‘Everything’s a go’ for women’s finale
Curling Canada confident virus threat mitigated
Despite worldwide concerns over a spreading coronavirus that has sickened over 100,000 people and killed more than 3,400, Curling Canada is confident the upcoming world women’s championship in Prince George, B.C., can be pulled off without anyone catching the disease.
The event is slated to start in the Northern British Columbia city on March 14 and run until March 22, with 13 teams from around the world participating, including ones from countries most affected by the virus — China, South Korea, Japan and Italy.
“Right now, everything’s a go and we’re taking all necessary precautions,” Curling Canada CEO Kathy Henderson said Friday.
“The situation can change and when and if it does, we will be prepped for any changes that occur.”
As of Friday, Canada was reporting 51 confirmed and presumptive cases of the novel coronavirus, which causes flu-like symptoms for many victims and can turn to deadly pneumonia, particularly in elderly patients or those with weakened immune systems.
Half of those cases have been recorded in B.C., and one patient in the Vancouver area has been deemed Canada’s first community transmission case. All of the other cases were related to overseas travel, to places such as China, Italy or Iran, but authorities have not been able to pinpoint the origin.
That has left some people worried about travel through Vancouver airport en route to Prince George for the world championship.
The championship is overseen by the World Curling Federation, and it will be that organization’s call on any kind of cancellation or postponement.
Some countries in Europe have taken the drastic step of cancelling events or playing them without fans in large stadiums and arenas. Henderson does not believe those kinds of steps are necessary.
“The scene right now is that, as we proceed with proper precautions, the risk is extremely low of an infectious outbreak in Prince George,” she said.
“On behalf of Curling Canada, we have confidence that health authorities in Prince George are prepped. The World Curling Federation has been communicating with the teams and the member nations about what they should be doing.”
Henderson noted that many of the international curling teams are actually based in Canada throughout the winter for training purposes and have not been anywhere near the virus hotbeds on their home nations.
As for Team Canada, skipped by Kerri Einarson of Gimli, Man., the plan is simply to use due diligence.
“From the team’s perspective, we’ve been under the direction of our lead medical doctor, Dr. Bob Mccormick,” said Elaine Dagg-jackson, the longtime national women’s coach for Curling Canada.
“For three quadrennials now he’s been our leader and he’s also the lead medical doctor for the Canadian Olympic Committee. We’re in good hands with respect to the medical profession overseeing everything that we do.
Plans are also in place for isolation and special care in Prince George in case any team member does fall ill.
“The whole thing hinges on due diligence and impeccable hygiene and doing the right things all along the way and then everything should be safe,” Dagg-jackson said.