Coronavirus: hygiene concept for games nights
Can games nights take place again after the coronavirus restrictions are lifted? And if so, what should hygiene concepts look like? An interactive document.
Everyone can, should and is encouraged to add to, refine or improve the concept. The concept is available under a Creative Commons Attribution – ShareAlike 4.0 International Licence.
Updated on 30 July 2020
* Hygiene concept of board game café Würfel & Zucker, https://wuerfelundzucker.de/corona-infos/
* Hygiene concept Spielwiesn München, https://www.spielwiesn.de/sw/besucher#corona
* Hygiene concept “Jung und Alt Spielt”, https://www.jungundaltspielt.de/index.php/2020/es-wird-wieder-gespielt-spielecafe-der-generationen-oeffnet-ende-juli/
Status as of 17 May 2020
Background
This was originally meant to be a classic advisory article, i.e. a text that helps with a specific problem. I, Sebastian Wenzel, had contacted game libraries, publishers, board game clubs and board game cafés and asked the following question: Are you already hosting games nights again, and if so, how do you ensure that hygiene and distancing rules are followed? Everyone who responded is currently not hosting any games nights. That’s why this will not be a classic advisory article but an interactive document. It is an attempt to jointly create a hygiene concept for games nights that – whenever the time comes – anyone who wants to can use. I have no idea whether it’s even realistic to play under these conditions or whether it’s worth putting work into this document. I started it anyway. 🙂
Other blogs have also picked up on the topic, see for example spielevater.de/allgemein/spielen-mit-covid and wildbits.de/2020/05/17/hygienekonzept-fuer-brettspieler.
Draft hygiene concept
1. Preliminary remarks
- The following concept is intended as guidance and a recommendation. It does not replace advice from experts or authorities. All those who contributed to creating this document accept no liability for the accuracy, completeness or currency of the information.
- Since regulations can differ (not only) in detail between the individual federal states, the text is intentionally kept somewhat general. Whenever you see XX, specific state regulations apply.
- It makes a difference whether it is a private or public games night. Private games nights attended only by people from the same household are permitted, even without special hygiene concepts. Private games nights with people from multiple households are permitted with a maximum of XX people, provided hygiene and distancing rules are followed. Public games nights are only permitted with a maximum of XX people, provided hygiene and distancing rules and any additional requirements are followed.
Here are the requirements broken down for Hesse as an example.
Public games night
Currently (as of 16 May), the decisive factor is the Contact and Operating Restrictions Ordinance. According to Paragraph 1, Section 2, 4, games nights are possible if …
a) a minimum distance of 1.5 metres is maintained between people, except between members of the same household and one additional household, unless suitable partitions are in place,
b) the number of participants does not exceed 100 […]
c) no more than one person per 5 square metres of floor space accessible to the public is admitted to the room in question, provided seats are occupied […]
d) the organiser records the name, address and telephone number of participants to enable contact tracing in the event of infections; […]
e) suitable hygiene concepts are implemented in accordance with the recommendations of the Robert Koch Institute for hygiene, access control and avoiding queues, and
f) notices about the required distancing and hygiene measures are displayed in a clearly visible location
Private games night
Currently (as of 16 May), the Contact and Operating Restrictions Ordinance is also decisive here. It states in Paragraph 1, Section 4: “Outside public spaces, gatherings are only permitted in a close private circle or as events under the special conditions of Section 2 No. 4.”
Unfortunately, what exactly constitutes a “close private circle” is not defined. In my opinion, a games night where several people from different households meet and which does not take place in a private household would probably not count as a “close private circle”. If that is indeed the case, the private games night would be considered an event, and the same requirements would apply as for public games nights.
Regardless of this, Paragraph 1, Section 5 states that for any gatherings, including a games night in a “close private circle”, the Robert Koch Institute’s hygiene recommendations must be followed. In situations where physical distancing measures are difficult to maintain, wearing a face covering is strongly recommended.
Robert Koch Institute recommendations
On the RKI website, an FAQ states, among other things: “As with influenza and other acute respiratory infections, maintaining a distance from other people (at least 1.5 metres), following coughing and sneezing etiquette and good hand hygiene can protect against transmission of the new coronavirus. You should also avoid shaking hands.”
Regarding questions about transmission risks via objects, the RKI refers to the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR). On this page, it states: “For SARS-CoV-1, it was shown that the virus can remain infectious on certain surfaces for up to 6 days, but on paper and other porous materials, it becomes inactive after a much shorter time. Initial studies indicate that SARS-CoV-2 has similar properties. […] Contamination of surfaces in the immediate vicinity of infected persons cannot be ruled out. However, there is currently no evidence of transmission via surfaces in public areas.”
2. Rules of conduct
- A games night will only take place if a responsible person is present to monitor and ensure compliance with the hygiene concept.
- Only completely symptom-free people may attend the games night. Anyone with typical Covid-19 symptoms such as coughing and fever must stay at home and contact their GP by phone. This also applies in cases of diarrhoea, nausea, unexplained severe fatigue, muscle pain, or loss of smell or taste.
- The journey to the games night must be made while observing social distancing rules, either in a private car or by bicycle or on foot. Carpooling is suspended. Longer travel times on public transport should be avoided; if used, a face mask must be worn at all times.
- To enable contact tracing, all players must sign in on attendance lists, providing their name, address and phone number. The data must be deleted after six weeks. The lists must be kept in compliance with data protection regulations. A data protection notice for these lists can be created at https://datenschutz-generator.de/corona-kundendaten.
- All participants must wash their hands before the games night, see https://www.infektionsschutz.de/haendewaschen/
- The minimum distance of 1.5 metres from other people must always be maintained, both when entering and leaving the premises and during play. This means there must be at least 1.5 metres between individual tables and between all people sitting at the same table. The table must also have a depth of at least 1.5 metres, preferably more.
- In addition to the minimum distance, the floor space requirements must also be observed. A maximum of one person per started accessible floor area of XX square metres may enter the play area.
- Everyone must follow the coughing and sneezing etiquette, see https://www.infektionsschutz.de/hygienetipps/hygiene-beim-husten-und-niesen/.
- No eating is allowed during the games night. Everyone must also drink only from their own container.
- The rooms must be ventilated regularly, using cross-ventilation with windows fully open for several minutes. Tilt ventilation is largely ineffective as it barely exchanges any air.
- Avoid physical contact, so no handshakes on arrival, no hugs on departure, and no card games that involve slapping hands or hitting a bell.
- Each player may only touch their own dice, cards, figures or other game pieces. An exception to this rule applies only if a fellow player is from the same household.
Games
Among others, the following games can be played while observing the above rules of conduct:
Cooperative games
- Black Stories: Only one person answers questions about the puzzles and touches the game material.
- Concept/Concept Kids: Only one person explains the terms and touches the game material.
- Die Legenden von Andor: Only one person touches the game material.
- Die verbotene Insel: Only one person touches the game material.
- Just One: Only one person touches the clue cards and the dice. Each person writes the helper words with their own pen on a piece of paper.
- Kneipenquiz: Only one person touches the game material.
- Pandemie: Only one person touches the game material.
- Role-playing games
- Wer war’s: Only one person touches the game material
- Please add more
Competitive games
- Das verrückte Labyrinth: Each person touches only their own figure. Only one person touches the maze tiles.
- Der Kartograph: Only one person touches the “central” game material.
- Looping Louie: Each person touches only their own lever.
- Magic: The Gathering: Each person touches only their own cards and tokens.
- Nochmal: Only one person rolls the dice.
- Qwixx: Only one person rolls the dice.
- Speed Cups: Each person touches only their own cups. Only one person touches the central cards.
- Take ist easy: Each person touches only their own game material.
- Trails of Tucana: Only one person touches the “central” game material.
- Wer bin ich? Each person writes the target term with their own pen on a piece of paper and holds it up openly. The person guessing closes their eyes during this.
- Please add more
Ideas for additional content
Further additions/specifications for the hygiene concept.
Are links to sources needed?
What if players disinfect their hands on arrival and then put on disposable gloves? Can everyone then touch the entire game material?
What if you play with game material that can be cleaned/disinfected after use, such as plastic cards?
Legal assessments/classifications
How much time must pass between different groups using the same game (keyword: transmission via surfaces)?
Must a face mask be worn while playing?
What regulations apply in the individual federal states?