Beyond Level 0 Guidance for Boating in Scotland 9th August 2021
Most legal restrictions relating to Covid-19 will be lifted on the 9th August 2021 when Scotland moves to ‘Beyond Level 0’. This includes restrictions on physical distancing and the size of social gatherings. Additionally, no businesses will have to legally remain closed.
Whilst these changes will signal the end of most restrictions for boating activity, the Scottish Government has advised a set of baseline measures that should be maintained. These include:
- Good hand hygiene and surface cleaning.
- Continued promotion of good ventilation.
- Requirement for face coverings in certain settings (e.g., public transport, retail).
- Continued compliance with Test and Protect, including self-isolation when necessary.
- Ongoing need for outbreak management capability, including active surveillance.
In some cases these are still backed by legislation.
It is the responsibility of each organisation to ensure that full risk assessments, processes and mitigating actions continue to be applied before any boating activity takes place and to check if the activity is in an area which is subject to additional Scottish Government localised measures and restrictions.
Organisations should regularly review their risk assessments and procedures, taking in feedback from staff, volunteers and participants. This is particularly important when a local outbreak has been reported and consideration given to additional whether mitigating actions should be put in place to reduce risk. This may, for example, include suspending activity, enhancing hygiene and physical distancing measures, or introducing additional activity restrictions.
The Scottish Government may update or change Levels and restrictions at any time, including local areas subject to them. Therefore, COVID officers should regularly check Coronavirus (COVID-19): Local Protection Levels.
There are no longer any restrictions on numbers of people gathering outdoors or restrictions on physical distancing.
This means that you can have multiple households on a boat without the need for physical distancing. It also means that there are no COVID restrictions on running events on the water of less than 5000 people.
Activity bubbles are no longer required but organised activity will still require to capture participant information for test and protect (see below).
Indoors includes classroom-based activities, Sea Survival Courses, overnight accommodation and indoor hospitality.
There are no physical distancing requirements indoors, however face coverings remain a legal requirement in public indoor places which will include club and training centre facilities. There are specific exemptions for people who cannot wear face coverings and activity taking place indoors which will include organised training activity and staying overnight aboard for training purposes. The regulations provide an exemption for exercise, which would include the practical elements of a sea survival course and for eating and drinking.
Changing facilities and showers can be opened and should be operated and cleaned in accordance with the sportscotland guidance ‘Getting your facilities fit for sport’
It is recommended that ventilation in all facilities, including changing rooms, should be monitored to maintain levels of CO2 between 800 – 1000ppm. You may want to consider buying a CO2 monitor to help with this.
For indoor hospitality, including social activities around a sailing event some mitigations such as the wearing of face coverings and collecting of contact details to comply with Test and Protect remain as a legal requirement, please see the hospitality guidance FAQs for more information.
A ‘close contact’ is someone who has been physically close enough (less than 2metres) to the confirmed case for a long enough period of time, that they may have had the virus transmitted to them. The risk of the virus being transmitted is higher the closer the contact, the greater the exposure to respiratory droplets (for example from coughing), and the longer the duration of the contact. This may include indoor hospitality, indoor training settings including overnight aboard in a shared cabin or saloon and instructors teaching in a dinghy or powerboat for example. Anyone who is double vaccinated with at least two weeks passed since their second dose and who has no symptoms will be able to end self-isolation if they return a negative PCR test. The same conditions will also apply to anyone aged between five and 17 years old, even if they have not been vaccinated. The requirement to take a PCR test will not apply to children under the age of five.
Organisations should be aware that there are differing levels in confidence of participants, volunteers, instructors and coaches as restrictions are easing. Please act respectfully and ensure that expectations are clear before an activity takes place. Some people also may not have had both doses of the vaccine and so may be more cautious around face coverings and physical distancing.
If you require further assistance with the current guidance, please contact RYA Scotland admin@ryascotland.org.uk