COVID-19 Policy

Objective

The aim of this policy is to ensure a safe environment for all volunteers and attendees, and to stop the spread of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (“COVID-19”) virus. Startup Grind, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Startup Grind”), requires every Chapter to provide and maintain, as far as reasonably practicable, an environment that is safe and without risks to the health of its volunteers and attendees. Similarly, Startup Grind also imposes a duty on volunteers to take reasonable care of their own health and safety and that of their fellow volunteers.

Information pertaining to COVID-19 is being provided by various authorities in various countries on a regular basis, and it is important to ensure that updates are obtained and disseminated throughout all Chapters. Please refrain from forwarding information related to the virus without having checked it with credible sources such as the World Health Organisation (“WHO”) or local institutes such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”), or the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (“NICD”). Spreading unverified information may contribute to unnecessary panic, stigma and discrimination, all of which do not add value at this stage.

This policy is subject to change, and it is the Chapter’s responsibility to review, implement and adhere to local governmental guidelines above all else.

Application

This policy includes measures being taken to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. You are kindly requested to follow all these requirements to sustain a healthy and safe environment. It is important that we all respond responsibly and transparently to these health precautions.

How does COVID-19 spread?

COVID-19 is most likely to spread when there is close contact (1.5 metres or less) with an infected person. It is likely that the risk increases as the period of exposure to an infected person lengthens. Contaminated droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes are the main means of transmission. There are two main routes by which people can spread COVID-19:

Infection can be spread to people who are nearby as droplets are inhaled into the lungs.
It is also possible that someone may become infected by touching a surface, object or the hand of an infected person who has been contaminated and then touching their own mouth, nose, or eyes.

Primary symptoms of COVID-19

The following symptoms may develop up to 21 days after exposure to someone who has COVID-19:

Cough
Sore throat
Fever
Shortness of breath / difficulty in breathing
Redness of eyes
Body aches
Loss of smell
Loss of taste
Náusea
Vomiting
Diarrhoea
Fatigue
Weakness

Infections can cause more severe symptoms in people who are over the age of 60 and those with compromised immune systems such as diabetes, cancer and chronic lung disease.

What to do if you develop symptoms

People who contract COVID-19 may take anywhere from one to twenty-one days to develop symptoms. Even if you do not have a history of travel to a COVID-19 affected region or contact with an individual who has contracted the illness, you must still inform a local healthcare provider if you present with symptoms of COVID-19.

Chapter Directors should notify their Community Manager, stay at home, and avoid hosting any in-person Events if they are sick.

Hosting in-person events

Should your local governmental guidelines permit you to return to hosting in-person Events, you are more than welcome to do so provided you maintain, as far as reasonably practicable, an environment that is safe and without risks to the health of your attendees.

Startup Grind encourages all Chapters to continue hosting virtual Events, however, if you are determined to return to in-person Events, please consider the following:

Ensure your Event venue can accommodate a significantly larger number of attendees than you are expecting in order to maintain appropriate social distancing.
Discouraging lingering and socializing before and after Events.
Do not offer food or drinks. Remove any self-serve food items, as well as any hot and cold food bars with open food items and communal serving stations.
Regulate the use of common areas with clear signage (including maximum occupancy) and physical distancing measures in accordance with local health rules and guidelines.
Ensure all volunteers and attendees remain at least 2-metres / 6-feet apart from each other at all times.
Ensure attendee chairs are spaced at least 2-metres / 6-feet apart.
Ensure moderator and speaker chairs are spaced at least 2-metres / 6-feet apart.
Consider implementing physical barriers in between seating where possible.
Ensure all volunteers and attendees have washed their hands thoroughly or utilized a hand sanitizer by providing sanitiation stations throughout the Venue.
Ensure all volunteers and attendees wear a mask. Should volunteers or attendees not have their own masks, ensure you can provide them with a mask. If you are unable to provide them with a mask, they should be denied entry into the Venue.
If any volunteers or attendees should contract the virus shortly after the Event, it is your responsibility to inform all attendees, and encourage them to inform their local healthcare provider

Hygiene at in-person events

All volunteers and attendees entering the Venue must wash their hands or utilize a hand sanitizer on entering the premises.
All volunteers and attendees are required to wear a mask.
Coughs and sneezes must be covered with a tissue; the tissue must be disposed of in the relevant waste bin.
Frequently touched objects, including workstations and surfaces, must be cleaned and disinfected using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom, before eating and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
If soap and water are not readily available, an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 70% alcohol must be used.
Handshakes with any volunteers or attendees must not be allowed; one’s face should not be touched either.