Coronavirus and the new season

[norwegianfairytale]

He is talking about a time frame of 4 weeks, possibly til Christmas. Worlds will be in march. You can not predict now what the situation will be then. So why cancel Worlds? By the way the situation in Russia is not better. They just go ahead with sports competitions (and most of us are really happy about that). So why should n't the Swedes do World Championships?

I know things are not good in Russia either, and that the numbers reported may not be correct, but I think you forget that Sweden is a small country and doesn´t have that many inhabitants. Sweden is placed as nr. 21 of countries with most deaths per 1 million population. Russia is placed as nr. 53.

I´m not sure how Russia is doing right now, if they have peaked with new Covid-19 cases - but Sweden hasn´t reached the top yet, so you can expect they will climb on the list and it´s very concerning. The death numbers are just getting worse, and it´s looking more and more like the dramatic numbers from the first wave. The second wave could be much worse.

Apparently Sweden has reached their test capacity. I just read they are starting to send Covid-test to Denmark and Germany for lab results. When they fall behind in testing, it will take longer time to detect the new cases, isolate and prevent new ones - which means the virus could spread much faster.

Stockholm is the epicentre of the virus, and the situation is particular bad there. With Swedens first wave, which lasted long enough - i´m not sure how the health workers are doing there, they were pretty much set under a high pressure earlier - and now they are probably starting to get exhausted and are facing a possible worse time. I would not be surprised if Sweden will call out of help in the next months, because they have reached their limits in hospital.

Sweden has been very restraint with measures before, but now they are enforcing more and more strict measures - because they can´t overlook the situation anymore and the situation has got out of hand. If the situation wasn´t bad, they wouldn´t have enforced those measures, because they would not really admit they chosed the wrong strategy at first. I know 4 months away is a long time, but with a WC, there is also planning involved - and i´m pretty sure Sweden and Stockholm will not prioritize this now and i´m sure they will struggle longer then til Christmas.

 

[Sabine]

I know things are not good in Russia either, and that the numbers reported may not be correct, but I think you forget that Sweden is a small country and doesn´t have that many inhabitants. Sweden is placed as nr. 21 of countries with most deaths per 1 million population. Russia is placed as nr. 53.

I´m not sure how Russia is doing right now, if they have peaked with new Covid-19 cases - but Sweden hasn´t reached the top yet, so you can expect they will climb on the list and it´s very concerning. The death numbers are just getting worse, and it´s looking more and more like the dramatic numbers from the first wave. The second wave could be much worse.

Apparently Sweden has reached their test capacity. I just read they are starting to send Covid-test to Denmark and Germany for lab results. When they fall behind in testing, it will take longer time to detect the new cases, isolate and prevent new ones - which means the virus could spread much faster.

Stockholm is the epicentre of the virus, and the situation is particular bad there. With Swedens first wave, which lasted long enough - i´m not sure how the health workers are doing there, they were pretty much set under a high pressure earlier - and now they are probably starting to get exhausted and are facing a possible worse time. I would not be surprised if Sweden will call out of help in the next months, because they have reached their limits in hospital.

Sweden has been very restraint with measures before, but now they are enforcing more and more strict measures - because they can´t overlook the situation anymore and the situation has got out of hand. If the situation wasn´t bad, they wouldn´t have enforced those measures, because they would not really admit they chosed the wrong strategy at first. I know 4 months away is a long time, but with a WC, there is also planning involved - and i´m pretty sure Sweden and Stockholm will not prioritize this now and i´m sure they will struggle longer then til Christmas.

I just checked world wide mortality rates (not Covidmortality because these numbers are not reliable) per country per 1000 inhabitants and found different data. In 2020 Sweden has a lower mortality rate than most European Union countries and Russia.
They have had more deaths than average in the second quarter of 2020 (like all countries), but less in first and third quarter. And we should also not forget that most people in Europe die of coronar deseases and cancer, not of the worldwide virus.
The Swedes are trying to live with the virus as good as possible and have not done worse than a lot of other European countries without locking down their country over and over. So I trust in the authorities there to make things possible if they are possible. There are still 4 months left til worlds. I'll stay positive!

 

[norwegianfairytale]

I just checked world wide mortality rates (not Covidmortality because these numbers are not reliable) per country per 1000 inhabitants and found different data. In 2020 Sweden has a lower mortality rate than most European Union countries and Russia.
They have had more deaths than average in the second quarter of 2020 (like all countries), but less in first and third quarter. And we should also not forget that most people in Europe die of coronar deseases and cancer, not of the worldwide virus.
The Swedes are trying to live with the virus as good as possible and have not done worse than a lot of other European countries without locking down their country over and over. So I trust in the authorities there to make things possible if they are possible. There are still 4 months left til worlds. I'll stay positive!

It´s good you´re staying positive, but I would just like to point out that Sweden is not done with Covid-19 and you could just look at a graph of new cases and imagine how the upcoming weeks will be. Sweden has not peaked the second wave yet. Looking at the numbers for the last quarters doesn´t make sense now as it will take time before we have the current data for this second wave. Also I can´t not see how general mortality rates is more reliable, there is research that also shows that because of the measures, people are dying less of other illness. Seasonal flu is almost nowhere to be detected.

And Sweden is taking more and more steps in the direction of lockdown. Btw Sweden has not be doing great with the economy compared to other nordic countries.

 

[Amei]

He is talking about a time frame of 4 weeks, possibly til Christmas. Worlds will be in march. You can not predict now what the situation will be then. So why cancel Worlds? By the way the situation in Russia is not better. They just go ahead with sports competitions (and most of us are really happy about that). So why should n't the Swedes do World Championships?

I mentioned Russia not due to how their COVID situation is (actually I have no idea what it is) but because I thought they potentially had a good setup for being able to do a 'bubble' in Sochi with accommodations from the Olympics. Plus they did the third Russian Cup event there in a virtual type format with no spectators.

 

[CoyoteChris]

I admire positive people but the ISU isnt gonna let worlds happen. France just canceled its nationals. The US is going back into lockdown state by state. Russia turned a Moscow ice rink into a field hospital and is having issues with its vaccine. They had hoped for 30 million doses by the end of the year but are now hoping for 10 million. In the US, I will be lucky to get the vaccine by April. Sweden has been an interesting country to watch, as has Japan...... here are today's six graphs (Graphs can be really lousy at predicting the future.)

IHME | COVID-19 Projections

Explore forecasts of COVID-19 cases, deaths, and hospital resource use.

covid19.healthdata.org

 

[Winnie_20]

Bringing this up, because I just read this article on Dutch news about the speed skating events. The article focuses on the fact that the (Dutch) coach of the Japanese skaters thinks it's very unlikely the Japanese (and probably Chinese) skaters will come to Europe for the competitions that are being organized here. They're understandably being very cautious, and the article specifically mentions that it doesn't help that there are images of coaches at last weekend's Dutch championships not wearing their face masks properly, like dangling under their face or not covering the nose. That's what the people in Japan see. They are being told how well things are being organized in the hotel, at breakfast, at the warming-up, etc. but they're just being told about that, they don't see it.

Bondscoach De Wit acht kans klein dat Japanse schaatsers naar Europa komen

Met verbazing kijken de Japanse schaatsers naar Nederlanders die hun mondkapje niet goed dragen. Het zorgt voor veel scepsis, zegt Johan de Wit.

nos.nl

I didn't realize how much of a problem this face masks thing could be. Face masks are a VERY new thing over here (like in Russia, we saw people didn't always properly wear them at the GP, either), and in fact, our government has been extremely hesitant in making them obligatory everywhere (we're not entirely convinced they do much good, and to be fair, the way most people use them, you have to wonder if they really do much good at all). It's a slow-going process, and they're now only going to be obligatory in public indoor spaces as of December 1st.

I guess I can see how something like this would be a Thing for the skaters from Asia, where it's been "normal" for who-knows-how-long.

Just thinking about this, as it might impact the attendance of Asian skaters at Worlds and other international figure skating competitions as well. IIRC, Sweden had an even less 'restrictive' approach to corona than most other European countries. That might not work in their favor with this sort of thing, either.

 

[chuckm]

I noticed at Rostelecom that few of the coaches were wearing their masks properly (covering the nose). It's no wonder that some Russian coaches have tested positive for C*******.

 

[surimi]

I guess I can see how something like this would be a Thing for the skaters from Asia, where it's been "normal" for who-knows-how-long.

Just thinking about this, as it might impact the attendance of Asian skaters at Worlds and other international figure skating competitions as well. IIRC, Sweden had an even less 'restrictive' approach to corona than most other European countries. That might not work in their favor with this sort of thing, either.

I think this is very logical reasoning. And unless a miracle happens, I'd say we can wave bye to Hanyu's participation at Worlds. He won't want his fans from all over the world exposed to maskless people on public transport and at restaurants, even if masks are made mandatory at the venue. If Covid doesn't magically disappear by March, Hanyu will WD, mark my words.
I don't understand the huge fuss people here in Europe make over masks. The images of maskless coaches and audience in Russia and other European countries, they just disgust me. Hard to feel sorry for these people if they catch the virus.
This is going to be a long two years without seeing my favorites, sigh...

 

[Charlotte 71]

I noticed at Rostelecom that few of the coaches were wearing their masks properly (covering the nose). It's no wonder that some Russian coaches have tested positive for C*******.

Pull your mask up and cover your beak, Plushenko. Not setting a very good example with that mouth-diaper.

 

[surimi]

^ Why select Plushenko out of all? One of the worst 'offenders' was Mishin, with both mouth and nose uncovered, and he's in a high-risk group. I just don't get it. I just pity anyone who abides by the rules and who these people might infect.

 

[snowflake]

I blame the organizers for not supervising the attendants.

I watched the slalom cup in Finland this weekend. Athletes, coaches, media people, the audience… everyone was wearing the mask correctly.

 

[Harriet]

Junior Worlds 2021 is cancelled: https://www.isu.org/figure-skating/...figure-skating-championships?templateParam=11

 

[karne]

The arena in Zagreb where Euros was to be held has been turned into a post-COVID recovery station:

https://twitter.com/SkateCroatia/status/1331706013892960256

That's got to be the death knell for Euros, surely. 8 weeks out and the arena is used for COVID patients? No way can it go ahead.

 

[Magill]

I think this is very logical reasoning. And unless a miracle happens, I'd say we can wave bye to Hanyu's participation at Worlds. He won't want his fans from all over the world exposed to maskless people on public transport and at restaurants, even if masks are made mandatory at the venue. If Covid doesn't magically disappear by March, Hanyu will WD, mark my words.
I don't understand the huge fuss people here in Europe make over masks. The images of maskless coaches and audience in Russia and other European countries, they just disgust me. Hard to feel sorry for these people if they catch the virus.
This is going to be a long two years without seeing my favorites, sigh...

But didn't Yuzu say already that he was taking the whole season off? I seem to recall it like this although I am not sure if he meant just the GP and Nationals or all of it, Worlds included?

 

[Winnie_20]

But didn't Yuzu say already that he was taking the whole season off? I seem to recall it like this although I am not sure if he meant just the GP and Nationals or all of it, Worlds included?

99 % sure it was only the GPs. We don't know about anything after that.

 

[Apple1078]

99 % sure it was only the GPs. We don't know about anything after that.

Yes, it was only the GPs. He's on the entry list for Japanese Nationals along with Shoma, Rika and Satoko. Whether any of them will actually compete is another matter. It might just be a preliminary list of qualified skaters.

 

[readernick]

Stockholm 2021 – ett annorlunda VM - #skatesweden

skatesweden.se

Seems like Sweden is planning on setting up bubbles...essentially copying the Skate America plan of testing, adjoining hotels, and no audience members allowed.

 

[Supernovaimplosion]

Stockholm 2021 – ett annorlunda VM - #skatesweden

skatesweden.se

Seems like Sweden is planning on setting up bubbles...essentially copying the Skate America plan of testing, adjoining hotels, and no audience members allowed.

A much bigger bubble then skate america though. I hope it works out
Google translates the article with "carry out the World Cup as infectiously as possible" let's hope not

 

[nussnacker]

Stockholm 2021 – ett annorlunda VM - #skatesweden

skatesweden.se

Seems like Sweden is planning on setting up bubbles...essentially copying the Skate America plan of testing, adjoining hotels, and no audience members allowed.

I am not a big fan of Sweden's approach to handling coronavirus, but let's hope they can make it work.

 

[Tutto]

Oh bless they give us hope that Worlds might, just might actually happen