Calgary, Alta. – The Western Hockey League continues to closely monitor the public health developments regarding COVID-19. The safety of our players, officials, staff, fans, and the general public, remains of the utmost importance. The WHL is taking all necessary precautions, as advised by Canadian and U.S. health authorities, to mitigate potential spread of COVID-19.

Medical and training staffs of all 22 WHL member Clubs have been provided with information from their regional health authorities advising on the transmission of COVID-19 and common symptoms associated with the virus. In the event players or personnel begin exhibiting symptoms consistent with COVID-19, they are to contact Club medical staff immediately.

The WHL is advising players and Club personnel to maintain good hygiene practices, including regular and thorough washing of hands with soap and water, or cleansing with alcohol-based hand sanitizers.

In an effort to minimize contact, the WHL is advising all Clubs and officials to follow a number of recommendations to minimize contact:

Elimination of handshakes between teammates, opponents, officials;

No sharing of water bottles or towels on benches or penalty box areas;

Avoid direct contact with fans, including high-fives, handshakes, and autographing of items.

Standard WHL Media Policy defines Club dressing rooms as restricted areas. All media opportunities are to be conducted in designated media areas outside Club dressing rooms.

The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) has assessed the public health risk associated with COVID-19 as low for Canada. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has stated that the immediate health risk in the United States is low for general public, who are unlikely to be exposed to this virus at this time. COVID-19 is transmitted between people in close contact with one another (within approximately six feet) through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes. COVID-19 is also transmitted from contact with infected surfaces or objects.

For more information on COVID-19, please visit any of the following public health authority websites:

Public Health Agency of Canada – https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection.html

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/

About the Western Hockey League

Regarded as the world’s finest development league for junior hockey players, the Western Hockey League (WHL) head office is based in Calgary, Alberta. The WHL consists of 22 member Clubs with 17 located in Western Canada and five in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. A member of the Canadian Hockey League, the WHL has been a leading supplier of talent for the National Hockey League for over 50 years. The WHL is also the leading provider of hockey scholarships with over 350 graduates each year receiving WHL Scholarships to pursue a post-secondary education of their choice. Each season, WHL players also form the nucleus of Canada’s National Junior Hockey Team.