As reported in the media, the Australian Government Department of Health and The Tasmanian Department of Health are currently monitoring the evolving situation regarding the Novel Coronavirus outbreak, originating in Wuhan in the Hubei Province, China. There are now a number of confirmed cases of Novel Coronavirus in Australia.
What is Coronavirus?
Coronavirus causes illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). This new strain of coronavirus (2019-nCoV) has not been previously detected in humans.
Coronavirus Symptoms
Symptoms may include fever, cough, sore throat, nausea/vomiting, and difficulty breathing.
Difficulty breathing is a sign of possible pneumonia and requires immediate medical attention. It can take up to 14 days for symptoms to show after a person has been infected
Advice to Clubs, Associations and Centres
All Football Tasmania (FT) affiliated clubs, associations and centres should follow health and safety practices regarding regular cleaning of equipment and facilities, particularly bathrooms, change rooms, canteens and common areas. Safe hygiene practices in relation to food handling procedures, including the provision of hand washing/sanitizing facilities and the use of disposable gloves in canteens and food facilities should be reinforced. Clubs, associations and centres should stay up to date with advice issued by FT and Government agencies regarding the Coronavirus. (Refer links to further information below)
Important Australian Government Health advice dated 6th February 2020:
You need to isolate yourself in the following circumstances:
• if you have travelled from Hubei Province within the past 14 days, you must isolate
yourself until 14 days have elapsed after leaving Hubei Province
• if you have left, or transited through, mainland China on or after 1 February 2020 you
must isolate yourself until 14 days after leaving China
• if you have been in close contact with a confirmed case of novel coronavirus, you must
isolate yourself for 14 days after last contact with the confirmed case
You do not need to self-isolate in the following circumstances:
• if you have travelled from other provinces in mainland China prior to 1 February 2020
AND have not been in Hubei Province
• if you have only travelled in Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan
Advice to Participants
This advice to all participants (players, coaches, managers, referees, club officials, volunteers and others) involved in football within FT is consistent with information issued by the Australian Government and is similar to information issued to schools and school students:
• Any participants who have been in contact with a person with confirmed Coronavirus case must not attend any training, trials, trial matches, games or other activities conducted by FT or an FT affiliated club, association or centre, until 14 days have lapsed from exposure to the infected person and provided they are not symptomatic.
• Any participants who have visited China in the past two weeks must not attend any training, trials, trial matches, games or other activities conducted by FT or a FT affiliated club, association or centre, until 14 days have lapsed from their date of departure from China and provided they are not symptomatic.
TAS Health Coronavirus advice:
-If you come into contact with a person who has recently returned from Wuhan or the Hubei Province in China, monitor your health. If you develop flu-like symptoms including a fever and respiratory signs, isolate yourself and call ahead to talk to a doctor. Tell your doctor that you have been in contact with someone from Wuhan. The doctor may tell you to attend your
nearest emergency department, if so call ahead to the hospital before attending. Call 000 if you need urgent medical help.
-Always practice simple hygiene by covering your coughs and sneezes and wash your hands
thoroughly and avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
-Avoid close contact, when possible, with anyone showing symptoms of respiratory illness such as coughing and sneezing.
For Further Information
• TAS Health factsheet
• Australian Department of Health
Tasmania’s Director of Public Health is providing regular updates to local GPs, hospitals and other sectors to ensure health professionals are aware of the protocols that are in place to identify and manage a case of coronavirus. The Tasmanian Department of Health is working with national health authorities to ensure a consistent approach is being taken to managing the risk of coronavirus in Australia.