Harness Racing NSW refers to the advice received from the Commonwealth and NSW Governments as confirmed by the Chief Medical Officer today that they are moving towards restricting public gatherings of over 500 people from Monday, 16 March 2020.
NSW Harness Racing meetings on Friday, 13 March, Saturday, 14 March 2020 and Sunday, 15 March 2020 will proceed with no restrictions.
A definitive standard operating procedure for race meetings from Monday will be released following knowledge of the precise details when these are provided by Government.
However, Harness Racing NSW urges people to be conscious of the health and welfare of themselves and others at all times. A person should not attend a race meeting if that person:
- Is suffering from coronavirus symptoms or is otherwise unwell;
- Has been to a country considered at higher risk of COVID-19 in the past 14 days, currently mainland China, Iran, Italy and South Korea;
- Has been in close contact with a person suspected or confirmed to have coronavirus; or
- Is in a high-risk group such as older people or people with underlying illnesses that make them more vulnerable to respiratory disease, including those with diabetes, chronic lung disease, kidney failure and people with suppressed immune systems, that person should not attend a race meeting.
Enhanced hygiene measures will be implemented throughout racetracks and Harness Racing NSW encourages all Participants to be vigilant when in contact with others.
Harness Racing NSW (HRNSW) is the controlling body for harness racing in New South Wales with responsibility for commercial and regulatory management of the industry including 33 racing clubs across the State. HRNSW is headed by an industry-appointed Board of Directors and is independent of Government.