical locations including the majority of European countries. For domestic travel there are no restrictions in force. The Finnish government along with Finnish Institute for health and welfare (THL) are assessing travel associated risks and publishing travel restrictions every two weeks. In a resolution from July 6th the government aligend that starting July 12th travelling without restrictions is possible to and from EU and Shengen countries and the vaccination passport will be implemented as part of traveling in the end of July. Traveling to / from outside of Shengen and the EU remains restricted until the end of October.

Please check the current situation from https://valtioneuvosto.fi/en/entry-restrictions.

PARTICIPATING GROUPS 

Teams & accommodation
Teams will stay in one hotel: Santasport. The hotel has the opportunity for quarantine in isolation if needed. 

Welcome + Check in
  • Each team will be welcomed at the railway station or at the airport and transferred to the hotel by bus.
  • The team will be divided in rooms beforehand and asked to check in room by room. Only one person per room will approach the check in desk to pick-up the keycards.
  • Masks must be worn by all guests and personnel indoors except while dining or training.
  • Social distancing must be kept all the time when possible.

Meals
  • The teams will have meals at different times
  • There will be other guests dining at the same time therefore the teams should dine at their own tables.
  • Please remember to wash your hands before and after the meals.

Playing 
  • Teams will be transferred from their accommodation to Court Rovaniemi at Keltakangas by bus
  • Masks must be worn on buses and in the sports halls when not playing
  • Social distancing must be kept at the training facility
  • Hand sanitizer stations are located at all entry points of halls
  • The teams will have own locker rooms during matches
  • Avoiding physical contacts during matches is included in the match protocol

Quarantine due to symptoms 
  • Guests that have COVID-19 symptoms will be moved into a quarantine room
  • The person has to book an appointment and get tested at the clinic in Rovaniemi
  • The person in quarantine will have meals in the room
  • Roommates and other teammates would be encouraged to book an appointment with the clinic in Rovaniemi to get tested
  • Transportation to the clinic for COVID-19 testing will be arranged by the organizers
  • If the test comes back negative, the person will be asked to keep social distance until the symptoms are over
  • If the test comes back positive, the person will stay quarantined

Public & Guests
We will welcome the public to the event but we also hope that the public will not mix with the participating teams. We ask the teams to keep social distance in the sports halls. Furthermore, wearing a mask is mandatory.
​COVID-19 - RESPONSE
​
Before the event
People are asked to stay home if they don’t feel well.
  1. No one with symptoms considered indicative of potential COVID-19 within 10 days prior to arrival are allowed to be involved in the event and should stay home.
  2. No one who has been in contact with anyone with known COVID-19 or potential COVID-19 symptoms within 14 days of arrival are allowed to be involved in the event and should stay home.

          COVID-19 symptoms include:
           ●    Cough
           ●    Fever
           ●    Shortness of breath
           ●    Runny nose
           ●    Sore throat
           ●    Muscle and joint aches
           ●    Nausea, vomiting or diarrhea
           ●    Severe exhaustion/fatigue


During the event
  1. A positive result must be reported to the Competition Manager Teemu Mäkikyrö +358 40 547 5119.
  2. National procedures for quarantine apply
  3. Anyone who develops symptoms indicative of potential COVID-19 must isolate immediately and notify the Competition Manager.
  4. Testing for COVID-19 will be arranged in Rovaniemi as described later.
  5. This person will be asked to stay isolated.
  6. Anyone who has been in close contact with the symptomatic person will be asked to self-isolate until COVID-19 testing results are known. Instructions to be given by the Competition Manager.

Steps in place to minimize spread:
  1. Minimize close contact between individuals and limit the number of people to which they are exposed,
  2. Keep clear records for easy contact tracing should a COVID-19 case develop in order to identify and isolate all contacts of a known positive case.
  3. Take care of hygiene by frequent hand washing. 
  4. Team manager informs  the Competition Manager when a member of the team is feeling unwell.
  5. Daily self-assessment

For all participants in the event:
  1. Nevza tournament visitors must have clear documentation of contact information including accurate phone contact information.
  2. Nevza tournament visitors must have clear documentation of those in close rooming contact (all those rooming in the same room).
  3. Nevza tournament visitors must be clear that this information will be shared with Lappland Medical Centre to enable rapid contract tracing if a participant at the event becomes ill with COVID-19.

Other considerations
  • Mask wearing is mandatory in all facilities indoors (excluding assigned roommates), and outdoors when two-metre physical distancing cannot be maintained.
  • Frequent hand washing and sanitizing
  • Respiratory hygiene (cough into your elbow)
  • Avoid touching of the face
  • Responsible distancing, non-physical greetings
  • Everyone must be very firm on the policy of reporting any illness to the crew chief and chiefs of medical as appropriate.
COVID-19 TESTING FACILITIES

Those who are not vaccinated or have been vaccinated only once, are advised to seek a laboratory test with slightest symptoms of a coronavirus infection. This also applies to those who have had COVID-19 more than six months ago. When you want to book a test appointment, follow these instructions:
  • You can go straight without an appointment at the private medical centers Mehiläinen or Terveystalo. Getting tested is free for all, and there is no need for a referral.
  • The Mehiläinen drive-in testing point is available at Sairaalakatu 1. The testing point is open Mon-Fri 7.30-14.30 and Sat-Sun 8.30-11.30 AM. You don't have to make an appointment. You can arrive by car, but also by walking or by bike.
  • The Terveystalo testing point is located in the Revontuli shopping centre (Koskikatu 27). The testing point is open Mon-Fri at 7.20-1pm. You don't have to make an appointment. You can enter the testing point straight from the yard, the door is located near the Repolainen play room. Please do not spend time in the shopping centre before or after getting tested.
  • The Lappica testing point is located at Lapinkävijäntie 2, next to the bus station, in the yard. Citizens older than 6 years can book an appointment at Lappica by phone 020-692 190 Mon-Thurs at 7.30am–3.30pm, Friday at 7.30am–2.30pm.

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Line of Command & Communication
The Event Management Group will have close communication throughout the event planning process and event days. Event related decisions are made in mutual understanding. Health and COVID-19 decisions will be made together and by the local health authority. When necessary, the experts of different fields are consulted.