Dear Richmond FC (RFC) Families:
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As we see cases of COVID-19 rise in our province and city, we thought that this would be a good opportunity to review the process that the RFC uses to manage illness and confirmed cases, and answer questions families may have.
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How will RFC respond to a confirmed case of COVID-19?
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If a player or staff member at RFC is confirmed by public health to have COVID-19, public health will work with the person who is sick or their family, RFC, and any relevant health care providers to determine and support the next steps.
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RFC will inform the person who is sick to self-isolate at home. RFC will inform the team and their families that a member of the team has tested positive for COVID-19.
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In accordance with viaSport “Return to Sport” protocols, we will quarantine teams and siblings of exposed team members from our programs for 14 days from the date of the last contact with the individual who has a confirmed case of COVID-19.
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How will the BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) respond to a confirmed case of COVID-19?
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BCCDC will start contact tracing. This means calling people who have been close to the person who is sick.
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BCCDC will determine which family members, coaches, support staff or players have been in close enough contact with the person that they may have been exposed.
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If contacts are more likely to get sick with COVID-19, they are considered “close contacts”.
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Close contacts will be asked by BCCDC officials to self-isolate and monitor for COVID-19 symptoms. This could include being asked to be tested for COVID-19. Please note that the location of the nearest testing centre is:
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5911 North Service Road, Richmond, B.C.
(intersection of Aviation Ave. and North Service Rd on Sea Island)
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What will happen if my child was on a team that has a confirmed case of COVID-19?
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RFC follows viaSport “Return to Sport” protocols, we will quarantine teams and siblings of exposed team members from our programs for 14 days from the date of the last contact with the individual who has a confirmed case of COVID-19.
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Will parents or staff members be told who has tested positive for COVID-19?
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For safety reasons, RFC will not disclose a player’s name, but may notify a team or coach of a positive case before the BCCDC if and only if an RFC player has been a confirmed case of COVID-19.
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How do I find out if there has been a confirmed case of COVID-19 at RFC?
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If there has been a confirmed case of COVID-19 within RFC, RFC will notify teams and families that may be affected.
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To ensure privacy, RFC will not provide any public statements or communications to staff or players’ families beyond notifying the teams and families impacted.
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RFC communications will not identify specific individuals and will not violate the confidentiality of the individual(s) affected.
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What will happen if there is an outbreak of COVID-19 in a sports setting?
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It is important to note that occurrences of COVID-19 are expected in sport settings given that COVID-19 virus is circulating in the community. These occurrences are not considered outbreaks. The declaration of an outbreak of COVID-19, or any other communicable disease in a sport setting, is at the discretion of the medical health officer.
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When multiple confirmed linked cases of COVID-19 occur among players and/or staff within a 14-day period (a cluster), public health officials will investigate to determine if additional measures are required to prevent further transmission.
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Will it be safe to return to soccer after a confirmed case of COVID-19?
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Yes, RFC teams that have been exposed to a confirmed case of Covid-19 will be following protocol and quarantine for 14 days. After 14 days, RFC will resume regular soccer activities for the team pending any further instructions from health authorities.
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How do we know when the player(s) with a confirmed case is safe to resume playing soccer?
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Players who have mild respiratory symptoms that can be managed at home can return to their team activities once the following criteria are met:
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a. At least 14 days have passed since onset of symptoms; AND
b. Fever has resolved without use of fever-reducing medication for at least 72 hours; AND
c. Symptoms (respiratory, gastrointestinal, and systemic) have drastically improved.
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Coughing may persist for several weeks and does not mean the individual is infectious and must self-isolate.
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Mandatory self-screening
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Please remember that RFC requires any individual to complete a self-screening examination prior to participation in any RFC activity.
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Thank you for reading this important communication. Please feel free to contact us if you have any additional questions or concerns.
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Sincerely,
Richmond FC
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ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

ViaSport – Return to Sport
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Richmond FC Return to Play/Covid-19 Safety Protocols
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