By Rob Vanstone
Legendary Saskatchewan Roughriders receiver Joey Walters is still looking to gain some separation.
The conventional six feet of social distancing will not suffice.
“To be honest with you, I take it 10 or 15 feet,” Walters says from his home in Winter Springs, Fla., near Orlando.
Walters, his wife (Patricia) and their 17-year-old son (Leo) are taking every precaution, considering the chilling COVID climate in Florida.
“It is really scary,” Walters says. “Our numbers down here continue to go up in every category — not only with individuals who might be catching it, but also with individuals who are dying from it.
“You know good and well that this is a big deal and that you shouldn’t play around with it.”
Florida is the hardest-hit of all states in America, as evidenced by Sunday’s staggering total of 15,299 new cases. According to The Associated Press, the previous two highs had been 11,694 (in California on Wednesday) and 11,571 (New York state, April 15).
“Every time I listen to the news — and, believe me, I do it every day — the numbers continue to increase,” Walters laments. “I can’t see how that wouldn’t get the attention of anyone who is living down here in Florida.”
Even so, Orlando-based Walt Disney World reopened to the general public Saturday after being shuttered for nearly four months.
Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom are now accessible, with EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios scheduled to reopen on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Major League Soccer has kicked off its season in Orlando, with everyone under a quarantine bubble. Even within that hermetically sealed environment, there have been examples of positive COVID-19 tests.
Regardless, the National Basketball Association is preparing to resume its season — also in a bubble in Orlando, at the Sports Complex in Disney World.
“As much as I like basketball, I wouldn’t take the risk of going out there to see it if they allowed fans in the building,” Walters says. “It’s just too dangerous. It’s not worth the risk.”
Walters, who is employed by Orlando-based Florida Citrus Sports, has been working from home since March.
“You only go out for things you really need — like toilet paper and paper towels,” he says. “You spend the bare minimum of time in every establishment and you get out of there.
“Leo has been really close to us and under our umbrella, any place we have gone in the last three or four months. He’s always with us and we always make sure he puts on his mask, whether he wants to or not. There’s not an option.
“He has been in our backyard practising soccer, because he wants to make the varsity team at Winter Springs High School.”
Adding to the complications, the 2020-21 school year is to begin Aug. 10.
“There’s definitely a concern here in terms of whether we would feel comfortable with him being in school all day, and it definitely concerns us as the numbers continue to climb,” Walters says.
Some concerns had been alleviated in Florida, and in other areas of the United States, only to have the numbers soar to terrifying levels.”
“Being the Sunshine State, going to the beaches in Florida is normal,” Walters says. “People would get there and relax, but they wouldn’t be social distancing. They’d be up and around. Some of them would be sneezing and coughing.
“If Florida isn’t the Number 1 destination for travel, it’s definitely in the top two or three. People come down here for the weather and the beaches and the sunshine. Some of them are not going to allow wearing a mask to dictate whether they enjoy themselves when they’re here.
“You’ve got to take this seriously. It doesn’t care who you are.”
Even if you happen to be a phenomenally fit 65-year-old who works out every morning at 4:15.
Nearly 40 years removed from his final game with the Roughriders, Walters still looks like he could play.
And, oh, could he play!
In 1981, for example, Walters caught 91 passes for 1,715 yards and 14 touchdowns in 16 games. The yardage total is an enduring Roughriders single-season record.
Walters followed up in 1982 with 102 catches — then a CFL record — for 1,692 yards.
But now, the yardage total applies to social distancing.
“What can you say?” Walters concludes. “There’s not much you can do about it except to do your part, keep your family safe, and keep others safe.
“Obviously, people aren’t doing enough of that to decrease or even maintain the numbers. They were down at one time, but maybe people got a little lax.
“There are a number of holidays down here, like July 4. People flocked to the beaches and it was pandemonium. Everybody was down at the beach without social distancing and without wearing a face mask.
“It blows my mind how people can be so defiant about not wearing a mask and about social distancing.
“Don’t fool yourself. This thing is scary.”
rvanstone@postmedia.com
twitter.com/robvanstone
Note to readers: We know the speed and volume of coronavirus-related news is overwhelming and a little frightening. To help with that, we have several reporters looking at different aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic and are gathering all our stories, especially as they relate to life in Regina and Saskatchewan, together on our website. All our coronavirus-related news can always be found here: leaderpost.com/tag/coronavirus.
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