"Events cancelled?" Topic

As anyone watching the news will know there is a Corona virus/Covid 19 outbreak.

I am planning to attend the various events at Newark, UK, plus Salute 2020 at Excel in London.

Is there any news (yet) of wargame events being cancelled due to Corona?

B

No… Salute still on at present.

Hammerhead (at Newark) is still on – I will be there on Saturday

The government has advised that there have now been a 5th death – all over 60 years old with underlying health problems. Having looked round previous shows I would guess that the majority of attendees would fall into that category (myself included).

Hooray! 59 and still going!

Thing will move fast this week. I would expect more restrictions coming into force soon. I think larger events such as Salute will be at risk.

I'm not aware of any shows being cancelled yet. Still planning on going to Chillcon, Partisan etc.

Depends on Government advice and regulations doesn't it really, and how it affects the insurance liability of the organisers for both the events going ahead or being cancelled.

We'll have to wait and see.

My show horizon is at Carronade, Falkirk in May.

So far away with so many unknowns to be sure.

The government has advised that there have now been a 5th death – all over 60 years old with underlying health problems. Having looked round previous shows I would guess that the majority of attendees would fall into that category (myself included).

That is the problem. I think at least half of my regular show buddies are over 60 and most will have an underlying heath problem.

I am organising the Battlefields Trust Conference at Highgate House this year (1st to 3rd of May) … our policy is that the event will go ahead unless the government require it to be cancelled. The Conference Centre's policy is also to go ahead unless they are obliged to close the Centre.

Anyone attending will be advised to stay away if they have symptoms and the Conference Centre have already upped the distribution of hand sanitizer. There may be other usefull protocols we will ask people to respect.

We will continue to watch developments and give appropriate advice. I suspect many events will be doing similarly.

Phil

I have already had 2 people cancel because of Corona Virus fears for the very small 54mm wargames event I am running in Woking on Saturday.

I suspect that as the virus spreads even if events aren't cancelled a number of people in the higher risk groups will reconsider attending them…

Mike

Surely Corona Virus will come in handy against this?

link

Apparently, I'm in the ‘at risk' group despite being a debonaire 53. So I have decided to quarantine myself until it is all over, or until I have finished painting the figure stash in my loft. Whichever my employer will let me get away with.

I have already had 2 people cancel because of Corona Virus fears

And thereby hangs the tail. It's all about FEAR – no basis in fact whatsoever.
The average annual death toll from influenza in the UK over the last 5 years is 17,000

Shhh… You'll spoil my painting plans.

The Influenza deaths measured against the current Covid19 deaths mean nothing.

The issues with Covid-19 are:

1) It appears to be more infectious than 'flu and 1-2% of people who catch it will die ('flu kills 0.1%).
2) No one has any immunity to Covid19 and there are no vaccines and no treatments (such as tamiflu) to reduce the severity of cases.
3) If measures aren't taken then up to 80% of the population will catch it, including those people with immunity to 'flu or who have been vaccinated against 'flu – who currently don't get 'flu and don't pass it on to others.

None of these infection or death rates are a given unless you simply let it spread through the population and allow for 10-20 times as many deaths as 'flu….

So, I have no problem with people who are travelling a long way and are in the high risk groups (with underlying health problems such as diabetes) deciding to cancel their trip to play a wargame…

Mike

From the way things are going my trip back to the UK in the summer will be off :-(

I could counter each of your points above but it's not worth the effort. As of this evening there are 460 confirmed cases in the UK and there have been 8 fatalities. Out of a population of 66m. You do the sums.

The problem is the "number of infected" is misleading. What they are NOT telling us is how many have recovered. In any epidemic the important number is the number of ACTIVE cases. If that number continues to rise then it is spreading out of control. If the number is static or falling then it is controlled.

It has been stated that the majority of infections will result in only mild symptoms.

It is also worth bearing in mind that the daily infection rate in China has fallen to a tiny trickle.

From the way things are going my trip back to the UK in the summer will be off :-(

I wouldn't worry, there are no plans to close Parliament, or cancel the London Marathon (or Salute for that matter).

You might find it a lot easier to book a seat on a plane though …

They closed the National Basketball League in US for rest of season. That is what they get from playing in Communist China.

By the way, regarding the trickle in China, Can we believe anything from there? When the Hong Kong civil rights protests resume, I will assume the health situation is over.

"The problem is the "number of infected" is misleading. What they are NOT telling us is how many have recovered. In any epidemic the important number is the number of ACTIVE cases. If that number continues to rise then it is spreading out of control. If the number is static or falling then it is controlled."

In which case this isn't very reassuring:

link

we will be at Hamerhead this Saterday. Its important fear does not Bankrupt the suppliers we need to help the hobby contuinue into the future.

In which case this isn't very reassuring:

Oh I dunno:
562 active cases
542 cases in mild condition (i.e. with a good chance of recovery)
20 cases Serious or Critical

These shows have no choice to cancel.
Things have gone too far and they have a duty to keep the public informed.
Is there any update from Warlords?
Insurance may not cover these events but life is more important.

link
LEGIONARY 2020 WILL TAKE PLACE ON SATURDAY THE 2ND MAY. Come on down ;-)

The British Gov doesn't want to make any decisions regarding closures or quarantines. They wait until organisations like The Premier League make their own decision to suspend all games. The coronavirus policy for their own Gov Departmental Staff is a complete shambles.

At the moment it's each individuals decision regarding their movements, and public gatherings, they may want to attend, taking into account the latest Gov Health Advice (which may be right, or wrong!).

I see the London Marathon and the May local elections have now been postponed.

For those not already aware Salute 2020 has postponed until next year.

B

Checked the Partizan blog and no update, but I can't help feeling that Laurence will be calling the May show off as there will be no other option.

Major B's gone a bit quiet…..I hope he's alright.

@Volleyfire:
We could hope that, by May, the worst is over and things have relaxed a bit.

B

We could, but as 17th May is only eight weeks away, I'd say that's wildly optimistic!

IMO End of May/early June is the best hope for a relaxation of restrictions.

End of May/early June

Which year? I think this is going to be around for quite a while, with significant restrictions until we have a vaccine.

If Stalin were in charge he might just want to power through the pandemic and let those die who would, so the newly immune survivors could get on with life as before. Looking back in some years time we might think that a wiser course. (Retires to bunker, having lit fuze)

That's a nasty fuse to light there.

I for one hope I do not lose my elderly mother to this virus. As a modern world, I am proud that we can disrupt the world to try to care for people and stop the spread of this virus.

Our toy soldiers shows will wait for us I am sure. I know I have plenty to paint in the mean time.

Stay safe

If Stalin were in charge there would be no pandemic.

Much like the Russian diversionary attack before the Stalingrad counter offensive, where tens of thousands died and it never appeared on the records until the '70s!