Corona Virus - Should we be worried?

[squirrelarmy]

If it’s going to go full epidemic I’d rather catch it in the next 6 months while I’m fit and healthy and have the best chance of fighting it off rather than in the future where I could be at very high risk of it finishing me off. 

[Copperface]

2 minutes ago, squirrelarmy said:

If it’s going to go full epidemic I’d rather catch it in the next 6 months while I’m fit and healthy and have the best chance of fighting it off rather than in the future where I could be at very high risk of it finishing me off. 

Like the Monday morning when you wake up and start packing up tents etc?

[efcfanwirral]

 

5 hours ago, FestivalJamie said:

It comes to the point though, can we just ban travel in and out of the UK? Against freedom of movement etc. however flights from Italy to the UK are still running, which means it's just a matter of time now before an outbreak hits the UK. 

Or at least screening people on their way in and out of the UK needs to be done like they are doing in china... at this point there's no telling who is a carrier.

Currently in the Alps and North Italy does feel a bit close - and the fact they only noticed this when they started testing this weekend pretty much tells me there are LOADS of people with it who aren't in the official figures. It does make me a bit jittery - less so about catching it, but more what might happen in the next 10 days. It was so quick, literally overnight, in Italy and that's only a couple of hours drive away from here. It only takes one case in this tiny town and there's no getting in or out. Personally just can't wait to get home to be honest - not a fan of skiing anyway. 

I think the best way to stop it spreading would be to mandatory self quarantine for people returning to the UK (and I'd take that), but economics doesn't work that way nor do livelihoods, so it is inevitable it will spread and there isn't anything realistic that can be done  about it. Saying that as a freelancer 2 weeks self quarantine would be the most productive fortnight of my life 😄

 

45 minutes ago, Lycra said:

We are really in the lap of the Gods as what develops. Hopefully the containment methods adopted in other countries will not be needed here. That said, should the situation worsen, travel restrictions for persons coming to the country from infected areas could be implemented. In a way we are already witnessing this by the voluntary action of airlines in cancelling routes, but official government action could be taken. And if the UK were to be hit by a significant outbreak (heard a virulogist quantify this as 100+ cases) then the government would be forced to take action in a similar way to Italy, which has imposed area quarantining and cancellation sporting fixtures etc.

It is all in the IF. But if we do have a major UK outbreak , a near 1/4 million people travelling from across the UK and globe to the hallowed turf of Worthy Farm will be a huge concern for health officials and government. 

I find it extremely hard to believe there are ACTUALLY less than 100 cases in the UK right now with open worldwide air travel, they're just not tested and/or officially announced, or symptoms are so mild. If I'm wrong there we are incredibly lucky. Italy has no idea how it happened. When these "drive thru" testing things are set up next week (providing China travel isn't a prerequisite for getting tested still, if so then its willful stupidity after what we've seen in Italy), we'll hit 100 in a week.  

40 minutes ago, ogriff said:

https://twitter.com/SamCoatesSky/status/1231993331217031169

Govt analysis states no net benefit of cancelling large gatherings in case of a pandemic... So the worry is over, right?

That is insanely stupid but I expect nothing less to be honest...

Edited February 24, 2020 by efcfanwirral

[chrislfc]

A man of McCartney's age should be wrapped in cotton wool I reckon.

Maybe throw Young Capaldi up there to headline instead.

 

[stopwn1981]

I got accused of scaremongering before so I shall just leave this here with no commentary. Don’t get more official than the world health organisation -

https://www.who.int/dg/speeches/detail/who-director-general-s-opening-remarks-at-the-media-briefing-on-covid-19---24-february-2020

Some will we see as positive, some negative, some a bit of both.

[beefykoala]

1 hour ago, stopwn1981 said:

I got accused of scaremongering before so I shall just leave this here with no commentary. Don’t get more official than the world health organisation -

https://www.who.int/dg/speeches/detail/who-director-general-s-opening-remarks-at-the-media-briefing-on-covid-19---24-february-2020

Some will we see as positive, some negative, some a bit of both.

The WHO are like HR for America - they act in whatever way is beneficial to America, not the people living there. Right now there is a general consensus that they are playing down the seriousness to avoid panic to avoid upsetting the market - this lack of transparency is a double edged sword though that is stopping people from getting adequately prepared.

People in major cities have no idea this is even going on, we have no idea what our confirmed case count is because WHO sent out broken test kits, and all of our social media has been plagued with this 'fight against misinformation'. Basically WHO are purposefully stopping us from knowing how bad it is.

[stuartbert two hats]

Yes.

[charlierc]

Still four months until Glastonbury. I think I'd be more wary about the suggestion of pulling the plug on this if this is still a big story in April/May, which isn't out of the question, depending on where this story progresses. Until the weekend, I thought it had been beginning to dial back a little, until the news of a rise in cases in Italy, Iran and South Korea pretty much in synchronicity. Definite concern that this happened in 3 separate nations in different areas pretty much at once.

I'd already felt a little wary simply by virtue of one of these repatriated Brits quarantines getting put in a hotel very close to my office in Milton Keynes, even if I know they've all since been let out after testing negative 3 times for the infection.

[Leyrulion]

The last pandemic, Swine Flu, had 55,000 new cases in Britain every week by July 2009. 

Glastonbury still went ahead as usual the week before.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2009/jul/16/swine-flu-cases-rise-britain

 

People were even diagnosed with it during the festival and they just sent those people home.

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2009/jun/28/glastonbury

 

 

Edited February 24, 2020 by Leyrulion

[Sawdusty surfer]

If the Corona Virus is rampant in the weeks leading up to The Festival it's likely to be game over. 

Hopefully if it hits in the UK the spring/summer weather will kill it off. If not we may have problems. 

From my experience of the festival it will be a last minute decision. The show must go on.

[eFestivals]

6 hours ago, Sawdusty Surfer said:

From my experience of the festival it will be a last minute decision. The show must go on.

I reckon they'll seriously consider whether they need to pull the plug on the fest just before the balances are due, and again a bit more than a month before the fest (when fees to bands become due). Those are the 'sensible' dates to cancel before, if it looks like it's going to be cancelled anyway.

And I reckon one of the more-major things they'll use towards that decision is whether overseas bands are still willing to travel.

[hfuhruhurr]

25 minutes ago, eFestivals said:

a month before the fest (when fees to bands become due)

Interesting, I thought that bands only got paid once they'd performed.

[squirrelarmy]

9 hours ago, beefykoala said:

The WHO are like HR for America - they act in whatever way is beneficial to America, not the people living there. Right now there is a general consensus that they are playing down the seriousness to avoid panic to avoid upsetting the market - this lack of transparency is a double edged sword though that is stopping people from getting adequately prepared.

People in major cities have no idea this is even going on, we have no idea what our confirmed case count is because WHO sent out broken test kits, and all of our social media has been plagued with this 'fight against misinformation'. Basically WHO are purposefully stopping us from knowing how bad it is.

Isn’t the WHO the World Health Organisation? Why would they be giving preferential treatment to America?

[Madyaker]

I was supposed to fly to asia in late April and I just got an email from the airline telling me my flight is cancelled due to this and I’m getting a refund

[Guest]

36 minutes ago, hfuhruhurr said:

Interesting, I thought that bands only got paid once they'd performed.

I thought that as well as Michael once told me a couple of weeks after a festival he he was going home to write the cheques. It was a few years ago and he might well have been pulling my leg of course.

[Chicken Bob]

Everyone needs to shut up about this virus. No one talks about flu every year and this is no where near as bad as that. 

[CaledonianGonzo]

3 minutes ago, Madyaker said:

I was supposed to fly to asia in late April and I just got an email from the airline telling me my flight is cancelled due to this and I’m getting a refund

Other carriers may still be flying to your destination - or you could maybe transfer somewhere.

[eFestivals]

41 minutes ago, hfuhruhurr said:

Interesting, I thought that bands only got paid once they'd performed.

the industry standard is half the fee paid a month before the show as a deposit.

[eFestivals]

28 minutes ago, squirrelarmy said:

Isn’t the WHO the World Health Organisation? Why would they be giving preferential treatment to America?

they've been giving preference to the economy over health - supposedly on the basis that a crashed economy is a bigger risk to health than covid-19 ... but China managed to wangle itself a stronghold within WHO after SARS, so it does seem a little suspicious.

[eFestivals]

3 minutes ago, Chicken Bob said:

Everyone needs to shut up about this virus. No one talks about flu every year and this is no where near as bad as that. 

yet.  

If it comes here it'll be waaaay worse than flu.

[Avalon_Fields]

10 minutes ago, Madyaker said:

I was supposed to fly to asia in late April and I just got an email from the airline telling me my flight is cancelled due to this and I’m getting a refund

Where were you going may I ask? I’m supposed to be flying to the Far East in 4 weeks, close to an outbreak, but it’s still on at present!

[CaledonianGonzo]

🤔

 

[Supernintendo Chalmers]

13 minutes ago, Madyaker said:

I was supposed to fly to asia in late April and I just got an email from the airline telling me my flight is cancelled due to this and I’m getting a refund

I'm going to Japan in September and honestly, I'm very slightly concerned. I'm sure it'll work out. 

The funny thing is, I'm also meant to be in Venice next month and Milan in April! 😂

[CaledonianGonzo]

I was in Singapore during SARS and it made me the man I am today

[gigpusher]

If anyone is too worried about going and wants to give up their ticket I'll take one for the team and go in their place.