SSA COVID-19 Safe Management Plans for Resumption of Aquatic Sports Activities for Phase 2 Version 3

As announced by the Multi-Ministry Taskforce on 19 May 2020, Singapore will embark on a three-phase approach to resume activities safely, post-circuit breaker. For more information (https://www.gov.sg/article/post-circuit-breaker-when-can-wemove-on-to-phases-2-and-3)

• As announced by the Multi-Ministry Taskforce, Phase Two will commence on 19 June 2020.

• This document provides the safety management measures to assist and offer guidance to all pool facility owners, swim school owners, administrators and coaches in Singapore so they can plan to re-open facilities from phase 2 onwards and commence aquatic lessons for learn to swim participants and competitive athletes, in line with Government timescales, as safely as possible.

• Sport Singapore (SportSG) has been engaging the Singapore Swimming Association (SSA) on the safe management measures for aquatic sports. The SSA will be publishing our SportSG endorsed safe management plans on our website www.swimming.org.sg and on Sport Singapore website: https://circle.myactivesg.com/ssi/safe-return-to-sport from 19 June onwards.

• This document is guided by current MOH guidelines, SportSg’s Advisory for resumption of sport and physical exercise activity for phase two, as well as aquatic industry and expert inputs.

• The parameters will be reviewed from time to time, and guidelines may change at a later juncture in Phase Two, taking into account how well the safe measures are implemented by operators and the compliance of the users in these settings, and the broader COVID-19 situation at the time. Please refer to the latest version  (Version 2) in order to benefit from the latest best practices.

The key revisions from version 2 are as follows:
 

• An instructor who teaches participants for aquatic sports which is equivalent to SwimSafer bronze level and above where the participant has achieved the competency to swim at least 100m continuously, may take up to 2 groups of 5 participants provided the groups maintain a distance of 3m apart from one another and the instructor keeps a distance of 3m apart from the groups at all times.
• An Instructor who teaches participants for beginner aquatic sports, which is equivalent to Learn to Swim at SwimSafer Stage 3 and below, can take 2 groups of up to 5 participants, subject to observing 3m distance between the two groups and no mixing between groups.   The following additional safety requirements apply:

• Instruction MUST occur in water no deeper than 1m in depth OR with provision of platforms set to no deeper than 1m in depth
• The instructor MUST maintain visual of ALL participants at ALL times

• Instructors of infant classes where parent is in control of the infant in the session at ALL times can take up to 3 groups of 2 pairs (caregiver and child).  The three groups are considered separate bubbles and must maintain 3m distancing at all times between groups and the instructor.
• Learn to Swim for children with disabilities remains as bubble of 5 consisting of athlete / caregiver /sport assistant.  Full details can be found in SDSC Safe Return to Para Sport Plan. https://sdsc.org.sg/faqs-exiting-the-circuit-breaker/

Download Version 3 of the guidelines here