Quarantine a major ask

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This article was published 29/01/2021 (2000 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Some angst exists among Manitoba curlers preparing for the Calgary bubble.

Initially, there was a presumption competitors heading west for the Scotties Tournament of Hearts and the Brier would be exempt from a 14-day quarantine upon their return home.

The Winnipeg Jets and opposing teams flying in can legally circumvent the health orders. But a provincial health official made it clear Thursday elite curlers aren’t being afforded the same luxury. 

Dr. Jazz Atwal, acting deputy chief public health officer, said even though athletes will be playing in a bubble format and undergoing regular testing at Curling Canada’s two major events, they will need to quarantine after.

“If you leave Manitoba for a non-essential reason you will have to self-isolate when you return,” Atwal said.

As many as five Manitoba women’s teams will vie for the Scotties national title Feb. 19-28 with no fans in the stands at WinSport Arena at Canada Olympic Park, while a pair of local men’s teams are in the Brier men’s field, March 5-14.

The two-week self-isolation requirement that previously applied to domestic travellers entering Manitoba from areas east of Terrace Bay in northern Ontario was broadened to include Western Canada, and went into effect Friday.

Jeff Stoughton, the national men’s coach and program manager for Curling Canada, said another letter was sent to the feds on Friday.

“We’re crossing our fingers,” he said. “We are trying all we can. If not, then not.”

Kerri Einarson, the skip of Canada’s reigning women’s championship team, is a rehabilitation assistant at the Betel personal care home in Gimli. After spending nearly two weeks in the bubble away from her husband, twin daughters and her responsibilities at work, Einarson said a 14-day quarantine would be a major ask.

“That’d be really, really difficult,” she said Thursday. “Sitting at home when we should be going to work, that would be tough,” she said. “We think it’s going to be OK, but who knows? All we can do is plan for things to work out. I’ve got a A plan, a B plan, a C plan and even an F plan.”

Stoughton is looking for answers on behalf of Curl Manitoba and nearly three dozen local curlers and coaches preparing for the once-in-a-lifetime curling extravaganza in Calgary, over an 11-week stretch. The world men’s championship and a pair of Grand Slam of Curling tour events will also be staged following the Scotties, Brier national men’s championship and the Canadian mixed doubles.

“It’s quite a few people it will affect, so they need to know,” Stoughton said.

Einarson will compete as Team Canada, St. Vital’s Jennifer Jones, the 2020 provincial runner-up to Einarson, will represent Manitoba at the Scotties, Tracy Fleury of East St. Paul, ranked No. 2 in Canadian Team Ranking System points race, will fill the first wild-card spot, while 11th-ranked Mackenzie Zacharias of Altona, the reigning world junior women’s champion, is also in.

Beth Peterson of Assiniboine Memorial is poised to qualify as the third wild-card team, as long as Suzanne Birt wins the Prince Edward Island women’s playdown this weekend.

Jason Gunnlaugson of Morris, the 2020 Manitoba men’s champion, is returning to the Brier, while Mike McEwen of West St. Paul is a wild-card entry.

Gunnlaugson said his crew is in the same head space.

“There are still so many unknowns about everything and we’re all working together to see if we can make it all work. You have two to five plans and you wait and see what comes up, week to week,” he said. “People playing the Brier or the Scotties, or mixed doubles, and the Slams, if there was no exemptions it could be like 11 weeks straight off work.

“Obviously, that’s extremely challenging for curlers who aren’t NHL players.” 

A strict set of protocols will be in place for curlers to follow to the letter inside the bubble. Competitors face harsh penalties should anyone leave the “green zone” to even go through a fast-food drive-thru between the rink and hotel.

The competitors will have their own rooms for the duration of their stay. Mask wearing is mandatory for all areas until curlers hit the ice, and pre- and post-game handshakes are a thing of the past.

“Only the four players in the field of play will go on without a mask. The coaches behind the bench, the alternates will all be wearing masks. If the player would like to wear a mask, they’re more than welcome to,” said Nolan Thiessen, Curling Canada’s director of broadcast, marketing, innovation and event presentation.

“No handshakes. We’re trying to — even during warm-ups and fifth-end breaks — keep everybody separated as much as possible, and there’s going to be officials to remind everybody, especially at the start of protocols, to keep social distanced outside of when they’re competing.” 

Should a player test positive, the individual will go into immediate isolation and Alberta medical staff will immediately begin contact tracing. 

Event broadcaster TSN will be set up in the building, but no other media outlets will be permitted inside, Curling Canada confirmed this week.

Draw times for the Scotties and Brier will be 9:30 a.m., 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. (central time).

jason.bell@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @WFPJasonBell