IMHO – Are Judges Satisfied with AKC’s COVID-19 Guidelines?

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66 – June, 2020

By Elaine Lessig

Donna Ernst - AKC Judge

1. Are you satisfied with AKC’s COVID-19 guidelines for judges? Why or Why not?

The one issue that I have is that it was stated in an email and FB post regarding that as a judge “it is not your responsibility nor within your authority to enforce club regulations…for example, if an event facility or state should have a requirement currently in place related to the wearing of masks, it is the club’s responsibility to enforce; it is outside of the judge’s authority to deny entrance into a ring or excuse from the ring an exhibitor because they are non-compliant with a show regulation”.

That statement was a hard one for me to digest. Here are my thoughts. Coming from over 35-plus years at one of the leading hospitals in our country, as a medical professional in my career wearing a mask to protect my patients and myself from infections, viruses, diseases, all kinds of microorganisms, it is an essential and safe practice. On social media, it was stated it is just too hard for exhibitors to run around with a mask on. Believe me, I know! I did it for 8-10 hours a day and tighter fitting masks, not cloth masks. It is not easy either way. But judges and workers at a dog show just need to be safe, and exhibitors are only being asked to wear them during the exam, and perhaps once or twice around the ring–that is all. Then go back to your private set-up, take it off and breathe all while the judge is still in the ring for hours with theirs on. If you have a breathing or health issue, we would not want you to show under those conditions at this time while needing facial coverings, be it either a mask or shield.

But, please, I beg you AKC, our health as judges–we the most exposed personnel–it should be clear as day to let us require masks and safe conditions until we have concrete medical evidence that this virus is safe and I feel it is out of respect to us judges to protect others in the ring as well. Judges cannot even do a 6 foot social distance; please keep that in mind.

Too much arguing is going on with what everyone believes, so put the political comments aside. Only in America is our safety and health politicized. It is common courtesy that masks work better than no masks at all and your freedom is not being challenged when it is socially expected to cover your mouth when you sneeze or cough. We all want to get back to shows; we all miss our dog show family; so please let us do whatever is needed, in whose ever opinion, to keep us all safe. There are numerous studies from leading hospital’s infection disease departments that suggest that if people wear masks in public then COVID-19 transmission could be slowed. Until COVID-19 is under control, or we know more, cloth facemasks or shields might be the MOST IMPORTANT tool we currently have to fight the pandemic!

2. In what three ways would you modify or improve them?

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66 – June, 2020

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