COVID-19 Safety & Protocols

2022 OSIG HEALTH ADVISORY – UPDATED COVID-19 PREPAREDNESS AND PROTOCOLS

With COVID-19 cases currently on the rise across Ontario, and localized outbreaks identified in various communities and regions, including the City of Ottawa, the 2022 Ontario Summer Indigenous Games (“2022 OSIG” or the “Games”) Organizing Committee has developed a COVID-19 Preparedness and Response plan intended to limit the risk and spread of infection, as much as reasonably possible, among those attending and participating at the Games.

2022 OSIG will implement the following protocols, above and beyond the specific venue policies and local public health guidelines, to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the youth, chaperones, family members, coaches, volunteers, and staff in attendance:

• Self-assessment prior to travel and arrival in Ottawa; we strongly recommend and advise self-testing prior to travelling to the 2022 OSIG, particularly if you are displaying any symptoms of COVID-19.
• If you are ill or if you have tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 5 days, please do not attend the Games.
• If you have been in direct physical contact with a known or a diagnosed case in the past 5 days and are showing symptoms of COVID-19, please do not attend the Games.
• Masking is required at all times for all indoor venues and locations (including on the shuttle bus) – the only exemptions to masking in indoor areas will be for athletes during their competition, while eating meals or drinking water, and when in individual residences or accommodations. Masks will be provided to all athletes on a daily basis, both on-site at venues and at the Athlete Services desk located in the lobby of 90U. Masks are also available throughout the uOttawa campus, free of charge.
• Hand sanitizer will be made available at every venue and Games location and will also be provided to athletes upon check-in; athletes and all participants should regularly sanitize (or wash) their hands, and avoid touching their mouth, nose and eyes.
• All equipment and supplies have been (and will be) sanitized prior to the start of the program/event, in between uses and at the end of each event.
• No participant or athlete shall engage in the sharing of water/energy drink bottles or food; no handshakes, fist or chest bumps, high fives, hugs, kisses, etc.
• Athletes will be provided with a pinny for sport competition, which they will use throughout the Games; pinnies will be returned to Games’ staff at the completion of the event. No sharing of pinnies.
• If any athlete, chaperone, coach, volunteer or staff member (the “Games Participant”) begins to feel ill during the Games, or begins exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19, they should immediately notify a member of the 2022 OSIG staff, so they can be tested and isolated if needed. There will be COVID-19 rapid antigen tests available at the medical assessment centre at Montpetit Hall and at 90U (please visit the Athlete Services desk in the lobby). The Provincial Testing and Isolation Information Line is 1-888-777-0730 for testing eligibility and isolation guideline questions. It is available from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
• The 2022 OSIG medical team will be on-site and available to assess, help implement COVID-19 public health isolation procedures, and determine what care and immediate follow-up action is needed, if a Games’ Participant tests positive for COVID-19.

Chaperones are fully responsible for the care of a youth who may be infected with COVID-19 during the Games; this includes ensuring they are isolating, being provided with meals and water, and are given the medical support they need. 2022 OSIG staff, including the medical team will be on-hand to assess the situation and identify next steps and procedures.

Any athlete, chaperone, family member, coach, volunteer or staff member who attends the Games, does so at their own risk. Contracting COVID-19 during the Games, means that you will have to isolate for 5 days, and then test again until a negative test is achieved.

NOTE: The 2022 OSIG Organizing Committee does not have accommodations booked for any participant who requires further isolation, after July 31 at the University of Ottawa campus residence. Chaperones/family members will need to arrange alternate accommodations at their own cost and consider the impact that a positive COVID-19 diagnosis may have on travel plans to return home, particularly for athletes travelling with their teams on busses. 

The 2022 OSIG Organizing Committee understands that some of the Games’ Participants may be reconsidering their attendance at the Games, given the rising number of COVID-19 cases. While the 2022 OSIG Organizing Committee will be implementing, maintaining and pursuing all reasonable efforts and protocols to mitigate risk and lower the chance of any Games’ Participant contracting COVID-19, the 2022 Organizing Committee cannot remove such risk completely.

You can find more information about COVID-19 safety and protocols for the University of Ottawa here, and for city owned venues, click here.