I play tennis at a local park, like dozens of other people every day.  Each park has a sign that states that people enter and play at their own risk.  I have known this since I was a kid, the park can be dangerous, and it’s my responsibility to care for my own health.  There are special situations where the town, county, or state is liable for damages and accidents on park lands such as poorly maintained facilities or illegal dumping, but mostly you are on you own.  At the local and state level, liability is fairly straight forward, and the responsibility of each party is meticulously indicated.

Closed for Pandemic!  My tennis courts have been closed for two months, closed for the pandemic under orders of Nassau County.  I was willing to risk it, so why do they change the rules? But they did, and now the tennis courts are open, but with new draconian rules and nets removed from every other court.  The complete over-reach of the county executive and the USTA is to suggest that using the same balls is more dangerous than playing on tennis courts that have large cracks and have been poorly maintained?!

Where is the greater risk? My chances of getting Corona Virus is much less than me injuring myself playing tennis at the park every nice day.  In my demographic group and fitness range, my risk of getting Covid 19 is slightly less than half of a percent based on the estimates in Nassau County this week.  Statistically, my risk of injuring myself in a serious way playing tennis is much greater, although hopefully not by too much!  Therefore “playing at my own risk” seems more vital now.  For me, the benefit of the exercise far outweighs the risk of contracting the virus and spreading it to my family.  I would open everything up and focus on personal responsibility. 

Why?  I must be mad to compare the risk of dying from a pandemic to the risk of hurting myself exercising.  I do, and for an incredibly good reason.  The best way to not get sick is to have a strong immune system from regular strenuous activity and exercise and that makes you less likely of getting sick versus social distancing.  In fact, the lack of other people stressing your immune system will lead to a weaker reaction and more illness.  Your body needs to work out, so to speak. That work out is fighting the daily mix of viruses and pathogens.  What doesn’t kill us, makes us immune - good ole white blood cells!

Rethink the risk is my advice.  Send kids to school: you may need to rethink some things, but the exposure to other kids is a vital part of childhood.  Class hand washing and teaching good hygienic manners is not a terrible thing, creating a new culture and moving on is the only way.  There will be short term pain but to transform anything takes a process of removing the ineffective and old and replace with a new normal.  If you think of what has happened to computers and cellular communication, the only need is to adapt, the technology is already in use.

In 1972, the Clean Air Act was passed and in one year all the smog was gone from Manhattan.  In years following, NYC changed how it dealt with waste and suddenly both the Hudson and East River had marine life in it again.  Change happens, things will never be the same.  Some things will get better, some worse, the only factor you can count on is that things change.  The fact that the government keeps giving guidelines and enforcing them locally with police is an issue that makes the impossible job of being a law officer even harder.

So, we live in a post pandemic world and everything is changed.  For me, the idea of playing at my own risk is even more pronounced.  Wear masks, socially distance, no shopping here, no walking in groups, no freedom, only health precautions.  I ask, why is exercise still optional?  If the simple act of being fit makes you more resistant to the virus, why isn’t that required by law?  The obese and those in poor health should home quarantine because of their lack of immunity to Covid viruses, but healthy Americans should play at their own risk!