With players testing positive for COVID-19, and ever changing State pandemic guidelines, the game postponements and rescheduling has begun.
It only took a week. Positive COVID-19 tests among players in multiple leagues are being reported.
Games are being rescheduled, and postponed. This is just the beginning unfortunately.
In Canada pre season games have begun, small groups of teams have prepared operation plans within their leagues. While other leagues are simply not being allowed to play, and likely wont play this season.
While young athletes who are physically fit are at low risk to serious COVID-19 complications, the risk of infection remains. That risk really is weighing more toward a younger person being asymptomatic and infecting an older person with underlying medical conditions.
The “second wave” is here according to many experts. The question is when will it be over and will hockey seasons survive.
Several team owners and hockey executives are already talking about “what if” scenario’s if the season is stopped again. Several of them are already concerned that it will happen.
Many are asking to for us to name the teams with positive tests, or name the leagues. That really makes no sense. Teams and leagues are only going to be as good at dealing with the pandemic as their local community allows them to be.
Lets face it, some States are complete disasters in how they managed the virus.
Wisconsin in particular is a textbook example of how not to manage a pandemic. But hey, no one wanted to have their “rights” violated. So now the whole State is riddled with sick people and their hospital system is near collapse.
I have to say, I am really tired of the whole thing. The daily emails and news updates from teams, leagues, parents, players and fans from around the world paint a grim picture for the future.
Three things worked to slow the virus in Europe. Wear a mask, wash hands and social distance when possible. Is it really that hard to do for a few months?
Even with the second wave in Europe, people are back to doing those three things and in a few weeks those rates of infection will drop again. Why North America simply can’t do those three things I just don’t understand.
Stay safe everyone.
Joseph Kolodziej – Adviser
