Head of Delegation Manual - Special Olympics

SOWSG ATHENS 2011 HOD Manual – 2 nd edition
athlete with Down Syndrome has Atlanto-axial instability, Form C3-Special
Release for Athletes with Atlanto-Axial Instability must be completed.
Medical Services cannot provide x-rays or further examinations for these
Athletes if they have not taken such an examination before arrival.
� Routine Vaccinations
Routine vaccinations for athletes, partners and all members of the
delegations to the SOWSG ATHENS 2011 should be up-to-date. Most
countries have National Immunizations Schedules that outline the
recommended vaccines for children and adults that may serve as guides for
all delegations and participants.
Routine vaccines, as they are often called, such as for influenza, chickenpox
(or varicella), polio, measles/mumps/rubella (MMR), and
diphtheria/pertussis/tetanus (DPT) are given at all stages of life.
Due to ongoing measles and pertussis outbreaks in many countries GOC,
strongly recommends the following:
1) A current tetanus shot is very important. Up-to-date tetanus status is
defined as having received a Td (tetanus-diphtheria) vaccine within the
last ten years. It is also important to note that current recommendations
stress the importance for young adults of receiving at least one booster
vaccine with a tetanus-diphtheria-pertussis (Tdap) vaccine.
2) A completed series of vaccinations for poliomyelitis (polio) which means
receiving 4 or 5 doses of the poliovaccine, according to the National
Immunizations Schedules.
3) It is important that all participants are protected against measles. Make
sure that you have evidence of measles immunity through one of the
following ways:
i) evidence of measles vaccination (usually measles-mumps-rubella
(MMR) vaccine- 2 doses), OR
ii) laboratory evidence of immunity or confirmation of disease, OR
iii) having been born before January 1, 1957, as evidence of acquired
infection.
If you are not protected against measles through one of these ways the
GOC ATHENS 2011 recommends that participants get the MMR vaccine
before travelling to Athens.
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