HOCKEY CANADA Bulletin No.: I10-06

 

To:                       Officers                                                           Minor Council Rep (10/09)

Branch Presidents                                  Junior Council Rep (10/12)

Branch Executive Directors             Senior Council Rep (10/09)

Council Representatives                    Female Council Rep (10/10)

Directors                                                        HDC Rep (10/010)

Life Members                                             Hockey Canada Staff

                                                                             Referees-in-Chief (10/09)

 

Date:              October 9, 2009

 

From:             Todd Jackson – Senior Manager, Safety and Insurance

 

SUBJECT:   H1N1 Virus – Handshaking

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

Hockey Canada would like to emphasize that the information distributed in bulletin I10-03 related to the H1N1 virus has not changed with respect to recommendations around its prevention.

 

Saying this, we have had numerous enquiries with respect to hand shaking following hockey games and the spread of the H1N1 virus. Hockey Canada has posed this question to our Chief Medical Officer, and we feel that preventative steps such as hand washing are as important.

 

Although the spread of germs can be done in many forms, and simply keeping hockey gloves on or not shaking hands doesn't in itself eliminate the spread, it is entirely up to your Branch or Associations as to what you dictate around post-game hand shakes. If your organization decides to identify other options to replace handshaking we would recommend asking players to keep gloves on when shaking hands, to line up on the blue lines and salute each other, or to have players simply skate by and nod to each other in the line. Keep in mind we still stress that promoting the preventative guidelines distributed is the most important.

 

Sincerely

Todd Jackson

Senior Manager, Safety and Insurance

Hockey Canada