The Beechwood Tennis Club has a COVID -19 Safety Plan which addresses all matters as required by the Chief Health Officer for sporting competitions.  This is currently not mandated for sporting clubs by the NSW Government but the club has this plan in a state of readiness should the need arises.

Safety plan summary

1. Everyone attending the tennis courts and club house are required to sign in by scanning our QR code displayed at the door and on each of the tables.  If you do not have your phone you can use the Attendance Book. We are required to keep records of anyone using the venue and their contact details.
2. All members and non-members attending the tennis courts and club house are required to follow the social distancing rules of keeping 1.5m from each other.
3. Payments to be made online or via EFTPOS – avoid handling cash.
4. Please wash your hands regularly.  The club provides hand soap and hand sanitizer.
5. We need to manage access to the courts and numbers. Unless you are playing comp, you MUST book ahead.

Before you play

Stay at home if you:

• Have been in contact with someone with COVID-19 in the last 14 days
• Have been overseas or exposed to someone with COVID-19 in the last 14 days
• Have flu-like symptoms

If you are in a high risk health category, then you should not be administering or playing tennis at any time during this period. The Federal Government have listed the following as high-risk categories:

• Persons with weakened immune systems
• Any person aged over 70 (over 60 for people with pre-existing medical conditions, or over 50 for Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people with pre-existing medical conditions)
• Persons with diagnosed chronic medical conditions (such as lung conditions and kidney failure) o People with diabetes o Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
• Very young children (Under 5) and babies Club & venue operations, club-houses, social spaces and amenities

Tennis NSW encourages all participants to download the COVIDSafe app to help speed up the process of identifying anyone who has been in close contact with someone diagnosed with COVID19. Learn more: app info

Tennis equipment

There is no specific evidence that balls can spread COVID-19. We do know that on hard surfaces contamination by respiratory droplets from an infected person can potentially survive up to three days. Therefore, you should:

 Make sure you clean your hands before and after coming off the court

 Do not touch your face after touching a ball, racquet or other tennis equipment

 Use new balls and racquet grips where possible

 Use fewer balls persession

 Replace all balls if someone with/suspected to have COVID-19 comes in contact with them

 Restrict balls to a particular group, court or day of the week. One idea is to label them with a permanent marker

 Clean all tennis gear with alcohol-based disinfectant including racquets, towels, coaching gear such as target cones

 Don’t use unnecessary equipment such as drop down lines.

Clean environment

Providing a clean environment to play tennis in is important. We make sure we:

 Provide soap, hand-sanitiser or wipes at all main contact points like the desk and café

 Clean all surfaces, such as counters, tabletops, doorknobs, bathroom fixtures, toilets, phones, keyboards, tablets, and tables, at least once a day wearing disposable gloves

 Clean any surfaces which may have blood, bodily fluids and/or secretions or excretions on them

 Wear personal protective equipment including aprons, gloves and masks when handling food

 Regularly remind and encourage everyone, particularly juniors, of the need to wash hands regularly and adopt the other principles of a good hygiene strategy

 Display signage about handwashing andhygiene techniques at strategic points like all sinks, eating areas, drinking areas and on the side of court.