English Chess Forum

Presumably various leagues are starting to think through their plans for the new 2021-2022 season.

Maybe this is more of a club issue than a league one but I will ask anyway...

Let us imagine a club / league becomes aware of a player who wishes to play OTB chess for that club and is known not to be vaccinated for Covid-19 for non-medical reasons.

How should the club / league handle this scenario?

Indeed, does this scenario require handling or should it be ignored?

I would say he should be allowed to play but must begin the game with his queen's knight removed from the board.

Why would their reason for not being vaccinated matter? Either they pose a danger or they don't.

NickFaulks wrote: ↑

Wed Jul 07, 2021 4:41 pm

Either they pose a danger or they don't.

On current plans, under 18s will not be vaccinated.

The background to this enquiry is I'm guessing some of the more mature players might ask their club if they can be assured that their opponent has been vaccinated. I'm not raising this is as a personal concern since I have playing OTB chess indoors and outdoors for the last few weeks.

This could be an area of concern when encouraging more mature players to return in September.

Maybe I am flagging something which is not an issue?

At 76 I think it's fair to categoricise myself as "one of the mature players." Now that I've had my two Covid jabs and will have another booster if it's offered to me in the autumn, it should mean that, if I come into close contact with any unvaccinated and/or infected people, I am unlikely to become seriously ill with the disease myself. I know "unlikely" doesn't mean it can't happen, but it's a risk I'm prepared to take and I expect to feel the same way for as long as I'm capable of making my own decisions.

There does seem to be a growing drumbeat of "vaccines aren't actually that effective" in some quarters.

Completely untrue, and almost dangerously so.

Matt Mackenzie wrote: ↑

Wed Jul 07, 2021 6:04 pm

There does seem to be a growing drumbeat of "vaccines aren't actually that effective" in some quarters.

Completely untrue, and almost dangerously so.

It didn't help that the PM pretty much said that himself when attempting to justify continued lockdowns.

NickFaulks wrote: ↑

Wed Jul 07, 2021 6:57 pm

Matt Mackenzie wrote: ↑

Wed Jul 07, 2021 6:04 pm

There does seem to be a growing drumbeat of "vaccines aren't actually that effective" in some quarters.

Completely untrue, and almost dangerously so.

It didn't help that the PM pretty much said that himself when attempting to justify continued lockdowns.

That does of course come from the middle of April when not many people had been double jabbed. I'd hate to think someone reads your comment and thought you were just spreading misleading anti-vaxxer propoganda

Or to put it another way Boris Johnson admitted that the vaccine wasn't very effective until people had received it - amazing

John Upham has raised a very important point. I also am in my 70's and have had my two Covid vaccinations. I also have heart and other health problems. So for me any Covid infection is very dangerous and could be fatal.
I would refuse to play any player not vaccinated.

Matthew Turner wrote: ↑

Wed Jul 07, 2021 7:23 pm

I'd hate to think someone reads your comment and thought you were just spreading misleading anti-vaxxer propoganda

I would also hate to think that someone reading my comment would come to such an extraordinary conclusion. However, many people listening to Boris's flailing around did quite understandably conclude that he was saying vaccinating the vulnerable had not been as valuable as advertised. Because he did say that.

Some of them, for reasons I cannot personally understand, may even still treat his comments as if they were serious.

Nick,
I am surprised that you haven't explained the context of Boris Johnson's comments to assist people in not reaching an erroneous conclusion

I understand the concern expressed by Ken Norman. Club members have also in recent days reminded me that in their view the pandemic is not over. However, I don't believe it is appropriate for a chess league or individual club to seek medical details from participants in this way. The vaccine is not compulsory, and you would be asking those organisations to go beyond the requirements of shops, pubs and other public organisations in seeking and acting upon this data.

My understanding of it is, if you have had the jags you can still pass it on.
The jags masks the symptoms and keep you healthy, they cannot stop you picking it up.

If someone has a medical condition that prevents them from being jagged, they are more at risk than you.

It's here forever, hopefully it will mutate into a harmless virus, in fact most are and some can be good for you.

Matthew Turner wrote: ↑

Wed Jul 07, 2021 7:52 pm

Nick,
I am surprised that you haven't explained the context of Boris Johnson's comments to assist people in not reaching an erroneous conclusion

The context is that he had said he would let us out once the vulnerable had all been offered vaccinations and then had to resort to serial redefinitions of "vulnerable" to avoid the appearance that he had been fibbing all along.