From the Grand Master

Brethren,

The Centers for Disease Control has issued a statement saying that older adults and people who have serious chronic medical conditions like heart disease, diabetes and lung disease, should take extra actions to prevent contracting the novel coronavirus (now named COVID-19).

In addition to the standard precautions, such people should avoid crowds, especially in poorly ventilated spaces, as risk of exposure to respiratory viruses like COVID-19 may increase in crowded, closed-in settings with little air circulation if there are people in the crowd who are sick. And they should avoid all non-essential travel including plane trips and cruise ships. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019- ncov/specific-groups/high-risk-complications.html

The risk of attending lodge will vary depending on your age, your health, the configuration of the temple and the number of people attending. Therefore we are leaving the discretion of whether to attend lodge or not to your own good judgment.

To aid in this effort to keep everyone safe, Grand Lodge will allow lodge meetings to be cancelled or Installations and Official Visits to be postponed as needed. The lodge secretary should contact the office to request dispensation.

Brock University has asked that the upcoming Sankey lecture be postponed. Date to be determined based on the speaker's availability.

I again remind you that shaking hands at a lodge meeting is not mandated and can be avoided. If you are ill, stay home, even if you are the candidate or the Worshipful Master. Other preventative measures have been previously circulated but can be found at https://www.ontario.ca/page/2019-novel-coronavirus.

Check the above Public Health website for updated reports regularly and be safe.

David J. Cameron

Grand Master