Covid-19 Restrictions in Wales

With the Covid-19 restrictions being eased in Wales, CIMSPA has created an updated overview of the guidance for anyone working in sport, exercise, fitness and physical activity.

Please be aware that Government guidance and laws are always evolving - if we become aware of any changes we will update here. Please always check that you are insured for any activity you are doing, and make sure you have permission to use any public outdoor spaces.

When working within the guidance below, we would urge everyone to exercise caution and prioritise the safety of themselves, clients and the wider community.

Further resources: Welsh Government guidance

Updated 21 July 2021

Wales moved into Alert Level One from Saturday 17 July 2021, with the intention of moving to Level Zero from 7 August.

Guidance from 17 July 2021 (Level One)

Social distancing

Keeping your distance from people you don’t normally mix with remains one of the most effective ways of controlling the risk of spread of COVID-19. Keep your distance from other people who are not part of your household, extended household or permitted group of six people – stay 2 metres (3 steps) away from others when outdoors and in enclosed spaces outside the home setting. Businesses are legally required to take reasonable measures to ensure physical distancing indoors and may include measures for physical distancing outdoors.

Covid-19 Symptoms and Self-Isolation

You must still ensure that your customers do not have any coronavirus symptoms, and you should not go to work if you have any symptoms.

If you, a staff member, a customer (or someone in their household) has a persistent cough, a high temperature or has lost their sense of taste or smell, they should self-isolate and get a test. With the Delta variant, a headache, sore throat and runny nose are now the most commonly reported symptoms in the UK.

Anyone who is contacted by the Test, Trace, Protect Team because they have been identified as a contact of someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 must also self-isolate at home.

Face coverings

Face coverings must be worn in all indoor public places by anyone aged 11 and over (staff and customers), unless you are doing an activity (such as strenuous exercise) that would make it difficult to breathe. Instructors should wear a face covering, unless wearing it impedes your ability to give instructions to the group.

If you are preparing to exercise, changing or undertaking any activity that isn’t strenuous, especially when in close contact with other people, you will need to wear a face covering.

The World Health Organisation advises against wearing a face covering when exercising as sweat can make a face covering become wet more quickly, making it difficult to breathe and promoting the growth of microorganisms. There is more detailed information here.

Outdoor activities and events

From Saturday 17 July there are no longer any restrictions in place when gathering anywhere outdoors, including in private gardens, public parks and beaches, outdoor areas of regulated premises or for organised outdoor activities and events.

You are still advised to make your own judgement and avoid large gatherings wherever possible.

Even as restrictions are lifted, it is essential that everyone carries on with the good habits that reduce transmission: remembering good hand hygiene and getting a test at the first sign of symptoms, staying at home if unwell, to reduce the risk.

Businesses must also continue to undertake a risk assessment and take reasonable measures to minimise the risk of exposure to and spread of coronavirus in premises open to the public or staff members.

The Test, Trace and Protect system will continue to support the easing of social and economic restrictions. It will also be important in identifying local outbreaks and Variants of Concern.

Indoors - private households

Indoor personal training and other activities are allowed with members of your extended household, or a maximum of six people from up to six households (not including children under 11 from any of these households or carers of anyone present) or two households.

People working in someone else’s home must take all reasonable measures to ensure they mitigate the risk of coronavirus spreading when working in other people’s households. Please see the guidance on reasonable measures and on working in other people’s homes for more information.

Indoor organised activities and events

These types of activities and events must be organised by a business, public body or a charitable, benevolent, educational or philanthropic institution, a club or political organisation, or the national governing body of a sport or other activity.

Organised activities encompass a broad range of activities including team sports, exercise classes and sporting tournaments.

The organiser of the activity must meet requirements in the regulations to undertake a covid specific risk assessment and take reasonable measures to minimise the risk of exposure to and spread of coronavirus. Reasonable measures must also include ensuring that physical distancing is maintained between individual households or groups of six people and any others not in those permitted groups during the activity or event.

The risk assessment must also consider ‘pinch point’ areas, such as, queuing to enter or exit the venue, toilets, food and beverage sales points and consider suitable mitigations, including physical distancing measures in these areas.

Maximum numbers will be determined by a risk assessment which includes taking reasonable measures to minimise the risk of exposure to and spread of coronavirus. Reasonable measures must also include ensuring social distancing can be maintained between individual households or groups of six.

Indoor gyms, leisure centres, sports and community facilities

All indoor and outdoor sport and leisure facilities, including ice skating rinks, can open.

People should ensure that they maintain social distancing and hand hygiene when visiting these facilities and the operators of these facilities must take all reasonable measures to manage risk and maintain physical distancing.

Organised activities such as group exercise will vary in size, and the capacity will be determined by a risk assessment which includes taking all reasonable measures to minimise the risk of exposure to and spread of coronavirus, including ensuring 2m social distancing and good levels of ventilation.

Test, Trace and Protect

When running sessions outdoors or indoors, you should use the Test, Trace and Protect system, through use of the NHS COVID-19 app or by manually recording customer attendance in accordance with GDPR regulations, keeping details of all class attendees for 21 days and provide all data to Test, Trace and Protect if requested.

If you are working in a gym or other facility, they should be displaying a QR code, which you and your clients should scan before your session.

Use of equipment

Where possible you should run sessions without using equipment, or the client/s should provide their own. If equipment needs to be shared, you should make sure it is thoroughly sanitised before and after each use.

Training sessions in private homes

Up to 6 people can meet indoors in private homes.

People working in someone else’s home must take all reasonable measures to ensure they mitigate the risk of coronavirus spreading when working in other people’s households. Please see the guidance on reasonable measures and on working in other people’s homes for more information.

Travel

There are no restrictions in place for travel into or out of Wales as long as you are travelling to or from a country within the UK, Ireland, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands.