Why Didn't We Shake Hands During Finals?

Basically title. During finals, I noticed that we never shook hands with the other alliance. While I do have a theory, I’m not completely certain. I believe it is due to the coronavirus. When the judges came to the pits, they refused to shake hands, and during the awards ceremony they specifically said that they wouldn’t be high fiving or shaking hands with the teams. This event was in Clackamas Academy, and we have a confirmed case of the coronavirus in Lake Oswego less than 15 minutes away. This could be unrelated though. Does anyone else have any ideas?

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At GNR everyone did elbow bumps instead of handshakes, and I believe it is related to the Corona Virus (as well as the flu… i know a lot of volunteers have gotten sick after events in past years!).

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I mean to flu isn’t really done with it’s spread yet, but I could see it being linked to coronavirus.

FIRST has issued a note to all Event organizers that included, among other measures, to discourage Event attendees from shaking hands, bumping elbows instead, and washing hands frequently to help prevent the spread of the Coronavirus.
For the Sherbrooke Regional Event, the note was forwarded to the Coaches of all teams attending the Week 2 Event.

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Do teams still high five judges when getting awards or has that also been replaced or changed?

At GNR elbow bumps were used instead.

At NHGRS the following were encouraged: high fives, fist bumps, elbow bumps, bowing, and pinkie tip touching. I just wish they also recommended ankle bumps.

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Having emceed for years, I believe it’s probably the least complicated explanation: Sometimes emcees just forget to bring teams to the field for the handshake. We’re only human, we forget sometimes :man_shrugging:

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At the MVR, both alliances shook hands before the Finals began.

At FIM Macomb, they did fist bumps. I guess it’s the point-five-second-rule.

Blair has the alliances just stay in the station and do an “air hand shake” across the field at LAN. Saved a good ~10 minutes too lol.

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I gave up high fives and hand shaking a few years ago. Before that I got sick after several competitions. I always do fist bumps. :facepunch:

JuSt UsE pUrElL…

This feels like a good place to share the CDC’s handwashing recommendations. 20 seconds is longer than you think.

My suspicion is the emcee at OP’s event whiffed. I’ve had to prevent such a mistake at at least one event in the past.

Depending on the event depends on how much the Emcee explained, but it was due to the last amount of sickness that is going around.

Welp, me and a friend were sitting next to a walkway where teams who won awards would have to cross, so I high-fived hundreds of people…

This may be my last post!

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I decided to take the decision into my own control several years ago, by using a fist bump. Purell may be great, but if not used by everyone at the time it’s use is limited.

I am expressing my own thoughts and ideas, you are also entitled to yours.

Best of luck and I hope it is not your last post.

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Honestly, I was a volunteer at Kettering #1 this weekend and, even though I’ve gotten my flu shot, I have a horribly sore throat now. I almost certainly caught something I just hope that it’s not serious.

FIRST Washington has made a statement on their website about the events this weekend and why we went with “no contact congratulations”.

Suffice it to say, WA State is having increased number of cases.

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In Ontario this weekend, the event was at Durham College, near the GTA and around Toronto. In terms of why we only did waves during awards, I believe that it was due to COVID-19 or Coronavirus. In Ontario, the current total cases as of March 1st is around 15. Over the weekend the number of cases increased substantially, and I think that’s why awards were waves instead of high fives.