COVID-19: Indonesia issues health protocols for sports

Jakarta, June 12 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Indonesian Youth and Sports Ministry has issued health protocols to contain the spread of COVID-19 during competitions and other sports activities.

The protocols outline the general guidelines for the country to stage competitions and training camps for athletes, the ministry's secretary Gatot Dewa Broto said on Friday, reports Xinhua news agency.

"These serve as general guidelines, and each sport branch has to abide by these," he said.

Each kind of sport branch will develop further the guidelines with more specifics for itself, the official added.

The matters ruled by the protocols include the distance among persons, the use of face masks and hand washing, Broto remarked.

Training camps and individual exercises are required to impose tight health protocols and rapid tests on the COVID-19, according to him.

Competitions held in an area, which has been applying a partial lockdown or has started entering a new normal scenario, are prohibited from involving spectators, he said.

Meanwhile, Australia Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced on Friday that a 100-person limit on indoor gatherings will be scrapped under step three of the government's plan to further ease coronavirus restrictions.

The announcement was made following a meeting of the National Cabinet, which comprises the Prime Minister and state and territory leaders, earlier in the day.

Instead venues will be required to provide at least four square meters per person indoors.

Stadiums with a capacity of up to 40,000 people will be allowed to have 10,000 people under step three while bigger venues will be required to apply for special exemptions, paving the way for crowds to return to sporting events.

Source: IANS