How can hockey players “social distance” while driving their opponent into the boards?

BY W. GIFFORD- JONES MD & DIANA GIFFORD-JONES

Professional sporting events have never been entirely about the game. Team owners, player sponsorships, media contracts, ticket sales, and merchandising licenses are the playgrounds of big business. But the tiniest of offensive players, the novel coronavirus, has upended the sporting world. It has become a matter of great debate whether your grandmother or your favourite sports star should have priority for a vaccine.

Take NHL hockey as an example. The delayed season has started. Only a handful of arenas are allowing limited spectators to attend the games. The league is working hard to keep players safe from COVID-19, but games have been delayed and postponed due to positive tests among players, coaches and staff. As one wise sage remarked, “It’s hard to escape the wind.”

Health officials urge all of us to take precautions against the spread of infection. But how can hockey players “social distance” while driving their opponent into the boards?

Teams will take every possible precaution. But this is easier said than done when traveling from game to game. The NHL reports players are being tested daily. But testing is only one step to prevent the spread of the virus.

When this article goes to press, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Kansas City Chiefs would have already taken the field in Tampa, FL. Exhausted health officials were losing more sleep worried that huge sporting events like these will cause another winter surge, once again stretching the healthcare system to the breaking point.

One can hardly blame starved restaurant owners from doing what they can to sell a few meals. But even outdoor seating was a problem for Los Angles when hosting the NBA finals in October. The L.A. Times reported, “More than 9,000 COVID-19 deaths have been reported in L.A. County since November 1^st, more than half of the county’s cumulative COVID-19 death toll of 16,127.”

So it has been proven that professional athletes will play on amid this pandemic.

With the amount of money at stake, it should not surprise if there are nefarious ploys to secure vaccine supplies. Stay tuned for a Hollywood thriller!

What of Olympic athletes? According to a recent poll, nearly 80% of Japanese think the games should be cancelled or postponed again. For many athletes, there is only one chance to compete. So most are understandably keen to partake.

The International Olympic Committee is in a pickle since its revenue is largely dependent on broadcast contracts. The IOC insists the Games are a go. Suggestions that athletes be permitted to jump national vaccine queues have been met with condemnation.

The question remains, should you and your children be playing contact team sports or even games with social distancing?

The answer is a resounding yes, but with a caveat. Just like porcupines making love, engage in these activities very carefully.

Why is there not more common sense advice from public health experts about the fortification of our natural immune systems as a protective measure against the virus? Athletes may be the healthiest among us, but even they need robust immune systems. So how do they do that?

Get ample sleep – without it, you will be weakened. Have a good balanced diet and drink plenty of water, not sugary drinks. Take a daily dose of immune-boosting vitamins C and D – in the high doses required for a good fight with a viral opponent, not the small amounts for general health. Make sure you are getting enough magnesium and zinc.

Then wear a mask. Keep a distance. And enjoy the exercise!