The BWY Statement on coronavirus Covid-19: The BWY would like to reassure members that we are mindful of the situation with coronavirus and we continue to monitor it daily. Our position is as follows: First and foremost, let’s practice our yogic principles, remain balanced and rational but at the same take sensible steps to protect ourselves as practitioners, teachers and responsible adults. At this stage we have limited information about what risks the coronavirus poses for those attending yoga classes and for our teaching members. This is an issue not just for us as individuals, yoga students and teachers, but for the country as a whole. The situation is fluid and so a definitive stance is too rigid and we therefore advise members of the BWY to ensure that they follow Public Health England (PHE) guidelines which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-information-for-the-public
In addition; for our Teachers we would also recommend:
•Following government guidelines and advising all students not to attend classes if they are/ or think they might be in breach of these (re: return travel, flu like systems etc.).
•Consulting gyms/leisure centres where you teach classes to ensure you adhere to their COVID-19 protocol.
•Asking students to bring their own mat/equipment to classes and avoid sharing.
•Ensuring hand sanitiser is available at the start and end of every class.•Washing hands on a regular basis.
•Avoiding hands on adjustments and favouring verbal communications instead.
•Monitoring local and national media and keeping an open mind about cancelling classes. Our insurance provider confirms that: All our BWY teachers remain covered for Public Liability Insurance. If in the extremely unlikely event that someone was to take legal action against you because they had, or claimed to have, contracted the virus in one of your classes, the Public Liability insurance would protect you and provide cover to pay any compensation and costs and expenses incurred. Coronavirus would fall within the category of “bodily injury” which is defined as death, injury (and crucially) illness. As with any other claim this would remain subject to the terms and conditions of the policy. In line with any other insurance provider and any other claim, the cover provided will be valid so long as the teacher has followed current government advice from Public Health England and has not breached any of the other conditions of insurance. We will issue updates to our position and to this statement as the latest advice from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), World Health Organisation (WHO), Public Health England (PHE) and other sources becomes available, but if you have any further queries, please do get in touch with us: office@bwy.org.ukNumber of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases and risk in the UKgov.uk