Below are audio recordings from the club zoom meeting on 30 November 2021, providing information and answering questions around the SONZ Covid Protection Framework and Club Vaccination Policy. The Zoom call was hosted by CEO Carolyn Young and Sports Director Gary Peacham.
For updated information the SONZ Covid Response visit our official webpage
You can also view our Covid Protection Framework FAQs document for updated answers to many questions from the Zoom call.
What the Zoom call will cover, what resources are to be made available for clubs and our aim with the SONZ Covid Protection Framework response.
Explaining the SONZ Covid Protection Framework Response
Why you may see differences between professional sport activity rules and community sport activity rules Covid and changes around language due to the new traffic light system.
Questions around venues, including:
- What are the requirements at venues where we hold trainings and events? Do they have to require vaccine passes?
- Around the vaccination deadline, can you clarify 1 April 2022 or earlier?
- How do you maintain 1 metre space per government requirements and still participate in sport?
- What happens if we are training or we are at an event and someone turns up who isn’t vaccinated?
- When can training start for vaccinated athletes and volunteers once their region goes into the Covid Protection Framework?
- Are all Special Olympics activities still on hold until end of 2021 or does the move to red or orange mean trainings can commence?
- Can athletes who are under 12 participate in training and competition until the vaccination for under 12s is available?
- What happens if people need to cross regional/color levels?
- If you’re at red and there is limits of 100 people, are under 12-year-olds included in that 100?
- Social connection for athletes and volunteers who are not vaccinated?
Questions around vaccination certificates, including:
- Is SONZ going to require copies of all vaccination certificates?
- Is there a standard SONZ vaccination register of all training attendees?
- Does fully vaccinated include boosters once they’re made available or just double vaccinations?
- Would it be better to have the compulsory date for vaccinations set earlier since the vaccine passes expire in May anyway?
- Competitions need 6 weeks entry time, this could leave to a lot of scratchings if the athletes are entered while still with a certificate that expires within that time and we presume they would be revalidated?
- Will we ask for a copy of the Ministry of Health Covid record or use a scanner? What about boosters and the potential new vaccines for the different variants?
- Do we add this to the census register?
Questions around vaccination certificates, including: (continued)
- What if people need support to use the Ministry of Health tools to get the certificate and using the QR code?
- Is it an option to add the vaccination status and expiry date to the medical?
- With medical exemptions, can volunteers and athletes who have a medical exemption participate in trainings and competition?
- What is our approach to migrants amongst our participants, volunteers, coaches and officials who have fully vaccinated in their country but not with a New Zealand Ministry of Health approved vaccine?
- Would SONZ consider a negative Covid test to replace the vaccination pass?
- If vaccination is brought in for 5-11 year olds will that group be excluded if not vaccinated?
- What about parents who don’t want to be volunteers but want to accompany their kids to training sessions?
- When the mandate is lifted will unvaccinated people be able to return to Special Olympics activities?
- Do non-trustee committee members need to be vaccinated?
- How is SONZ and clubs going to plan for the National Summer Games if attendance is reliant on volunteers and participants keeping their vaccination status up-to-date?
Answering questions from clubs around spectators and school events, including:
- Are all spectators required to be vaccinated unless they have proof of a medical exemption
- Does the framework imply that spectators are only allowed into events under a green traffic light?
- Do spectators at our events need to be vaccinated or just need to comply with venue requirements?
- For school events are all participants over 12 years-old required to be vaccinated to attend an external event that is hosted by SONZ?
- Who is being notified of the new policies? Is official communication coming out?
Closing statement about 2022 and maintaining good health and safety practices.
View our Covid-19 resources page for more information around our response and policies
For further questions contact sport@specialolympics.org.nz