At the time of this writing (mid-April 2020), we are 4 weeks into the lockdown recommendation associated with the COVID-19 virus. What a shocking experience it has been! Our high-tech world of modern medicine has been brought to a standstill by the offending virus. Millions of people are out of work or working from home, most businesses and schools are closed, and the world of sports is at a standstill. I never imagined a tragedy so great that it could put professional, collegiate, high school, and youth sports on hold, not to mention postpone the Olympics. The absence of televised games and radio broadcasts and the now-empty ball fields demonstrate the role that sports play in our daily lives. Yes, it’s possible to live without sports, but there’s a big gap in my life that nothing else seems to fill.
While spectators are at a loss, my heart goes out to the athletes themselves. The athlete in grade school, high school, or college who has lost what might have been his or her last season of competition. What a shame! Years of training have come to a halt so suddenly. National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) basketball teams were called off the court before their league tournaments could begin, and March Madness became a distant memory as the 2020 NCAA tournament was canceled. College football spring practice was canceled with no spring game in place as athletes were sent home. Softball and baseball fields and lacrosse stadiums are left empty with social distancing the rule. With year-round supervised training canceled, home workouts are the best athletes can do now with gyms and exercise facilities closed.
For the former athlete and spectator past one’s competitive years, who loves to watch the games of spring and summer, there seems to be a loss of diversion from daily life—that chance to sit back and enjoy a sunny day and watch a game. There seems to be a lot more time to relax but without some of our cherished pastimes.
With the stay safe at home orders and the shutdown of sports and workplace alterations, many of us have had a lot more time to think and to ponder what’s most important in life. Emphasis on family, friends, health, and safety has certainly seen a resurgence. Checking in on those around us has become a daily ritual as the threat of the virus has been visible on every newscast for weeks.
Spending more quality time with our kids and/or spouses is a common result of being homebound, hopefully strengthening those relationships. Even though most houses of worship are closed, many have found time to pray and to recognize our vulnerability in this modern world. Hopefully, the newfound appreciation for life and the lifestyle that we enjoy will not disappear as the viral threat subsides.
By the time this editorial is published, many aspects of our world may have returned to normal, which would certainly bring joy to many of us! However, I fear that many threats will remain because our world will have been changed forever. Until a vaccine for COVID-19 is available and most people can be tested for the virus and/or immunity to it, it’s hard to imagine any large gathering of people anytime soon. The risk of a resurgent second viral peak will be too great. Realizing this threat certainly raises questions for sports fans. It may very well mean empty stadiums for the rest of this year and beyond. Players would have to be tested to ensure their safety as well as that of their opponents before games can be played. Imagine how strange a football game would be televised from the Big House with no fans in the stadium. It would be a very unusual fall with no tailgating or any of our other cherished fall traditions.
Government officials, legislatures, public health experts, and infectious disease specialists face many daunting questions about safety and risk in this troubling time. Included are many economic dilemmas facing our country. Let’s hope our politicians and leaders can chart the right course until medical researchers can solve the challenges surrounding the creation of a vaccine and further testing. As we wait for those breakthroughs, and we know that they will come, let’s hope everyone realizes the value of our medical personnel. From those on the frontline treating patients to all of the unseen researchers and lab technicians testing anonymously, let’s never forget how our world and lifestyle depend on the medical industry.
—Edward M. Wojtys, MD
Editor-in-Chief