Coronavirus and the World Championships

[PaulE]

Here is today's installment from Dr. John Campbell on the pending pandemic:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zabxwzq_wfA

I was wrong in calling him a medical doctor in my previous post. He is a retired nurse and was probably a professor of nursing with a PHD.

 

[DSQ]

However, my real opinion is, cancel the whole darn thing. It's too dangerous, especially given the average age of the figure skating spectator

Really? It’s much to early to say that imo. So many people who have had it have been reporting very mild symptoms.

 

[Flagstaff]

What happened to ticket holders when the Grand Prix in France got cancelled part way through? I would assume the ISU would follow the same procedure.

Nothing. Nothing happened, tickets weren't reimbursed as it was an act of force majeure.

 

[Harriet]

Really? It’s much to early to say that imo. So many people who have had it have been reporting very mild symptoms.

True, but all the evidence so far also suggests that the risk of both worse symptoms and death (caused by underlying health conditions or the development of pneumonia etc) increases substantially for people in their 60s, 70s and above. Think about how many fans fall into that demographic bracket...and how many other fans will go home to parents or grandparents in that bracket...how many coaches are in it etc...while younger people who do contract the virus are more likely to be only mildly unwell or even completely asymptomatic and unaware that they are infecting others. I'm not in favour of panic at all, but I don't blame people for wanting to reduce the risk to either themselves or their loved ones, and if not attending or looking into cancelling the event provides peace of mind and helps even a bit with flattening the disease 'spike' into a 'curve', I'm okay with it.

 

[beachmouse]

Idea: video conference the World championships.

1. All the judges join conference call
2. Have each skater Skype, webcam, Facetime, video phone, etc. themselves skating their program at the home rink, live
3, Email results

ta da World Championships AND no one gets infected with deadly new disease

Back during my early 90s swim team days, we'd sometimes get improvised 'phone meets' for minor events when a bad winter storm was going to make getting to a far away pool hazardous. Each team swam the same races at the same time in different locations and then officials and coaches compiled a consolidated results sheet. It ended up feeling just like another practice/training session instead of a real competition and I was never fond of it.

In a skating realm, we might actually get some different results out of it if the usual talented head cases felt more relaxed in that kind of environment and actually kept it together more than they usually did while those that seem to feed well on the energy of the crowd might seem a little flat that day.

 

[4everchan]

Back during my early 90s swim team days, we'd sometimes get improvised 'phone meets' for minor events when a bad winter storm was going to make getting to a far away pool hazardous. Each team swam the same races at the same time in different locations and then officials and coaches compiled a consolidated results sheet. It ended up feeling just like another practice/training session instead of a real competition and I was never fond of it.

In a skating realm, we might actually get some different results out of it if the usual talented head cases felt more relaxed in that kind of environment and actually kept it together more than they usually did while those that seem to feed well on the energy of the crowd might seem a little flat that day.

i was a swimmer too.. i find your story a bit funny since when i did swim, i would always look forward to be competing in this or that pool because it would be faster than this or that other pool... my home pool was slow... i was always getting better times elsewhere... anyways.. moving on

 

[CoyoteChris]

True, but all the evidence so far also suggests that the risk of both worse symptoms and death (caused by underlying health conditions or the development of pneumonia etc) increases substantially for people in their 60s, 70s and above. Think about how many fans fall into that demographic bracket...and how many other fans will go home to parents or grandparents in that bracket...how many coaches are in it etc...while younger people who do contract the virus are more likely to be only mildly unwell or even completely asymptomatic and unaware that they are infecting others. I'm not in favour of panic at all, but I don't blame people for wanting to reduce the risk to either themselves or their loved ones, and if not attending or looking into cancelling the event provides peace of mind and helps even a bit with flattening the disease 'spike' into a 'curve', I'm okay with it.

Exactly. I think in the state of WA will will soon have some important data with 9 dead and 14 members of the Kirkland fire dept and police dept ill with symptoms and being quarenteened and tested. We now have the kits...we just need the lab time. I personally think people can shed virus while being asymptomatic, thus making infection of innocents , even unintentionally, a done deal. In the US, half the population is ok with not getting flu shots even though it means 105 dead kids and 20,000 dead seniors . every year....I am not one of them. It is not the time to panic...it is the time to prepare and develop (in the US, not Japan, its already there) a sense of community and caring for the other person. If you are sick, stay home. I dont care that you need your sick days to care for your kids. Quit killing us old people.

 

[CoyoteChris]

Really? It’s much to early to say that imo. So many people who have had it have been reporting very mild symptoms.

I wont be flippant and say, "Tell that to the 9 dead people we have in western WA. " The problem is those mild cases (if shortness of breath is mild) are spreading the virus to others like me who can not tolerate it. The big hope is that this virus seems to not be doing so well in hot moist countries, so it may abate like the cold and flu viruses do in Spring and summer, giving science a chance to develop and test drugs that fight it and eventually a vaccine...like the flu vaccine that half of all Americans dont get and kill 30,000 of us seniors a year.

 

[Ladskater]

The World Junior Championships will take place in Tallinn, Estonia. I don't expect a large turnout of fans in Estonia and the arena would be half empty, which makes the risk of infection low. But probably hundreds of Asian fans have already booked their tickets to go to Montreal in Canada. The World Senior Championships could be held without spectators to protect the athletes. In the worst case scenario, Canada could impose travel restrictions on some athletes and fans from specific countries.

No worries, Canada has no plans of restricting travel in or out of the Country

 

[jesslv74]

This is the latest I've seen...https://www.cbc.ca/sports/olympics/summer/canadian-world-championships-coronavirus-1.5482539. As for who will actually be going, I guess that remains to be seen. I was sad about how few people were at the Four Continents Championships last month. So many empty seats...it sucked the life out of the whole competition.

 

[CoyoteChris]

I have to say I have alot of respect for Koreans...wish we had this in WA.
https://youtu.be/CRTcJNry87E

 

[4everchan]

This is the latest I've seen...https://www.cbc.ca/sports/olympics/summer/canadian-world-championships-coronavirus-1.5482539. As for who will actually be going, I guess that remains to be seen. I was sad about how few people were at the Four Continents Championships last month. So many empty seats...it sucked the life out of the whole competition.

I will cheer for two or 3 fans... I have tickets.. if the event is held, i am for sure going.

 

[CoyoteChris]

I will cheer for two or 3 fans... I have tickets.. if the event is held, i am for sure going.

I think it will happen....but things will change for many in the next few months...2 more cruise ships have "Issues". The Grand Princess and the MSC Opera.

 

[mainiac159]

Are there any plans in place to protect the skaters and attendees safety from the Coronavirus?

 

[ytl2s]

I have two all-event tickets that I need to sell now, please pm me if interested.
The tickets are on the lower level, section 104 row O.

 

[georgia]

How easy it’s to sell a ticket if I decide not t go?

 

[rain]

If I was anywhere near Montreal I'd snap up tickets in a heartbeat. Alas, I am nowhere near.

 

[CoyoteChris]

How easy it’s to sell a ticket if I decide not t go?

A forum member just bought an all event package priced at $1600 CAD for $300 on the secondary market. The media is whipping up panic over the fact that there are now two strains due to mutation....one more viralant than the other. It is unknown which strain IIRC we have in the US. The L or the S. But we should know shortly.

https://abcnews.go.com/Health/scientists-identified-strains-covid-19/story?id=69391954

 

[CoyoteChris]

Are there any plans in place to protect the skaters and attendees safety from the Coronavirus?

The ISU bulletin outlined measures to do what they can, for both....but you have to be realistic. Even if you dont touch your face and dont touch money and wash your hands and use hand sanitizer and wear a mask, someone gets close to you at the wrong time and is shedding the virus...for instance sitting in the arena next to you or behind you and coughing into your space, some of those critters can get into your eyes or on your skin or ? and you can become infected. If you are young, you will only have what seems to be a bad case of the flu...so much we dont know...like if you get the S strain, can you then get sick from the L strain? Are both here now in North America? Will they arrive by airliner during the comp? Experts are now back tracking on how long the virus can last on a cool dry surface....
1. Dont panic
2. Be prepared
3. Make choices you can live with

 

[georgia]

The ISU bulletin outlined measures to do what they can, for both....but you have to be realistic. Even if you dont touch your face and dont touch money and wash your hands and use hand sanitizer and wear a mask, someone gets close to you at the wrong time and is shedding the virus...for instance sitting in the arena next to you or behind you and coughing into your space, some of those critters can get into your eyes or on your skin or ? and you can become infected. If you are young, you will only have what seems to be a bad case of the flu...so much we dont know...like if you get the S strain, can you then get sick from the L strain? Are both here now in North America? Will they arrive by airliner during the comp? Experts are now back tracking on how long the virus can last on a cool dry surf
1. Dont panic
2. Be prepared
3. Make choices you can live with

To make the right choice you need information. You need to know all of the above, and if and how they screen the fans arriving from all over the world. Also are these fans coming, or they are also facing the same dilemma as me, and decide to stay home? Because:
I love a fully packed arena, as that’s half of the fun for me!
I have a compromised immune system, and the ethnicity of fans coming plays a role in my decision. ( are they coming from highly infected countries?)
If I don’t go can I retrieve some of my over $1000 I spend for tickets?
Do I spend all that money, and fly( I hate flying) to watch just practices that I love the most, see the city and leave?
See my problems? LOL