I typically would not place in the public space “dirty laundry” in my communications with The Villages administrators, but the circumstances here warrant it, as it concerns preventable steps to avoid potential spread of the Coronavirus within our community, focusing on those that participate in athletic and recreational activities.
In recent days, I have communicated with The Villages top administrator and Recreation Department head, and a couple of others, about minimizing skin-to-skin contact among the just mentioned two types of active Villagers.
For example, after every softball game, typically players do a “high five” with those of the opposing team as a show of sportsmanship, good will, and respect. The same goes for the 1,000s of pickleball players after every match. I am sure there are many other recreational activities where skin to skin contact occurs on a daily basis.
I suggested to The Villages “powers that be” to suggest guidance to our particular population with the activities just mentioned to curtail all this, after all a handshake is a sure fire “petri dish” to spread disease and illness. In return, all I received was to follow CDC guidelines and that health department officials would be consulted. Yet, there is an article circulating by distinguished virologist, Dr. James Robb, of the NIH and one of the first to work on coronaviruses as long ago as the 1970s that preventing handshakes tops his list of things to avoid doing. Even the local ABC Orlando news the other day said the Orlando Magic will do longer be doing “high fives.” And even in a recent robomailer from the MVP Clubs, if someone does not want to place their hand in the scanner (as all members must do to gain access), using an app can be sued. Even using common pens provided patrons/patients at restaurants or a doctor’s office is being frowned upon. Again, since my efforts have to date failed to convince Village officials to suggest common-sense measures int a proactive way to our particular population of 55+ old residents (many perhaps with pre-existing medical conditions that are a favorite for this virus) that also participate daily in sports and other recreational activities, maybe there could be strength in numbers for them to do precisely this, consequently why I am, as said atop this Opinion piece, airing this bit of “dirty laundry.” PS, I mentioned my idea to the leaders of the D1 recreation softball league where I play, who found it quite worthwhile.
Miles Zaremski is a resident of the Village of Dunedin.
