Niagara Takes Further Measures to Prevent COVID-19 From Spreading at Sports and Fitness Facilities

A letter has been issued to sporting and fitness facilities, creating legally binding requirements for such businesses.

Niagara Public Health is taking a stand to prevent the spread of COVID-19 at sporting and recreational fitness facilities. 

The region has joined 26 other public health jurisdictions in the province to issue a letter to these facilities, legally requiring them to take certain measures in the name of public safety. 

Instructions include requiring a vaccination policy for employees, and controlling capacity in high risk areas such as changerooms, in order to maintain physical distance. 

As well, all persons 12 and older must show proof of vaccination in order to enter these businesses, unless they hve a valid medical exemption. 

"Over the past six weeks, children have had the highest risk of being infected from COVID-19, and participation in sports and athletics has unfortunately become a significant contributor to those infections," said Dr. Mustafa Hirji, Acting Medical Officer of Health. "When these infections get into schools, classes are closed, children must isolate and fall behind in learning, and parents must stay home to care for them. The narrow, targeted measures we are requiring will keep children safe and in school as we head into the holiday season when infections are likely to surge, and we potentially face the Omicron variant."

Public Health says while there weren't any outbreaks among children in recreational sports during the first six weeks of school, recently, Niagara has experienced six outbreaks linked to sports and athletics and the lifting of capacity requirements for these settings. 

A majority occurred in students. 

In order to provide facility owners and operators sufficient time to make the necessary changes outlined in the letter, public health is delaying the instructions relating to capacity limits until December 10th. 

Vaccination requirements will take effect on December 25th. 

You can view the letter here.