The following updates has been provided by João Paulo Queirós, Corresponding Member of the UIAA Access Commission, regarding the activities of FCMP, Federacao De Campismo E Montanhismo De Portgual – Upd, UIAA Associate Member. The FCMP advice has been produced by the federation’s dedicated Working Group on Safety and Risk (Grupo de Trabalho de Segurança e Risco da FCMP).
UPDATE: 18-31 May, 2020
Queirós has kindly provided a translation of the federation’s recommendations for mountain sports covering the period 18-31 May.
Following the mitigation process, which started on 30 April, 2020, and in accordance with the Resolution of the Portuguese Council of Ministers no. 38/2020, of 17 May, which extends the declaration of the calamity situation, the FCMP renews the recommendations for Mountain Sports, with the priority of resuming its practice and mitigating the transmission of the Covid-19 disease.
Covid-19 mitigation plan – FCMP Recommendations – Mountain Sports
| Sports | Recommendations | Conditions |
| Walking | • Recommended practice | • minimum sanitary distance of 4 meters |
| Skyrunning
|
• Recommended practice
|
• minimum sanitary distance of 10 meters
|
| Ski-mountaineering
|
• Recommended practice
|
• minimum sanitary distance of 10 meters
|
| Alpinism
Mountaineering Climbing Canyoning |
• Practice not recommended
|
• it is not possible to guarantee a minimum sanitary distance and/or disinfection of equipment/structures |
ATTENTION: check the general recommendations and the specific recommendations
General Recommendations – for all Mountain Sports
GENERAL CONDITIONS
- Practice of individual outdoor sports
- Prohibition of events or gatherings with more than 10 people
- Regular hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette/sanitary distance
- Competitions are suspended
- The activity of high-performance athletes or members of national teams and their coaches is equivalent to a professional activity
- Decisions reassessed every 15 days
DO NOT DO ANY SPORT OUTDOORS, if you have or had, in the last 14 days, any of the following signs and symptoms or if any of the following circumstances occur:
- Fever – temperature equal to or greater than 38° C;
- Cough and/or breathing difficulties;
- General malaise, fatigue, diarrhea, body aches and/or headaches;
- Loss of smell and/or taste;
- Family member or close person has manifested any of the previous symptoms;
- You have been in contact with someone diagnosed with covid-19 or suspected of having contracted the disease.
SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AND CONDUCT
- Monitor your health status daily, paying special attention to the signs and symptoms above mentioned, namely measuring your body temperature.
- Plan activities carefully, choose levels of difficulty you are comfortable with and follow all safety rules.
- Do not share objects, food and drinks.
- Avoid crowded places.
- Stay close to home, avoid long trips.
- Consider using a mask.
Specific Recommendations
WALKING
- Individual practice or up to two people, with a minimum distance of 4 meters, between them or other people, when moving, or 2 meters when standing.
- This sport activity organized by a leader/guide can go up to 5 people, if the safety distances are respected.
SKYRUNNING / SKI-MOUNTAINEERING
- Individual training or up to two people, with a minimum distance of 10 meters, between themselves or other people, when in motion, or 2 meters when standing.
- This sport activity organized by a coach can go up to 5 people, if safety distances are respected.
- Athletes must take special care when choosing training locations and circumstances, in particular because:
1) intensive training, especially in high level athletes, involves high respiratory flows through the mouth and nose, which compromise the adequate filtration of microorganisms by the upper respiratory tract, allowing the inhalation of allergenic and infectious agents, including the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, which can reach the deepest areas of the lungs;
2) Levels of immunoglobulins (salivary IgA), important to fight infections of the upper respiratory tract, tend to fall during and after prolonged training.
MOUNTAINEERING / ALPINISM / CLIMBING / CANYONING – activity not recommended
- These are non-individual activities that require the sharing of team gear, with particular emphasis on rope usage.
- The disinfection of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), namely ropes, is not possible using traditional methods (chemicals, high temperatures or exposure to UV radiation), being advised that these be placed in quarantine for at least 72 hours in an airy place.
- Individual practice in mountain environments is not recommended for safety reasons.
PREVIOUS UDPATE: 4-18 MAY
The below is the federation’s recommendations for mountain sports covering the period 4-18 May.
Covid-19 mitigation plan – FCMP Recommendations – Mountain Sports
| Sports | Recommendations | Conditions |
| Walking | • Recommended practice | • Minimum sanitary distance of 4 meters |
| Skyrunning
|
• Recommended practice
|
• Minimum sanitary distance of 10 meters |
| Ski mountaineering
|
• Recommended practice
|
• Minimum sanitary distance of 10 meters |
| Alpinism
Mountaineering Climbing Canyoning |
• Practice not recommended
|
• It is not possible to guarantee a minimum sanitary distance and/or disinfection of equipment/structures |
General conditions:
- Individual practice of outdoor sports
- Prohibition of events or gatherings with more than 10 people
- Regular hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette/sanitary distance
- Decisions reassessed every 15 days
