The novel coronavirus pandemic largely shut down most of the world economy, forcing businesses of all types to shutter for months in order to help reduce the spread of the virus.
But more recently, most states have begun a phased reopening process with the goal of getting people back to work safely. Bowling alleys were not first on the list, as that priority typically went to health and other crucial services.
But in many areas they have since been given the green light to open, usually with new required safety guidelines. Are bowling centers safe to go back to when they do reopen?
Before we get into it, we do need to mention a couple important things.
First, we are unable to give you any medical advice nor a true answer on safety. You first and foremost should check with your own physician and with the health officials from your own town, county and/or state in order to get an accurate sense of the risk for both you individually as well as in your area. Also, we’re a website based in the United States so the policies and orders for reopening we will mention are US-specific. Other countries may be doing different things regarding bowling alleys so we recommend you check your local centers or news media.
With all of that said, there are some general thoughts we can pull together from reopening plans that we’ve seen, as well as some information from bowling alleys themselves.
Social Distancing, Sanitizing and Other Safety Measures in Bowling Centers
Safety measures for bowling alleys in many states have involved things like extra cleaning and limiting the number of lanes open in order to maintain 6 feet of distance between groups that are bowling.
Shared equipment like bowling balls and shoes are thoroughly sanitized after each use. We can look at a few examples from different states to see more specifically what bowling alleys are doing to ensure a safe environment.
In Texas, alleys were first allowed to reopen at 25% capacity. Video arcades and other entertainment areas had to remain closed, whereas in other states they could open with increased cleaning. In Tennessee, the social distancing guidelines were for 50% capacity, with every other lane open. Other measures enacted there include the installation of plastic shields across sales counters.
Larger companies that own a a huge number of alleys have been working with professional industrial hygienists to work on their health and safety plans. If your local bowling alley is an independent operation, you may want to check more carefully what safety measures they are taking since they will not likely have had the resources to hire professional help without income coming in for months.
Many independent bowling centers have implemented thorough safety plans, however, such as these examples in Wisconsin. And usually state guidelines dictate in some detail what must be done, so you should check with your state to see how seriously they are enacting and enforcing regulations.
As a bowler, there are also a few precautions that you can take. If you have your own bowling ball and your own bowling shoes, that can help cut down on the risk of touching shared equipment.
You may also want to wear a mask while in the bowling alley, especially if there are any narrower areas you need to walk through to get to your lanes or the front counter, for example, or if there are other groups seated anywhere close to you.
Making the Right Choices for Your Area and Yourself
Finally, before making a decision you should also take a close look into the daily trends for new cases, hospitalizations, and deaths in your area. Just being in a rural area doesn’t necessarily make you safer than an urban one, for example. And carefully consider your own personal situation (your age, any preexisting conditions, how much contact you have with friends, family, coworkers, etc.)
Overall, going bowling is still an activity that is going to carry some risk, so while social distancing and extra sanitation certainly help, it certainly does not reduce the risk to zero. Your personal circumstances play a huge role, and since bowling is likely not the only activity you may be considering resuming, be sure to check in with your physician to get their thoughts on not only bowling but safety and health measures specifically tailored to you.
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