This plan outlines the considerations for returning to kendo and iaido activities at the dojo. The plan comprises five areas:

1. Screening measures to minimize exposure risk
2. Mitigation measures to minimize risk of spread
3. Ventilation and facility management
4. Members' actions to avoid infection
5. Other notes and references

As has been the case throughout the pandemic, knowledge about the SARS-COV2 virus and COVID-19 will continue to grow, and national, state, and local guidelines will continue to change. Testing will become more available and affordable, and therapeutics will exist for treating all levels of infection, as well as for prophylaxis. This plan will be updated accordingly.

Furthermore, the re-opening of the dojo will start with a short pilot program with the iaido group (a small, adult subpopulation of Norwalk Dojo). The pilot program will work through the various elements of the plan to optimize it for general return. We will also have online presentations to explain the protocols.

Jump to current mitigation phases for kendo and iaido

For each practice:

1. must register in advance online, including
   • questionnaire (see below)
   • member profile information (fill out first time, then update as necessary), includes emergency contact, waiver agreement (AUSKF waiver and Center waiver), Center protocols acknowledgement, and vaccination history
   • sign up will be closed noon practice day.
2. questionnaire check
   • symptoms (you or anyone in your household, within the past 10 days)
     • fever (100.3 degrees or greater)
     • cough
     • sore throat
     • body ache, headache
     • nausea, vomiting, diarrhea
     • shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
     • fatigue
     • chills
     • nasal congestion
     • confusion, brain fog
     • loss of taste or smell
   • exposure (you or anyone in your household)
     • currently have COVID-19 or are subject to any specific order to self-quarantine or self-isolate
     • had close contact with anyone with COVID-19 or its symptoms within 10 days prior to practice
   • condition
     • lack of stamina while wearing a mask (eg cannot do 50 hayasuburi)
     • taking medications to suppress fever, cough, or congestion symptoms
   • vaccination or COVID test
     • adult and not fully vaccinted
     • minor and not fully vaccinated or unable to show a negative COVID test result (test taken within 48 hours of practice)
   The above is part of online sign up and will be double checked during sign in for the practice. If you answer yes to any of the above, we ask you not to participate in the practice. Note: minors may attend no-contact practices without vaccination or COVID test.

3. temperature check (less than 100.3 measured on the forehead)
4. mask check (cannot blow out a tissue hanging 2 inches from your nose)
5. equipment check (2 shinai in good condition, 2 masks, water, sanitizer)

Note: please do not sign up or come to practice unless you believe you will pass the entire screening. If you do not pass, you must leave the premises immediately; if you need to wait for someone to pick you up, please be prepared to do so outside.

You must also agree to notify norwalkkendo@gmail.com if you or anyone in your household develops COVID-19 symptoms within 72 hours after the practice or tests positive for COVID-19 within 7 days after the practice (your privacy will be maintained).

Activities will proceed in phases, based on the current circumstances (risk level in the community, etc). For kendo, the phases are numbered (1,2,3,...); for iaido the phases are lettered (A,B,C,...). Each phase includes safety precautions and careful sub-phasing.

Kendo Phase 1: return to the dojo (barefoot movement in a large space)

• practice is open to currently registered Norwalk Dojo members only
• masks worn at all times
• only instructors speaking (wearing face shields in addition to masks)
• workout clothes (but ok to wear keikogi/hakama)
• capacity and time limits (must sign up in advance, multiple shifts if necessary/feasible)
• kihondosa/footwork in assigned spaces
• separate activity areas (batons, dummies, etc) with participants organized into cohorts (probably 4 cohorts max)
• physical distancing at all times
• no physical contact
• bring your own water/drinks
• have shoes/slippers in case you need to go outdoors to take off your mask
• up to one observer per member household (assigned seating). Must register online prior to practice and pass entry screening before entering the dojo.
• dates: began on 4/16/21 (preceded by outdoor suburi on 4/9/21)

Phase 2: return to bogu

• wear keikogi/hakama and bogu (if you were wearing these pre-COVID)
• still wearing face masks and no kiai; no taiatari or tsubazeriai
• before wearing men at the dojo, please practice putting on and taking it off at home. Most importantly, figure out how to wear an effective mask inside your men (no gaiters or bandanas).
• dates: began on 5/26/21, started wearing men 6/11

Phase 3: practice expansion

• restart Monday practices
• kiai by kenshi for no-contact drills (wearing face shields and masks, fully vaccinated, like sensei have been doing)
• schedule dojo visits for potential new members to join in August
  • new members who are already experienced in kendo or iaido (ie already have a rank)
  • kendo beginners (no experience, or have some experience but no rank)
• restart Friday ato-geiko
• dates, including changes of plan
  • 7/12/21: first Monday practice, face shield kiai (see NEWS)
  • 8/11/21: postpone accepting new members due to COVID-19 ICU numbers (see announcement)
  • 9/10/21: restart ato-geiko (for fully vax'd)
  • 9/13/21: begin modifying practices to comply with new LACDPH youth sports order (see announcement)

Phase 4: practice expansion under LACDPH youth sports order

• adults 18 and over must be fully vaccinated to participate in practices
• Friday practice: no-contact activities; participation by minors does not require vaccination or COVID test
• Monday practice and Friday ato-geiko: participation by minors requires vaccination or weekly COVID testing
• begin accepting new members
• dates, including changes of plan
  • 10/7/21: start new beginners, more in Dec
  • 10/11/21: add kiai to full keiko
  • 01/10-31/22: closed due to omicron surge
  • 02/04/22: restart, no kiai during keiko
  • 02/18/22: add back kiai to keiko

Phase 5: return to 90-minute practice schedule

• practices are no longer classified as no-contact or full-contact
• adults must be fully vaccinated
• youth are strongly encouraged to be fully vaccinated
  • without proof of vaccination or negative COVID test, youth are not allowed to do kiai
  • COVID test may include over-the-counter tests approved for single test screening, when performed at the time of in-person sign-in
• practices are open to yudansha from other dojos who are fully vaccinated, same protocol as Norwalk members (online sign up before each practice, etc). 3dan and below: please have the approval of your dojo head instructor.
• return to original practice times
  • Monday 7-8:30pm, beginners from 7-8pm
  • Friday 7:30-9pm (first practice)
  • Friday 9-10:30pm (ato-geiko)
• masks are required
• bags may be left in the dressing rooms, but please maintain 6 feet of separation between households
• dates, including changes of plan
  • 6/3/22: start phase 5 (see announcement)
  • 11/18/22: allow vaccinated SCKF yudansha to join practice

Future items

• open practice to members of the SCKF community, as long as they are fully vaccinated; must also have their instructor's permission (if 3dan or less). This will probably proceed in sub-phases (eg start with members of the Norwalk Dojo kendo community).
• open practice to members of the AUSKF and FIK community per above

Iaido phases:

• phase A (4/12/21): return to dojo, current Norwalk members only
• phase B (6/7/21): open practice to members of the Norwalk Dojo iaido community, as long as they are fully vaccinated and have their instructor's permission (if 3dan or less).
• phase C (7/12/21): practice expansion
  • accept new members who are already experienced in iaido (ie already have a rank)
  • accept new beginners (planned for August, then postponed due to COVID-19 ICU numbers, see announcement)
  Note: iaido practices were suspended on 9/26/21 (see announcement)
• phase D (10/14/21) (see announcement):
  • must be fully vaccinated or show proof of negative COVID test (taken no more than 3 days prior to each practice; OTC serial tests such as BinaxNOW or QuickVue are not acceptable per LACDPH guidelines)
  • accept new members
  Note: the Center was closed during January 2022 due to the holiday surge
• phase E (2/1/22): return after shutdown, unify kendo and iaido protocols, all adults must be fully vaccinated to attend practice

• ventilation
  • gym
    • preregistration required for each practice
    • capacity limits (space out one chair per slot):
      student side: 10 households max
      sensei side: 10 sensei max
    • open all doors
    • run fans
  • bathrooms
    • 1 at a time
    • run exhaust fan
  • dressing rooms
    • members are encouraged to come already dressed
    • capacity limits: one household per table
    • remove all belongings to gym (chair), wipe down any surfaces touched
    • run fan
• fomite mitigation
  • dry mop floor
  • sanitize frequently touched surfaces (door knobs, etc) and common equipment (dummies, batons)
  • students are not allowed to touch equipment other than their own

Note: we will avoid letting "hygiene theater" (an obsession with sanitizing surfaces) distract from more effective ways to combat COVID-19.

• hygiene (at home and at the dojo)
  • wash/sanitize your hands frequently, especially upon entry
  • maintain your mask supply, change masks as necessary
  • maintain your kendo-gi and bogu
  • at the dojo: do not touch other people or their things
• conditioning at home (so you can last without taking off your mask)
  • build up your stamina before coming to the dojo
  • practice wearing a mask while doing suburi at home (how many hayasuburi can you do?)
  • practice wearing mask inside men
• symptoms or exposure (see screening section)
  • symptoms while at the dojo: notify an instructor immediately
  • exposure while outside the dojo: notify the dojo as soon as possible