Coronavirus and the World Championships

[4everchan]

^^ so... a doctor went back to work and exposed a ton of people... exactly my point...

how is it more risky when travel is still open in Canada ? holding worlds doesn't represent the largest amount of traveling in the country... many people already said that they wouldn't come because they are at risk... i believe agree that anyone could create a mass exposure to a community... HOWEVER, if the ISU is monitoring travelers, that's much safer than travelers who come in to the airport everyday...

 

[4everchan]

It's not just the ISU that will be taking a hit. I bet many restaurants, bars and hotels were looking forward to the influx of tourists who would provide a much needed bump during a normally slow season. Look at Austin, TX and how the canceling of SXSW is affecting local economy because so many people rely upon that one event for their livelihood.

yup... well Paris is dying.... no more tourists.... one article, again in French I didn't share said : fear is bigger than the virus.

The economy is going down like crazy

 

[Xena45]

What CaroLiza_fan said. I live in Wisconsin, which has had just two cases. But I work at a major University in the school of medicine, and I eat lunch in the hospital cafeteria every day. It's not hard to imagine a scenario where I could spread coronavirus around to an at-risk population. My mother, who is 72 with health issues, already isn't going. I'm planning to go alone, but if they offered refunds for cancellations, I'd cancel. Maybe that would be a way to thin out the crowd?? I.e., offer refunds to those who want them. These tickets were expensive, and that money is hard to just write off without actually attending the event. Encourage current ticket holders to self select by offering refunds. .... Just an idea I thought I'd put out there.

 

[Ziotic]

As someone who works in the tourist industry I can attest to the hit our industry is taking. It’s crippling. People are being laid off and service cut to stop the bleeding and it’s still not enough.

The economy is about to hit major recession seemingly out of nowhere because people couldn’t wash their hands.

 

[NaVi]

Even if there are no spectators at Worlds, there will still be a significant number of people there, be they skaters, team members, officials, etc. And if just one person has the virus, they could expose hundreds of people to it.

....

What I am trying to say is that one person with it is enough to potentially spread it to a lot of people. So, although we as fans do not want to miss out on seeing the highlight competition of the season, we also do not want our skaters or anybody who may be in contact with them potentially being exposed to it.

Better to be safe than sorry.

CaroLiza_fan

This is a very nihilistic take... there's an exponential difference in risk between just allowing the skaters/judges/support staff attend vs doing it in front of an audience. It's also much easier to monitor a smaller group of people so that if one gets sick it's easier to trace who is most at risk.

Personally, I think the safest put on the event with some crowd restrict attendance to locals at reduced capacity.

 

[Ducky]

yup... well Paris is dying.... no more tourists.... one article, again in French I didn't share said : fear is bigger than the virus.

The economy is going down like crazy

Well, it didn't help that Saudi Arabia and Russia decided to have a <use your imagination> contest with oil prices this weekend.

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

This is a very nihilistic take... there's an exponential difference in risk between just allowing the skaters/judges/support staff attend vs doing it in front of an audience. It's also much easier to monitor a smaller group of people so that if one gets sick it's easier to trace who is most at risk.

True. There is definitely less of a risk with fewer people. And easier to keep track of them.

However, the thing that I am concerned about with the idea of having no audience is not so much during the competitions themselves, because there would only be a very small number of people in the arena (perhaps less than 20). It is the other times. The likes of back at the hotel; at meal times; at briefings; at the draws; and at the Closing Banquet. There would be lots of people mingling at these times.

I'm sorry if I sound so pessimistic. But, what has been happening in my hometown the past few days because of one person's actions has made me look at things very differently to how I had been before.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[thedude]

Well, it didn't help that Saudi Arabia and Russia decided to have a <use your imagination> contest with oil prices this weekend.

I don't think that's the correct economic take. There's two sides to oil prices: supply and demand. Demand is decreasing because of the coronavirus ie. Travel, Tourism, etc. OPEC (not just the Saudis) wants to reduce supply to prevent decreasing oil prices.

Oil prices and it's effect on the global economy isn't that simple.

I don't know why I'm talking about macroeconomics on figure skating forum.

 

[lariko]

yes... however i found it interesting that ISU proposed to monitor travelers for worlds. They really want the event to happen. Ultimately, travel is open in Canada, and happens every day. I understand that putting a bunch of travelers in an arena is risky but how is it more risky than just letting roam all the other travelers in the city, doing grocery shopping or going to work...

I wonder if they considered having worlds only for locals... there is no community infection in Canada... so the risk is very low... but then, more fear, paranoia, racism would get out of such a measure.

I am a Canadian. My kid is in junior high, my husband is a teacher in a high school, I ride public transit every day... my mom just returned from a trip to Belgium and Holland. I don’t view a 4 day trip to Montreal, Quebec as anything dangerous and will be on the flight if the jets are still flying. I feel that 4CC was held under a higher risk circumstances.

But how I feel is irrelevant. The authorities will decide. But this is my first attempt at going to World Championship, and likely It would not be held anywhere in proximity for a while... so, yes, I want to cry bitter tears.

 

[Ducky]

I don't think that's the correct economic take. There's two sides to oil prices: supply and demand. Demand is decreasing because of the coronavirus ie. Travel, Tourism, etc. OPEC (not just the Saudis) wants to reduce supply to prevent decreasing oil prices.

Oil prices and it's effect on the global economy isn't that simple.

I don't know why I'm talking about macroeconomics on figure skating forum.

It doesn't have anything to do with Covid-19, just an ill timed price and demand war between the two. To quote someone on Twitter: "Not now bears."

https://www.ft.com/content/755663c0-62ad-11ea-a6cd-df28cc3c6a68

 

[jenaj]

I am a Canadian. My kid is in junior high, my husband is a teacher in a high school, I ride public transit every day... my mom just returned from a trip to Belgium and Holland. I don’t view a 4 day trip to Montreal, Quebec as anything dangerous and will be on the flight if the jets are still flying. I feel that 4CC was held under a higher risk circumstances.

But how I feel is irrelevant. The authorities will decide. But this is my first attempt at going to World Championship, and likely It would not be held anywhere in proximity for a while... so, yes, I want to cry bitter tears.

Also, Junior Worlds was just held without any problem.

 

[CellarDweller]

All we can do at this point is wait. If all is deemed safe, the will go on, and I wish all our attending members a safe trip!

If it is canceled, I hope all those who purchased tickets and have travel expenses can get refunds!

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Not figure skating related, but for those that were interested in my motorsports discussion, it has now been announced that the third round of the MotoGP World Championship, which was to be held in Austin on 5[SUP]th[/SUP] April, has been moved to November.

But, after the cancellation of the South By South-West festival, which was to be held in Austin 2 weeks beforehand, I was fully expecting this to happen.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[Cutting the ice]

It looks like the Worlds will go ahead given the ISU press release about a package sent to all skaters, coaches, judges and officials today. Still waiting on Quebec government statement tho and they have the final say of course. CBC article has a bit more information.

 

[lariko]

Also, Junior Worlds was just held without any problem.

Yes, and half a year ago, I sat there choosing Tallinn vs Montreal, and narrowly chose Montreal despite similar price tag all things considering. I am going leave a hole in the wall the size of my head if WC gets cancelled.

 

[waxel]

It looks like the Worlds will go ahead given the ISU press release about a package sent to all skaters, coaches, judges and officials today. Still waiting on Quebec government statement tho and they have the final say of course. CBC article has a bit more information.

I hope there are fierce ISU and Skate Canada warriors in that meeting with the Quebec government.

 

[concorde]

I hope there are fierce ISU and Skate Canada warriors in that meeting with the Quebec government.

As of 10:45 ET today, it looks like Worlds is still a go even for fans.

 

[moonvine]

As of 10:45 ET today, it looks like Worlds is still a go even for fans.

Great news.

 

[cheerknithanson]

As of 10:45 ET today, it looks like Worlds is still a go even for fans.

arty:

 

[Mattieu]

As of 10:45 ET today, it looks like Worlds is still a go even for fans.

What is your source?