Events on hold, and additional advice

After careful consideration we have decided to temporarily remove the Events calendar from the site.

DISCLAIMER: The following was determined to be correct at time of publication. Always listen to the advice of medical professionals.

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Due to the ongoing Coronavirus threat we feel that it is no longer safe for members of our community to meet in groups which could aid the transmission of the Covid-19 virus. While advice may differ in your country/state/city, and while we trust group leaders and their members to take appropriate action on their own, it is impossible to keep up with developments with each individual club and provide accurate information on an ongoing basis at this time. Temporarily removing the events page was the simplest, and safest, option.

We will be reviewing this as the situation changes.

OUR RECOMMENDATIONS

NOTE: Please pay attention to local authorities and medical advice, the following is our perspective only.

First, we would recommend that all members of our community refrain from group events entirely until things are under control. One-on-one encounters with appropriate distancing measures may be different, for example with a partner or a friend, but gathering several people together in close proximity is unwise even if no participant is showing symptoms.

Despite the appropriate media focus on the elderly and vulnerable, and correct assertions that a majority of people will only experience mild symptoms, if any, there are numerous cases of younger people becoming severely ill. There are also reports that the virus has the potential to cause significant lasting damage with implications for future health. Even if you’re displaying no symptoms, you MUST assume that you are already infected, and you MUST do everything in your power to ensure that you do not pass this virus to someone else.

This emergency is not just about the virus itself. We have to do everything in our power to limit the strain on our health services (flatten the curve). There are only so many medical professionals able to work, only so many ICU beds, only so many ventilators. Hundreds of thousands of citizens, of all ages, require constant care for existing health problems. Do not add to the strain on our vital services by being irresponsible.

Please use good judgment. Pay attention to those with knowledge and experience. Ignore everything you see on Facebook and take advice from trusted sources. If a politician, religious leader or TV personality says something you think goes against existing advice from medical professionals you should ignore them. There is no need to hoard supplies or panic buy. Wash your hands regularly. Be conscious of your surroundings. Clean surfaces and items you use regularly such as keys, phones, glasses, light switches and door handles.

Stay in touch with friends and relatives. If you have neighbors, colleagues, friends or family who you believe may be struggling please check in on them and see if you can help. Sometimes just a call to say hello is enough to brighten someone’s day, but there may be individuals who need something from the store and if you’re going anyway you’d save them a trip.

We will get through this, but we’ll get through it more quickly as a community looking out for each other and taking our share of the responsibility.

GOOD NEWS

There are reports from China and Australia that certain drugs, or combinations of drugs, are showing great results in the fight against this virus. While these would not provide immunity via vaccination they are already approved for use in many countries for the treatment of HIV and Malaria. It’s plausible they could be repurposed around the world to limit the impact of this virus. It may take several months before production can match the demands of a general population, but it’s expected treatment for patients in immediate need can begin much, much sooner.

The US has already begun clinical trials of a new vaccine. While it might take twelve to eighteen months to confirm its effectiveness other treatments may be able to bridge the gap before then. Other nations are also working on a vaccine. With the collective powers of so many highly skilled professionals we will have a working vaccine, we simply need to wait a while.

For the first time since data collection began in China the country has reported no new community transmission. This indicates that their methods of quarantining have worked and it’s likely these lessons can be applied around the world as needed. This shows, again, why social distancing and following instructions to restrict movement and limit transmission are vital and should be taken seriously.

Massive, positive social change can come from crises like these. You’ve seen videos of Italians meeting their neighbors across courtyards for the first time, entire towns and cities cheering for their medical staff or condemning their failed leaders, remarkable people stepping forward to sacrifice their time or their profits to help entire communities. Examples like these can do a lot to shift the social and political landscape for the better. You can help guide this change in the right direction simply by being good wherever possible.

Again, we will get through this.

Now go and wash your hands and be well.