WAIKATO TOUCH ASSOCIATON COVID-19 RESPONSE

The Waikato Touch Association are continually ensuring the Health and Safety of our members and the community. We do this by seeking guidance from the government, our National Sporting Organisation, Touch NZ and our National Sporting Trust, Sport NZ. For more information of what guides us please see the links below. We have also included our resonse to our Waikato Touch Events and programmes.

Waikato Touch Association (WTA) have met to discuss the new COVID-19 Protection Framework (CPF). The Waikato region is currently in the Orange zone. The CPF states that for people to participate in sporting gatherings and tournaments (with over 50 people), participants and spectators need to be double vaccinated. Sport NZ has confirmed this with their communication and guidance.

More information can be found here: https://sportnz.org.nz/resources/covid-19-protection-framework-overview/  

This has impact on our teams, coaches, managers, referees, volunteers, families, and supporters. For Waikato Touch to run our Tournaments and modules for more than 50 people all participants that are eligible, must be double vaccinated to participate. Therefore, Waikato Touch Association has made the decision that all participants and spectators must be double vaccinated and must provide their my vaccine pass for verification to attend our tournaments or modules. 

More information on how you can request you my Vaccine pass can be found here:  

https://covid19.govt.nz/covid-19-vaccines/covid-19-vaccination-certificates/my-vaccine-pass/ 

Although WTA’s position is that we encourage all our participants to be fully vaccinated, we respect the decisions of individuals and whānau who choose not to be vaccinated, however, if individuals are unable to source a vaccine pass, they will not be able to participate or attend our upcoming Waikato Touch tournaments. This was an extremely hard decision for our committee, these are very tough times, but we have an obligation to keep our community safe.  

Unfortunately, COVID tests are unable to be used in place of vaccinations and for anyone that has a medical exemption you can still apply for a vaccine pass. The only exemption from having to provide a vaccine pass are juniors under 12 years and 3 months of age. 

WAIKATO TOUCH UPCOMING COMPETITIONS

·         WTA Junior Day #1 – Sunday 12th December 2021 – Vaccine Pass required 

·         WTA Contingent Day – Sunday 19th December 2021 – Vaccine Pass required 

·         WTA Junior Day #2 – Sunday 23rd of January 2022 – Vaccine Pass required 

·         WTA Central Series – Saturday or Sunday 5/6 of February 2022 – Vaccine Pass required 

·         WTA School Modules Term 1– primary, intermediate, and high school module – Vaccine Pass required 

We will continue to keep a close eye on any updates from Sport NZ and ensure we follow their guidance and recommendations as time goes on. WTA will be in touch with our team managers, coaches, and volunteers with more details. More information can be found on our website. 

 http://www.waikatotouch.co.nz/ABOUT-2/covid-19-updates 

Ngaa Manaakitanga, 

Waikato Touch Association Committee.