Covid-19 : Pre Christmas Update (Dec 1st 2020)

The Government has introduced a phased easing of restrictions over the next few weeks aimed at helping us all ‘have a meaningful Christmas, albeit different to other years’.

As these relaxed restrictions come into operation commencing Tuesday, December 1^st  allowing increased participation in sport again, there are a number of factors we need to keep in mind.

We are all being asked to:

·      

Plan ahead – think carefully when meeting up with others to participate in sport to ensure all hygiene and safety protocols are adhered to and that meeting points, routes and coffee stops are chosen to facilitate social distancing.

·      

Every contact counts – limit the number you meet. Think about group size and consistency to limit contacts and do not mix or change groups during cycles or at coffee stops.

From December 1^st

·     

All club training spins and events can only take place within the confines of Louth until December 17^th. Between December 18^th and January 6^th we can cycle outside Louth.

·     

The maximum group size is 15 (this is line with NPHET/Government and Cycling Ireland guidelines). However, we would encourage members to cycle in small groups  tohelp reduce the number of potential contacts during a spin.

·     

If at all possible, can you please stick to the same people in your groups, just in case of the need for a traceability exercise.

·     

When stopped everyone must adhere to the 2-metre rule, social distance at all times, and follow proper hand and equipment hygiene. Stops include meeting up before spins, punctures & mechanicals, coffee stops, photographs, end of spins.

·      

Where a group decide to avail of take away facilities then social distancing in pairs (2 family units) is recommended during a coffee stop. This is in line with the requirement to restrict external meetings to one other household.

From December 4th:

·      

Cafes, restaurants and pubs operating as restaurants will reopen with tables of max 6 persons. Coffee stops on spins need to be carefully managed in line with the procedures of the cafe. We recommend that members use outdoor seating where possible.

Any club member who is medically vulnerable and those over 70 are advised to exercise judgment in deciding if they wish to engage with others and activities outside the home.

Our objective as a club is to create a safe and supportive environment for all members who wish to continue cycling at this time and also do our best to keep our friends, family and the public well. Participating in club activities is a personal choice and anyone is free not to participate if they feel uncomfortable to do so.

Reminder

We ask that before participating in a group activityall members are required to complete the following steps:

1.     

Before each cycle, complete a  Self-Assessment Personal Screening Questionnaire.
(This takes 1 minute to complete).

2.     

To assist with contact tracing, Road Captains are requested to record the members in their group using the Cycling Ireland Booking System.

3.     

To further enhance our contact tracing, we ask that each Road Captain take a photograph of the group and send it to our COVID-19 Liaison Officer, Gerry Mc Crory  (087 4114037).

Additional changes are due to be implemented before Christmas and we will update our club position before then.

Many thanks to everyone in the club who supported the Level 5 restrictions. As a club, we need to ensure that we maintain the focus and commitment that members have displayed to ensure that we continue to enjoy cycling in a safe and healthy manner. Everyone’s efforts to cycle safely in line with the letter and spirit of Government, Sport Ireland and Cycling Ireland guidelines are very much appreciated.

Cuchulainn Committee.

Link

Cycling Ireland COVID-19 Updated Guidance 01.12.2020