Mar 28  **TOURNAMENT CANCELLED**

Tournament Information

Registered Teams

Coaches / Directors,

As I am sure everyone is aware, our country (and most of the rest of the world) is working to respond to the spread and effects of the Coronavirus (COVID-19).  While we do not want to succumb to panic or unreasonable actions, it is prudent to follow the guidelines and recommendations of the medical experts.  As such, there have been several recent developments that we need to make you aware of.

- The latest guidelines from USAV and AAU are that ALL sanctioned events through April 15 should be cancelled.

- Team Detroit VBC will follow the guidelines for social distancing and cancel ALL scheduled activities until April 15.  This includes all practices, training, and tournaments which are cancelled effective immediately.

- We will let you know if these measures get extended or lifted as the situation develops.  As always, we will communicate to everyone through email as well as through our website: www.teamdetroitvolleyball.com

- We will refund your tournament entry fee at your request or if you prefer, we can apply your payment to a future event.  We are considering adding additional dates later in the spring to accommodate lost play dates in the next few weeks.  We will let everyone know when that happens.

For those who wish to know why we are taking these measures, the information listed below should help you understand the situation and what we are doing to help.

Here is what we know:

- Who is at higher risk of contracting the virus:

• Older adults
• People who have serious chronic medical conditions like:
  • Heart disease
  • Diabetes
  • Lung disease

- While almost all of our athletes are not at risk, we do have some family members and coaches who are at risk.  We will take all necessary measures to protect our staff and our families.  Additionally, there are other community members that use the JCC who are also at risk.

- All protective measures that you hear that are happening is an attempt to slow the spread of the virus.  There is no vaccine and no cure that is currently available.  While most people who do contract the virus are asymptomatic and/or make a full recovery, the virus does appear to spread quickly.  We are hoping to gain time for our medical community to address the previous issues, create a vaccine, and develop treatment protocols.  Additionally, if we do not slow the spread, we will quickly overwhelm our healthcare industry and those needing treatment may not be able to receive it if our hospitals are over-run with patients.  Our community needs us to do our part to help slow the spread of this new virus.

- The CDC Coronavirus Resource Website is a great place to go to learn more: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

- The CDC has a 1 page Factsheet: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/2019-ncov-factsheet.pdf

- The State of Michigan recommends canceling sporting events or gatherings of more than 100 people:

https://www.michigan.gov/documents/coronavirus/MDHHS_Interim_Recommendations_for_COVID-19_final_683589_7.pdf?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery

What you can do:

1. Learn about the signs and symptoms of COVID-19. Symptoms include fever, cough, and difficulty breathing.

2. If you have respiratory symptoms, STAY HOME WHEN YOU ARE SICK. Call your health care provider’s office in advance of your visit.

3. Regularly clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces, like doorknobs, keyboards, cell phones, and light switches.

4. Communicate and reinforce best practices for washing hands and covering coughs and sneezes.

5. Be prepared if there is COVID-19 in your household or a disruption of daily activities in your community. For example, maintain a supply of medications, food, and other essentials in your house. Consider alternative shopping options such as curbside pickups or online deliveries.

6. Access services as much as possible online or by phone.

We hope that everyone will stay calm during this crisis and take prudent steps to remain healthy and safe.  Look for future updates from us on this situation.  Thank you for your understanding!