Addressing Current Health Concerns at Martial Arts Schools

March 9, 2020

With the recent public concerns around the new corona virus (COVID-19), I thought it was appropriate, as a responsible martial arts school owner, to research the subject and share this information with my teammates (and greater Jiu Jitsu/martial arts community. Here’s a couple hours of research and writing condensed into a few minutes of reading for all of you!

What is Corona Virus

Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses which may cause illness in animals or humans.  In humans, several coronaviruses are known to cause respiratory infections ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). The most recently discovered coronavirus causes coronavirus disease COVID-19.

What are the symptoms of Corona Virus (COVID-19)

The most common symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, tiredness, and dry cough. Some patients may have aches and pains, nasal congestion, runny nose, sore throat or diarrhea. These symptoms are usually mild and begin gradually. Some people become infected but don’t develop any symptoms and don't feel unwell. Most people (about 80%) recover from the disease without needing special treatment. Around 1 out of every 6 people who gets COVID-19 becomes seriously ill and develops difficulty breathing. Older people, and those with underlying medical problems like high blood pressure, heart problems or diabetes, are more likely to develop serious illness. People with fever, cough and difficulty breathing should seek medical attention.

How Does COVID-19 Spread?

The virus is thought to spread mainly between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet) through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes. It also may be possible that a person can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes, but this is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads. 

Are children at increased risk for severe illness, morbidity, or mortality from COVID-19 infection compared with adults?

According to the CDC website: There have been very few reports of the clinical outcomes for children with COVID-19 to date. Limited reports from China suggest that children with confirmed COVID-19 may present with mild symptoms and though severe complications (acute respiratory distress syndrome, septic shock) have been reported, they appear to be uncommon. However, as with other respiratory illnesses, certain populations of children may be at increased risk of severe infection, such as children with underlying health conditions. 

Preventative Measures for Martial Arts Schools and their Students 

The responsibility for limiting the spread of this illness, along with other airborn illnesses is shared by both the martial arts school owner, and EACH of the students. Below is a list of preventative measures each may take: 

Students

·      First and foremost, if you are displaying any symptoms of illness, stay home. While sharing techniques is always appreciated in class, sharing germs is very much frowned 

·      Get a full night’s sleep. Adequate sleep strengthens your immune system. 

·      Clean up your diet, and drink lots of water. Eating a nutritious diet and properly hydrating allows all of the systems of your body to run optimally, including your immune system. 

·      Probiotics such as Bacillus Coagulans and Bacillus Subtilis are proven to increase immune strength and response to the flu. These can both be found in Iron Army’s ISO GRASS RESERVE (which also happens to be delicious!) 

·      Avoid heavily populated enclosed spaces (such as subway and bus cars). Having so many people inside such a small space, especially one which isn’t disinfected adequately will greatly increase your risk of contracting any illness. 

·      Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol if soap and water are not available. 

·      Clean and disinfect all commonly touched surfaces in your home and workspace regularly.

·      Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.

Schools:

·      Remind students not to train if displaying any symptoms of sickness. Bayshore BJJ has made Facebook/Instagram posts, and published this nifty news article stating this.

·      Place hand sanitizer at the front entrance to your school, and around the mats. Encourage your students and visitors to kill all germs and viruses they have a chance to be spread inside the academy. Bayshore BJJ has done so, and have placed signs instructing ALL guests to use it upon entering. 

·      Ensure that all soup dispensers in bathrooms have antibacterial soap, and are in working order. Bayshore BJJ has done so, and has extra.

·      Clean and disinfect all surfaces regularly, paying special attention to those frequently touched by peoples hands: door knobs, keyboards, light switches, touchpads (ipads / tablets), railings, lockers, countertops, etc. Bayshore BJJ cleans all mats twice daily with Mat Pro, an EPA certified disinfectant which DOES kill viruses. In addition, after all classes, all surfaces (door handles, chairs, countertops, light switches) are sprayed with Lysol disinfectant spray after every class. 

·      Invest in a HEPA filter to constantly clean the air inside your academy, stripping the air of potentially harmful particulate, including mold, and viruses. Bayshore BJJ has installed a brand new HEPA filter beside the seating area in the academy which now runs at all times. We also constantly run a dehumidifier to keep moisture down in order to stop the spread of germs and mold.  

·      Preestablish an alternative plan for students to learn/train from home should the school need to close for any period of time. Bayshore BJJ has planned two, two week units, one for kids, and one for adults which will be shared via email on a day to day basis should it be necessary to temporarily close. The units include drills and techniques that can be performed on any floor with a family member or significant other (sorry aunt Pearl!)

All of the information in this article is subject to change, as the CDC and WHO (whose websites were consulted heavily in the research for this post) are still studying this virus, and discoveries may be ongoing. Wishing you all the best in health and happiness, from Bayshore BJJ in Hazlet, NJ.