A PLAYFUL HOPE

There are many rules and actions to be followed when there are COVID breakouts but the South Australian chief public health officer, Professor Nicola Spurrier, has made an odd statement that if you go to the football match you must “duck and do not touch that ball”.

This odd proclamation actually offers me a great hope of starting a career in football since when I did play as a youth my main skill was not touching the ball as I was slow and lacked any skills. As many of the venues don’t allow crowds at the moment there will no longer be anybody criticising my skills and telling me to give up.

The reality is a little different as there are about 40 players and 10 officials on the ground at any time playing a contact sport where the players cannot socially distance or wear a mask so it is more likely any COVID spreading will occur amongst the players rather than in the sparse, socially distant crowd.

Although sports are important for many people’s enjoyment and mental health there seems to an almost desperate effort to keep the matches going, possibly because of the money involved in TV coverage.

It’s time to be realistic, cancel the sports playing rather than just the crowd watching, wear a mask, get vaccinated and maybe trust the scientists working on cures.

Dennis Fitzgerald,
Melbourne, Australia