COVID-19 Update: March 6, 2020

6 March 2020

Krav Maga ATX Fight Fam —

I know there’s a lot happening in the world today with the spread of the Coronavirus. As you very well know, what we do on our mats is extremely hands on. I wanted to reach out to you so you know more about what we’re doing to prevent the spread of infectious disease in our community.

I’m erring on the side of over-communication, as I believe it’s imperative that we do everything we can to protect each other.

The TLDR; (Too Lazy Didn’t Read) is: 1) we use healthcare grade cleaning equipment at least once a day meant for gyms, pads, and mats that’s effective in killing a range of diseases, 2) we look to the AISD to determine when we should close, 3) wash your hands and look to the CDC’s website for more prevention info, 4) mouth wash and hand sanitizer will be put out at the gym for your use as soon as it arrives.

Pads and Equipment
At the end of every class we (students and staff) wipe down the equipment we’ve used with antibacterial wipes. According to the manufacturer, these wipes “have demonstrated effectiveness against viruses similar to the 2019 Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2)… and can be used against 2019 Novel Coronavirus when used in accordance with their directions against Norovirus on hard, non-porous surfaces.” You can read more about the wipes we use in the manufacturer’s product information sheet (PDF).

What you can do to help: Be extra diligent in wiping down the equipment at the end of your class. Even if you feel like you didn’t use the item or there’s no noticeable sweat, give it a good wipe anyway.

Mats
Every night, we mop our mats with a Broad Spectrum Healthcare Facility Disinfectant that is effective in killing a range of diseases, including the Coronavirus, Staph, and a number of others. You can see the full list on the manufacturer’s product information sheet (PDF).

What you can do to help: If you believe you have any infectious diseases,  please stay off the mats. If you have cold symptoms, please stay home. If in doubt, get medical attention and stay home.

Closures
Krav Maga ATX looks to the Austin Independent School District to determine whether we should close due to unexpected causes such as poor weather or disease prevention.

General Health Safety Information
We advise that you follow the CDC’s recommendations for preventing the spread of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
• Stay home when you are sick.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.

We additionally recommend you wash your hands for at least 20 seconds before and after every class.

Other steps we’re taking
We’re currently searching for the last hand sanitizer known to man. The struggle is real. As soon as we have some, we’ll put it out for your use. In the meantime, please wash your hands.

On a related note, you’ll also see antiseptic mouthwash in both bathrooms by the end of next week. While there is no current documentation about the effectiveness of mouth wash against the coronavirus, we can report it’s effectiveness against gingivitis and bad breath. Help yourself! Your partner will thank you.

Finally, please let me know if you have any questions, comments, or concerns.

We want to provide you with a place to train, as long as it is safe to do so. For now, keep fighting and keep each other safe.

Kaci

Kaci Kai [she/her]
Chief Executive Officer
kaci [at] kravmagaatx.com