Date: March 12, 2020
To:     All Rotary and Rotaract Club Presidents
CC:    Assistant Governors
 
We have been closely monitoring the COVID-19 situation for the past few weeks. Given yesterday’s announcements from the World Health Organization, the Government of Canada, Government of the USA, and leading medical professionals, the D7080 Governor Team (G-Team) have decided to postpone all in-person district events that have been scheduled for the remainder of this Rotary year.   This includes DA/CLT, RLI, RYLA, District Team Training, Presidents meetings, Council meetings and the District Conference.
 
Our members' health and safety and that of their families and communities are our top priority and our primary concern. We had hoped that the COVID-19 situation would improve, but it appears that stronger measures are required to contain the spread of this virus.  Over the next few days and weeks, we will be working on alternative arrangements, possibly using online solutions to replace face-to-face district training events and meetings.  Sandhya and the Training Committee will be meeting early next week to discuss how we can best move forward with our D7080 training.
 
Mike and I will be meeting today to discuss the possibility of moving our District Conference to early Fall, provided that the COVID-19 virus situation has improved by that time.  With this situation being so dynamic, we will do our best to reduce the potential penalties incurred due to these cancellations and keep you informed about alternative plans.
 
Clubs will need to individually decide how they can responsibly manage their meetings and club events, remembering that it is the elderly and those with underlying health issues who are the most vulnerable. We encourage you to seek guidance from local health authorities and government recommendations when making your decisions.  This is everyone's responsibility and a time when we must come together to help each other and those in our communities who need our help.
 
This has not been an easy decision, but one that we believe is a responsible one and demonstrates Rotary’s concern to help our communities through this challenging time.  As we move forward, we will continue to monitor the situation closely.  Please stay tuned for updates on alternative arrangements and contact your Assistant Governor if you have any questions.  We thank you for your understanding and patience.
 
Lesley and the Governor Team
 
Links to Information Websites
 
Government of Canada
 
World Health Organization
 
Rotary International
 
 
Rotary Travel Ban List (Downloads as a PDF)