The Kansas City Star: Experts identify safest sports, recreational activities at this point in the pandemic

By Amanda Sullivan

It felt like the summer of 2019 — before the coronavirus outbreak. Some things were different at the 3&2 Baseball fields, even if at first glance it didn’t seem like it.

No umpires were behind the catchers. Instead, they stood behind the mound and called the pitches from there. Crews came through the dugouts with backpack blowers. Instead of air or water, a sanitizing solution was sprayed on all parts of the fence and benches.

Baseball is one of many sports that have returned in the Kansas City Metro area. While contact is limited on the field and equipment can be sanitized, it is difficult to keep teams socially distanced in the dugouts, 3&2 executive director Jeff Chalk said.

“It’s the more cautious and safer thing to keep that distance,” said Dr. Amol Purandare, a pediatric infectious diseases doctor at Children’s Mercy. “I think people are thinking, ‘Oh, I’m out in the open, there’s less of a chance.’ If you’re still clustered together and still giving high-fives, hugging, things like that, there’s still that increased risk.”

The most important recommendation from doctors is to find ways to limit exposure. This includes social distancing at practices or strength-training, limiting the number of people involved in each practice or game, decreasing the time of exposure between athletes, avoiding sharing equipment — and if it must be shared, making sure it is sanitized — and avoiding longer-distance travel for games.

Read the full story via The Kansas City Star

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