The Coronavirus

The club will continue with normal bridge sessions as long as members turn up. This will be reviewed from time to time.

Some helpful advice from the EBU and Public Health England: –

General recommendations from the EBU: –

Coronavirus is, of course, a real threat. The problem is that no-one knows how much of a real threat. We have all read in the papers about washing our hands regularly, using alcohol rub or soap and water, trying not to touch our faces and so forth. We know who the section of the community most likely to suffer worse from the virus, and it rather uncomfortably matches our own demographic. There is no reason to despair, however – we must be sensible, and try to balance how we live with taking extra care.

Many of our members and clubs have expressed concern about the COVID19 coronavirus outbreak and asked what they should be doing during it. Since we are not medical specialists we suggest that members and clubs follow the advice on the Public Heath Englandwebsite and the World Health Organisation guidance, which primarily recommend:

  • Washing your hands frequently and thoroughly with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand rub;
  • Practising respiratory hygiene, covering mouth and nose when sneezing and discarding tissues immediately into a closed bin, cleaning your hands with alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water;
  • Trying to avoid touching your face at all;
  • Maintaining social distancing. (This is of course difficult when at thew bridge table).

From Public Health England: –

The advice for anyone in any setting is to follow these main guidelines.

  1. The most common symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) are recent onset of a new continuous cough and/or high temperature. If you have these symptoms, however mild, stay at home and do not leave your house for 7 days from when your symptoms started. You do not need to call NHS 111 to go into self-isolation. If your symptoms worsen during home isolation or are no better after 7 days, contact NHS 111 online. If you have no internet access, you should call NHS 111. For a medical emergency dial 999.
  2. Wash your hands more often than usual, for 20 seconds using soap and hot water, particularly after coughing, sneezing and blowing your nose, or after being in public areas where other people are doing so. Use hand sanitiser if that’s all you have access to.
  3. To reduce the spread of germs when you cough or sneeze, cover your mouth and nose with a tissue, or your sleeve (not your hands) if you don’t have a tissue, and throw the tissue away immediately. Then wash your hands or use a hand sanitising gel.
  4. Clean and disinfect regularly touched objects and surfaces using your regular cleaning products to reduce the risk of passing the infection on to other people.