Circle, Circle, Dot, Dot, Now You've Got The Cootie Shot ...
 

My doctor doesn't want me go to the gym, or to church, until the Connecticut positivity rate drops to 1%. Yesterday it was 5.16%.

When I go back to church he only wants me to go to a weekday morning mass and doesn't want me to receive communion.

Had a Zoom birthday party last week for my six year old grandson who lives on Long Island.

My daughter, a post-surgical nurse, works at a COVID testing facility on her weekend days off. I've only seen her through a car window since March, last time on Labor Day. I treat her and she treats me like she has "Cooties".

My other daughter, a doctor, invited me for Thanksgiving, but only for dessert, all wearing masks, on her back deck if the weather is nice. Just she, my son-in-law, and three grandsons. I'll be her only guest from outside of her household "cohort". Her maternity leave ended two months ago, and all three kids go to "Petri dish" day care. I have yet to touch my four month old grandson (who lives in the next town).

I may not go if we have dessert inside. I was always more worried about infecting others than about me being infected, until President Trump got COVID. Living in the White House he's well protected and isolated from strangers (he doesn't go grocery shopping, nor to the doctor, dentist, or barber) and yet he still got it. If he got it, I can get it, so now I'm worried about me (a sixty-seven year old cardiac patient with one heart attack already under my belt).

If there is interscholastic basketball in Connecticut (a big if), I'll wait until I see what the protocols are, and then decide. We (Connecticut) already know that the players (if they play) will be wearing masks.

I'd like to wear a mask (the CDC now believes that masks can also protect the wearer) and use an electronic whistle. I'd also like to see no street clothes (come to the gym in uniform) and no jackets being taken on and off. No getting to the gym early, or staying late, to observe previous, or subsequent games (get in, get out, get paid). Rule changes should be in place so that the officials never handle the ball (free throws, throwins, no jump ball). No pregame captains/coaches meeting. Partner pregame conference on the court (not the locker room) six feet apart. Halftime on the court. Hot single Moms will have to keep away from me.

https://tse2.mm.bing.net/th?id=OIP.Z...=0&w=247&h=176

I've decided to not officiate basketball this year. My friends and family do not believe it is safe for someone my age (66) to be working indoors without proper protocols. Everyone is too close and players will not be required to mask but officials are.

Seems like the high school league is more worried about an official getting a kid sick. I believe the risk is just the opposite. Kids will lie when they don't feel well.

I was pleased that all my assigners understood my decision and said they would welcome me "back in the fold" next year, if I return. I'd like to squeeze one more season out of this aging body, and go out on my own terms, not the pandemic's.

Things Can And Will Change A Lot ...
 

Local Zoom meeting last night. Things can and will change a lot until January 19 when interscholastic basketball is tentatively scheduled to begin here in Connecticut, but here's what we've got so far:

1) Players and officials will be required to wear masks. Masks will have no color restrictions.
2) Most schools will not be making locker rooms available to officials, so most of us will be showing up in uniform.
3) Electronic whistles have been approved, as have whistle shields and whistle pouches (bags), but regular whistles with or without shields or pouches must be used under masks.
4) Pregame captains/coaches meeting will only involve the referee (no umpire), the head coach, and only one captain.
5) The will be jump balls to start games and no changes are planned for free throws and throwins.
6) Schools will decide how many spectators will be allowed to attend.

High Performance Sports Masks ...
 

Most players will be wearing some type of high performance sports mask. These fitted high performance masks may be appropriate for officials as well:

https://www.amazon.com/Under-Armour-...E0GVMVDFN6Z1T1

https://www.bing.com/th?id=OP.Hvw4%2...bw=0&bc=FFFFFF

The officials need to wear both players and masks?

Officials of all colors need to wear masks?

I'm only asking because sports are an extension of the classroom.

When People Will Not Be Judged By The Color Of Their Skin ...
 

Read the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

*Our local ref association does not cite or mandate any unique protocols, our Director has just said that we should follow whatever the Host site schools require. However, I will be wearing my black neck gaiter.

Just wondering who will bear the cost should a venue or school require officials to test before working there.

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Not Me ...
 

Not me. We're well paid in Connecticut, but not that well paid. And I don't think that my health insurance company will appreciate me getting a COVID test for a non-medical reason.

If this is the case, I'll be sitting out this dance.

https://tse1.mm.bing.net/th?id=OIP.Y...=0&w=300&h=300

*The use of a temperature scanner upon entry to the Host site gymnasia should suffice?

My wife and I both had COVID and neither one of us ever had a fever.

I know the D1 consortiums, and of course high school referees don't operate the same, are requiring three tests a week.

Not criticizing, just more for my internal survey purposes in regards to how different entities, states, and localities are doing things.

As I've mentioned, I'm not working this year because of all the uncertainty and disruptions.



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My first game is tmrw night, will update my experience with such mitigation efforts thereafter.

*I officiated with my black neck gaiter, blew whistle thru the material and when I verbally reported foul/violation I simply positioned the whistle against my jaw line and it was supported by the neck gaiter. Aside from sweating a lil bit more, the procedure was tolerable.

Whistle While You Work ...
 

Black Fox 40 Electronic Whistles just became readily available (previously the only available color was red) so I bought one.

The Fox 40 Electronic Whistle uses a 9 volt battery and is definitely louder than the Windsor Electronic Whistle that uses 1.5 volt batteries.

Also bought an Under Armour High Performance Sports Facemask.

If we have interscholastic basketball here in Connecticut after January 19, 2021, I'm ready to go (if I believe that the protocols are sufficiently safe).