Coronavirus and the World Championships

[RemyRose]

In English now........

 

[Ducky]

He is way too caviler, but you know this is good for us. ::knocks on wood::

 

[CellarDweller]

Ok, did they make any mention that this could change in the future?

 

[Ducky]

Basically the gist is all major events are going to take place unless the situation changes and we're seeing a larger spread. It's contained for now but use precaution. Wash your hands. Maybe put off visiting your parents. If you've been traveling maybe wait 10 days before going over to someone's place and showing them pictures. (He really said that.)

 

[lariko]

Of course they did. In general. But the only event in particular that was discussed was St.Patrik’s Day parade that is going ahead (with an admonishing to not go sneeze on others). Figure Skating WC was not specifically mentioned.

 

[Edwin]

Now ISU needs to decide on plushies and gifts thrown to the skaters. Or the skaters not accepting anything before it has been sanitised (if that's even possible?)

 

[Xena45]

I know plushies are fun and traditional, but they are also incredibly wasteful. Maybe it's time for them to go away.

 

[kan01]

The kids that pick up the toys could wear medical gloves and no skater picking any.

 

[norwegianfairytale]

I am at work so i only logged in for a few minutes. From what was said when i was there, there is no canceling of major events planned as of now. It will depend on how the virus transmission evolves.

So far, all infected people had been confined. However, the 4th confirmed case in the region has taken public transit in Montréal. Will we see a spike in contaminated people?

You know, this is the wrong way to approach the virus. Just look how the virus has spread the last days. Montreal has 4th confirmed cause, and should be happy about this and make everything to keep it that low. If you just have a look at Europe, and see the how it evolved the last days, there is actually a no brainer to cancel the whole thing or at least consider to go trough without audience. As much as I love figure skating, health comes first!

As I wrote earlier, a Norwegian hospital doctor got infected in Italy, came back, worked for 2 days, was extra careful because of stuffy nose symptoms (and because obviously he is a doctor at a hospital) and he still managed to infect several coworkers in 2 days with hospital hygiene rutine. How should masks and extra hygiene be a big help at such a major event?

There will be athletes, coaches and audience flying in from the whole world, and one or more will bring the virus somehow, it is impossible to avoid. And once the spread is ongoing under WC, people will then again bring the virus back to the home countries.

Just some facts from Norway now (5,3 million inhabitants)

- We are going into a new phase today. We had like 200 infected yesterday, and today there is 100 new confirmed cases, so we now got over 300. The first case was 26th of February.
- We have to-tre cases now with people being hospitalized, they didn´t suspect the virus when they came to the hospital, but test afterwards confirmed the virus, we don´t know how they got infected.
- Until a few days ago, almost every new case came from travel in Italy (on ski holiday), this is also almost the only one who got tested. 85 cases are linked to Italy now.
- 2-3 days ago they started get an infected case from Austria (Tyrol). Now people who have been on holiday in this area are tested, and now we have 48 cases linked to Austria, in just 3 days! There is 2 linked cases from Asia, one from Hong Kong and one from England.
- A lot of people are still being denied to get tested, unless you can prove that you have been in contact with infected, or come from one the areas: Italy, now Austria, China, Iran, South-Chorea. Because we don´t have many tests, so they are trying to save them.
- Yet still, we have 123 infected cases where the spread is unknown.
- 6 people are now in hospital with the virus, they have been sick for around 2 weeks and have started developing severe symptoms now. One of the cases is a 48 old year man, who came from holiday in Italy. He has told the national newspaper that he is feeling very sick, and has trouble breathing. Hopefully he will be ok. 2 days ago there was no one in hospital with the virus, and there has been 6 cases in just 24 hours.
- We have a lot of health workers at hospitals in quarantine, just because we havn´t done enough to prevent the spread. We finally started to put everybody who came from Italy in quarantine, and then the first health worker got infected who came from Austria and has been working afterwards, and now they have shut down a whole maternity ward at a hospital.
- We have just started cancelling events with over 500 participants
- A lot of people are not taking quarantine seriously, there are several cases about people not caring, breaking the quarantine by going to the gym, going to a party and so one.

Norway is the perfect example of how you should not behave. Taking actions AFTER the virus has spread is why we lose control.

Montreal and Canada can learn from Europe now, and take actions BEFORE and not AFTER.

 

[el henry]

I know plushies are fun and traditional, but they are also incredibly wasteful. Maybe it's time for them to go away.

Not always wasteful. Jason Brown donates all his plushies to the Ronald McDonald House, wherever he may be skating, and I know other skaters donate theirs.

Jason visits the RMCH when he donates. Here is an adorable exchange with a Japanese boy (Jason speaking Japanese):

https://twitter.com/jasonbskates/status/1198613252382420992

That said, there may be indeed be restrictions at this Worlds.

 

[lariko]

And what are they going to do with them?

I think it is one championship where practicing love from afar is the happiest solution. Less stress, less complications, less last minute work around is what is needed imo.

 

[Edwin]

The kids that pick up the toys could wear medical gloves and no skater picking any.

No skater in their right mind will want to accept anything from the audience I would think. ISU and LOC need to make this clear to the audience.

Complete separation between skaters and trainers, ISU and LOC's operational staff, press and most of all the spectators. No meets and greets, autograph sessions, no skaters visiting concession booths. This whole ISU Awards thing ...

If the plushies cannot be sanitised, they will be incinerated and thus completely wasted. Plus they put those sweeper girls and behind the boards staff at risk.

 

[kan01]

Well, yeah. I mean toys should be the last concern RN, just ban toys and gifts. I'm sure they are thinking about all the sanitary stuff, they just have to start informing people about it.

 

[MaHa75]

You know, this is the wrong way to approach the virus. Just look how the virus has spread the last days. Montreal has 4th confirmed cause, and should be happy about this and make everything to keep it that low. If you just have a look at Europe, and see the how it evolved the last days, there is actually a no brainer to cancel the whole thing or at least consider to go trough without audience. As much as I love figure skating, health comes first!

As I wrote earlier, a Norwegian hospital doctor got infected in Italy, came back, worked for 2 days, was extra careful because of stuffy nose symptoms (and because obviously he is a doctor at a hospital) and he still managed to infect several coworkers in 2 days with hospital hygiene rutine. How should masks and extra hygiene be a big help at such a major event?

There will be athletes, coaches and audience flying in from the whole world, and one or more will bring the virus somehow, it is impossible to avoid. And once the spread is ongoing under WC, people will then again bring the virus back to the home countries.

Just some facts from Norway now (5,3 million inhabitants)

- We are going into a new phase today. We had like 200 infected yesterday, and today there is 100 new confirmed cases, so we now got over 300. The first case was 26th of February.
- We have to-tre cases now with people being hospitalized, they didn´t suspect the virus when they came to the hospital, but test afterwards confirmed the virus, we don´t know how they got infected.
- Until a few days ago, almost every new case came from travel in Italy (on ski holiday), this is also almost the only one who got tested. 85 cases are linked to Italy now.
- 2-3 days ago they started get an infected case from Austria (Tyrol). Now people who have been on holiday in this area are tested, and now we have 48 cases linked to Austria, in just 3 days! There is 2 linked cases from Asia, one from Hong Kong and one from England.
- A lot of people are still being denied to get tested, unless you can prove that you have been in contact with infected, or come from one the areas: Italy, now Austria, China, Iran, South-Chorea. Because we don´t have many tests, so they are trying to save them.
- Yet still, we have 123 infected cases where the spread is unknown.
- 6 people are now in hospital with the virus, they have been sick for around 2 weeks and have started developing severe symptoms now. One of the cases is a 48 old year man, who came from holiday in Italy. He has told the national newspaper that he is feeling very sick, and has trouble breathing. Hopefully he will be ok. 2 days ago there was no one in hospital with the virus, and there has been 6 cases in just 24 hours.
- We have a lot of health workers at hospitals in quarantine, just because we havn´t done enough to prevent the spread. We finally started to put everybody who came from Italy in quarantine, and then the first health worker got infected who came from Austria and has been working afterwards, and now they have shut down a whole maternity ward at a hospital.
- We have just started cancelling events with over 500 participants
- A lot of people are not taking quarantine seriously, there are several cases about people not caring, breaking the quarantine by going to the gym, going to a party and so one.

Norway is the perfect example in how you should not behave. Taking actions AFTER the virus has spread is why we lose control.

Montreal and Canada can learn from Europe now, and take actions BEFORE and not AFTER.

You are talking like korona will kill you 99% when you got it! It is a virus like hundred of other. What the world should do...stop living normal life and start to organize funerals??? No way...of course we need to be careful but all people should keep living normal life.

- - - Updated - - -

You know, this is the wrong way to approach the virus. Just look how the virus has spread the last days. Montreal has 4th confirmed cause, and should be happy about this and make everything to keep it that low. If you just have a look at Europe, and see the how it evolved the last days, there is actually a no brainer to cancel the whole thing or at least consider to go trough without audience. As much as I love figure skating, health comes first!

As I wrote earlier, a Norwegian hospital doctor got infected in Italy, came back, worked for 2 days, was extra careful because of stuffy nose symptoms (and because obviously he is a doctor at a hospital) and he still managed to infect several coworkers in 2 days with hospital hygiene rutine. How should masks and extra hygiene be a big help at such a major event?

There will be athletes, coaches and audience flying in from the whole world, and one or more will bring the virus somehow, it is impossible to avoid. And once the spread is ongoing under WC, people will then again bring the virus back to the home countries.

Just some facts from Norway now (5,3 million inhabitants)

- We are going into a new phase today. We had like 200 infected yesterday, and today there is 100 new confirmed cases, so we now got over 300. The first case was 26th of February.
- We have to-tre cases now with people being hospitalized, they didn´t suspect the virus when they came to the hospital, but test afterwards confirmed the virus, we don´t know how they got infected.
- Until a few days ago, almost every new case came from travel in Italy (on ski holiday), this is also almost the only one who got tested. 85 cases are linked to Italy now.
- 2-3 days ago they started get an infected case from Austria (Tyrol). Now people who have been on holiday in this area are tested, and now we have 48 cases linked to Austria, in just 3 days! There is 2 linked cases from Asia, one from Hong Kong and one from England.
- A lot of people are still being denied to get tested, unless you can prove that you have been in contact with infected, or come from one the areas: Italy, now Austria, China, Iran, South-Chorea. Because we don´t have many tests, so they are trying to save them.
- Yet still, we have 123 infected cases where the spread is unknown.
- 6 people are now in hospital with the virus, they have been sick for around 2 weeks and have started developing severe symptoms now. One of the cases is a 48 old year man, who came from holiday in Italy. He has told the national newspaper that he is feeling very sick, and has trouble breathing. Hopefully he will be ok. 2 days ago there was no one in hospital with the virus, and there has been 6 cases in just 24 hours.
- We have a lot of health workers at hospitals in quarantine, just because we havn´t done enough to prevent the spread. We finally started to put everybody who came from Italy in quarantine, and then the first health worker got infected who came from Austria and has been working afterwards, and now they have shut down a whole maternity ward at a hospital.
- We have just started cancelling events with over 500 participants
- A lot of people are not taking quarantine seriously, there are several cases about people not caring, breaking the quarantine by going to the gym, going to a party and so one.

Norway is the perfect example in how you should not behave. Taking actions AFTER the virus has spread is why we lose control.

Montreal and Canada can learn from Europe now, and take actions BEFORE and not AFTER.

You are talking like korona will kill you 99% when you got it! It is a virus like hundred of other. What the world should do...stop living normal life and start to organize funerals??? No way...of course we need to be careful but all people should keep living normal life.

 

[Harriet]

Also, Junior Worlds was just held without any problem.

As people can be asymptomatic but contagious for up to 11 days before showing signs of being unwell (WHO data currently suggests that the average length of time to show symptoms is 5.1 days, but remember how averages are calculated...), it's still a bit too early to say whether their were no cases or spread associated with JW, I'm afraid.

 

[4everchan]

To norwegianfairytale

They talked about the expérience acquired containing sras and they believe they have the right game plan. They mentioned other strategies in other countries but so far, calm and education, monitoring of cases are the goals.

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Of course they did. In general. But the only event in particular that was discussed was St.Patrik’s Day parade that is going ahead (with an admonishing to not go sneeze on others). Figure Skating WC was not specifically mentioned.

I just find it amusing that they consider St. Patrick's Day to be the most important event happening in the province, as evidenced by the way that it was the thing that was singled out for mention.

And meanwhile in Ireland, the government in the South has ordered that all the St. Patrick's Day parades be cancelled. Here in Northern Ireland, the Belfast parade has been cancelled by the local council, but no decisions have been made yet on the parades in other towns.

Something of an irony, isn't it?

CaroLiza_fan

 

[norwegianfairytale]

You are talking like korona will kill you 99% when you got it! It is a virus like hundred of other. What the world should do...stop living normal life and start to organize funerals??? No way...of course we need to be careful but all people should keep living normal life.

- - - Updated - - -



You are talking like korona will kill you 99% when you got it! It is a virus like hundred of other. What the world should do...stop living normal life and start to organize funerals??? No way...of course we need to be careful but all people should keep living normal life.

I´m completely aware that 99% will not get killed and I have never implied that. So far WHO says is about 3-4% with todays number, that is still a lot. It is a reason to try stop it, in solidarity to the one which are in risk groups. My father has diabetes, heart disease and hypertension, he is one of the people which are more likely to get severe complications by this virus if he gets infected. And he has never been very sick by the flu. The problem in Norway, we don´t have the capacity in the hospitals for intensive care, we have about 1200 intensive spots in the hospital now to deal with the virus. This is why we have to slow down the spread curve, because our health system can simply not manage a lof of people needing intensive care at the same time.

Italy has the same problem now, with not enough respirators and intensive care for the people who get very sick, and a lot of people will not get the needed treatment.

No vaccine, not knowing much about the virus, how it actually works and how fast it spread is reason to take this virus seriously.

Honestly, the virus shows that people care more about themselves and living "normal life" then help the virus spread slow down.

 

[Kelly Lynn]

I’m afraid Canada will rue the day they decide to let this event to go forward. I’ve been to at least a dozen Worlds and I think about the crowded corridors and long crowded lines at the entrances, the bathrooms, and the concession stands. Only one carrier can spread the virus in a very significant way. And fully half the fan base by virtue of age fall in the high risk category. Imagine the publicity that both Canada, Skate Canada, and the ISU will receive. Not good for the future of the sport, Canada’s reputation and populace, the athletes, or the fans. I’ll probably be censored for this post.

 

[Ziotic]

The virus has already spread everywhere. There are a ton of non symptomatic people already walking around.

Just wash your hands and follow Dr guidelines for transmission prevention. It’s really the best hope at this point.