COVID-19 Planning

March 13, 2020 3:30 PM

All,

Boulder Aikikai will be closed starting tomorrow, Saturday, March 14th 2020 and all classes are canceled. The dojo will also be closed for individual or informal practices. We will reassess on Sunday, March 29th.

I image everyone has seen reporting on efforts to "flatten the curve" of transmission, which focus on slowing the rate of spread of COVID-19, rather than preventing it. It's with this in mind that we're making this change now.

With this action we participate in local, national, and global efforts to reduce the rate of transmission of COVID-19. With our incomplete understanding of this disease and absence of available testing, it's clear that social distancing is urgently needed to prevent the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. This is a concrete way for us to help protect our families and broader communities, including the vulnerable among us, by protecting the social systems on which we all depend. In particular, slowing transmission eases the load on health care systems and allows more time to build capacity in them, which is crucial to protecting all of us as we are exposed to this virus.

And please, a request: if you do become ill and have been at practice, let us know immediately.

As for Boulder Aikikai, as I mentioned yesterday Boulder Aikikai does have ongoing expenses, so if you can continue your support it will be very helpful and much appreciated. We're a community supported non-profit and dues and seminar fees are our only income. In case you didn't know, I'd also like to mention that we're entirely run by volunteers.

So, thank you everyone for your help and support! As I mention above, we will revisit on Sunday, March 29th. In the mean time, please take good care! I'm certainly aware that social isolation brings its own price, so we're thinking of ways to look forward positively and keep in touch during this time, possibly including virtual gatherings and shared practices. We're also looking forward to a seminar down the road as a special thanks to the members of Boulder Aikikai.

And of course, please don't hesitate to reach out, to me or others! I'll certainly be happy to hear from anyone with questions or concerns. And importantly, if you are not well and need support, please get in contact.

Thanks again, everyone.

Tres Hofmeister

March 12, 2020 9:00 AM

Greetings everyone,

I'm writing to let you know about our plans for addressing COVID-19.

Please note first and foremost that, as you all are likely aware, the situation is changing daily. The coming weeks seem important and may very well bring changes which we'll need to respond to quickly. With this in mind, here's where we are now.

The safety and well-being of our individual members is of course important. It's also become clear that limiting the spread of SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus which causes COVID-19, is important to protect both the more vulnerable in our broader communities, and the social fabric of which we are all a part. The ability to work of the many people on whom we depend for daily needs will be affected if the virus spreads widely.

If you have questions or concerns, you are welcome to contact me directly and I'll do my best to respond to them. Please don't hesitate to reach out.

What are we doing already?

We have already begun to ask everyone coming to practice to observe basic precautions intended to limit the spread of the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) which causes COVID-19. These are the based on the same precautions used during cold and flu season to protect the health of others and are always worth observing:

Stay home if you're not feeling well, particularly if you have symptoms of COVID-19, including fever, cough, fatigue, and shortness of breath; or if you have been in close contact with someone who has been confirmed with COVID-19
Wash your hands before and after class, preferably; or use hand sanitizer
Avoid touching your face and mouth
Practice respiratory hygiene: control or cover coughs and sneezes, then wash your hands before returning to practice

This week, in keeping with current Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines we are also adding:

Daily cleaning of the mat and frequently touched surfaces

What's next?

We will continue to monitor local and national resources to keep apprised of the changing situation, including spread of the virus and recommendations from groups including Boulder County and the CDC.

If COVID-19 reaches the point of community transmission, social distancing will become an important part of limiting its further spread. Given the nature of our practice, waiting for guidance from authorities may be inadequate.

As we're all aware, regular aikido training involves contact far closer than the social distancing of 6 feet many are suggesting. We are already beginning to experiment with limiting contact in regular classes and may need to develop this further; other dojo in areas with more confirmed cases are already modifying practice in this way.

What about Boulder Aikikai?

Whether you're training regularly or not, please continue to support Boulder Aikikai through your monthly dues. We have ongoing expenses, including the rent for our dojo space, and we hope to be back to a regular and familiar training life as soon as we can!

Resources

Boulder County: COVID-19 (NOVEL CORONAVIRUS)
https://www.bouldercounty.org/families/disease/covid-19/

State of Colorado: Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Colorado
https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/cdphe/2019-novel-coronavirus

CDC: Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/

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Tres Hofmeister