What You Need to Know-Week of June 8th
The most important weekly updates for you to keep your community healthy
In this Update:
1. Guidance from the Governor: Youth Activities
2. Pandemic Preparedness: Household plan for COVID-19 Checklist
3. How to Protest Safely during a Pandemic
1. Guidance from the Governor: Youth Activities
Special contribution from Leila Barraza, JD, MPH
Governor Ducey announced on May 28th that organized youth activities may resume. This includes summer leagues, summer schools, and day camps. The complete guidance for organized youth activities is available here.
As with all activities that bring together groups of people; first decide if you really need to participate or if there are viable alternatives for recreation and physical activity during this time. If you or a household member have immunocompromising conditions or are older you are at increased risk of severe COVID-19 disease. If you decide you still want to participate, youth participants, coaches, visitors, and parents should be sure to follow these safety tips:
| Before participating: | Do not attend the activity if you or someone in your household is feeling ill or if you have had a known contact with someone who recently tested positive for COVID-19.
Avoid congregating before the activity. Avoid car-pooling, whenever possible. |
| While participating: | Those attending organized youth activities should follow appropriate CDC guidance for physical distancing and should wear cloth face coverings or a face shield whenever possible. [Note that in the heat and during strenuous activities N95 masks can be harmful, opt for alternative masking].
Opt for non-contact sports or activities. Do not share water bottles, towels, or any equipment that is not necessary to be shared. If participating inside, ensure ventilation systems operate properly and encourage circulation of outdoor air. If coolers for water are necessary, regularly sanitize them, along with other hard surfaces. Encourage people to bring their own reusable water bottles. Implement semi-regular hand washing/ hand sanitizing breaks. Avoid using shared spaces (like locker rooms). If this is not possible, stagger use and disinfect between use. |
| After participating: | Sanitize equipment/supplies before and after each game or use.
Discourage the sharing of food, snacks and beverages after games or practices. If food is provided, ensure that it is individually pre-packaged. Avoid congregating after the activity. Wash your hands thoroughly. |
Organizers of the event should make sure to follow this guidance:
| Guidance for Organizer | Consider limiting the number of parents / guardians / spectators for each youth.
Choose well-ventilated spaces or outdoor spaces [you may need to operate in early morning/ late evening to avoid the midday heat]. Choose alternative non-contact activities – fla football instead of touch, for example. Implement comprehensive sanitation protocols. Assign staff or volunteers to help enforce physical distancing and other hygiene expectations. Consider contactless check-ins. Obtain contact information for all participants and update individuals if there are positive cases reported to you without telling people who was ill. |
2. Pandemic Preparedness: Household plan for COVID-19 Checklist
Following relaxed COVID-19 precautions across the state and the reopening of Arizona businesses, the number of cases is increasing. Therefore, since the risk of the virus in AZ is high and increasing, it is important to create a COVID-19 plan to prepare your household in case one or more members of the home become infected with the virus.
In addition to taking everyday steps to prevent COVID-19 such as practicing proper hand hygiene and sanitizing commonly touched items in the home, it is also especially important to create a COVID-19 household plan in case member(s) of the home begin to show symptoms or test positive for the virus.Follow the checklist below to ensure that you and your home are prepared!
| What to do if someone in the home becomes sick with COVID-19: |
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All members of the home should follow this guidance: ✓ STAY HOME All members of the home, and anyone who has been in close contact with members of the home, should stay home for a minimum of 14 days after symptoms appear or a positive test has been confirmed. ✓ AVOID CLOSE CONTACT WITH PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF THE HOME ✓ ARRANGE FOR SOMEONE OUTSIDE OF THE HOME TO TRANSPORT ESSENTIAL GOODS ✓ USE GLOVES WHEN HANDLING A SICK INDIVIDUAL’S DIRTY LAUNDRY AND GARBAGE ✓ AVOID SHARING PERSONAL ITEMS, FOOD, AND DRINKS WITHIN THE HOUSEHOLD ✓ ENCOURAGE ILL INDIVIDUALS TO WEAR MASKS For additional information on how to care for someone who is sick, visit this link. |
3. How to Protest Safely during a Pandemic
We at AZCOVIDTXT support the movement for justice and equity for the Black community that has gained momentum in the past weeks. As stated by the Dean of the College of Public Health systemic racism is a public health crisis which has also compounded the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. George Floyd’s murder has triggered many protests nationally and in Arizona to bring awareness and to end excessive force in policing and systemic racism. If you decide to participate in these peaceful gatherings, please follow these necessary safety precautions in order to reduce your risk of contracting and spreading COVID-19:
- If you are in a high risk group for COVID-19, are ill, or have recently had close contact with someone who is ill, do not attend the event. Consider one of the many alternate ways to support anti-racism efforts listed below.
- If you are ill or someone you know is ill from COVID-19 – do not attend the protest.
- Always wear a cloth face covering and do not remove it for the duration of the protest.
- Do not touch your nose, mouth, or eyes.
- Bring hand sanitizer and water.
- Avoid crowds where masking is infrequent or sporadic.
- Stay at the fringe of the crowd or walk on the outer sides of the protest march.
- Encourage others to space out.
- Stay with people you know to make sure you can be in touch with each other if one of you tests positive.
- Bring gloves to use if someone has an injury.
- Use noisemakers, drums, horns, or other items to make noise as yelling can spread virus.
- If possible, wear eye protection (such as glasses, sunglasses, or eye protection goggles) to reduce the possibility for COVID-19 transmission occurring through your eyes.
- Model physical distancing by staying at least 6 feet away from others outside of your household. Encourage others to maintain appropriate distancing.
- Do not shake hands with, hug, or engage in close contact with others outside of your household.
- Avoid crowded areas to the extent that is possible.
- Avoid places with significant disruptions and unrest. This can lead to reduced adherence to physical distancing or mask placements.
- If you are unsure or feel that you may have been exposed to COVID-19, isolate yourself from others for two weeks, watch for symptoms, and if possible, get a COVID-19 virus test.
Alternate ways for your voice to be heard:
- Staying informed
- Educating yourself on topic-related matters (reading books and articles, listening to podcasts, watching videos, etc.)
- Signing petitions
- Donating to organizations that support the cause
- Making safety kits for protestors [masks, sanitizer, water, bandaids]
- Providing transportation for those in your close social network going to – from the protests [roll down windows and all with a mask on]
- Supporting local black businesses
- Contact your local elected officials
- Posting signs in your yard or windows
- Being involved on social media
- Having conversations with friends, family, and neighbors
- Vote! If you need to register to vote in the state of Arizona, please visit this website
The next update will cover what your household can do in advance to be prepared for COVID-19. If you would like to learn more about this and other topics related to COVID-19 in Arizona, please complete next week’s AZCOVIDTXT survey that you will receive via text in about a week.