Coronavirus Pandemic Update

James Gardens LBC Toronto 2020

My wife and I are Canadians. The Canadian government has called on all Canadians wintering overseas to come home because of the Coronavirus-19 pandemic. We have booked a flight scheduled to leave Portugal tomorrow rather than at the end of March as originally planned. This is good advice. Commercial airlines may soon stop flying. Many may declare bankruptcy! 

On the other hand, travelling in planes and passing through airports involves much closer proximity to other people than staying in our Portuguese rented condo and occasionally visiting the grocery store, pharmacy, and gas station. We are choosing to travel because this emergency could last many months. If we do get sick we will need friends who can leave stuff outside our living quarters. Community support is critical for everyone at this time.
 Bowlers- take this seriously. There will be a shortage of critical care equipment world-wide. Health professionals are going to become infected or exhausted. Our bowling community had better keep communicating. Check on your friends and acquaintances from the club. Your actions can save people you know. Laxity can kill people you know!
 I have faith in you! Good luck.

Safe Bowls in a Time of Pandemic

Bowling at a Happier Time

    As sports go, playing lawn bowls outside involves more social distancing and less inter-person contact than most others. On the other hand, bowlers themselves are more likely to be from the more-at-risk age groups.

 If you must bowl perhaps you could do the following:

 1.     Don’t congregate in the clubhouse; stay outdoors where the air is fresher.
2.     Do wash your hands vigorously with soap and water regularly for 20 seconds.
3.     Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth.
4.     Don’t hug, kiss, or shake hands before or after a match.
5.      Don’t lick your fingers before gripping your bowl.
6.     Don’t pick up other people’s bowls.
7.     Only the leads should touch the jack with their hands.
8.     Only the leads should use the pushers.
9.     Preferably, don’t use the pushers; kick back the bowls like Australians do.
10.  Only the leads should touch the mats with their hands; others move the mats by foot.
11.  Don’t use scoreboards; have the skips keep scorecards.
12.  Center the jack with your foot, not your hand.
13.  Don’t lend your measure.

Stay safe!