Coronavirus leading to cancellation?

[JustinHorton]

I'll end by simply saying that if you do not want to think about the risks this virus poses then go ahead with your usual activites as if it simply doesn't exist.

It can't be said loudly enough that there is absolutely no advice from health professionals, i.e. people who "think about the risks this virus poses", that Chinese people should be avoided. This is because their role is the promotion of public safety rather than the promotion of sheer bloody ignorance.

[Daniel Gormally]

some people on here sound like they are stuck in the 19th century.

[Nick Grey]

Advice in UK is self isolate 2 weeks flu symptoms and travelled from an infected area.
The economic impact is global.
In Westminster Chinese tourism is down 40 percent and they spend the most money.

It is irresponsible of adults with symptoms going into work causing organisations to send people home.

As for professionals organising school and other trips to these areas...………..?

As for chess players and organisers be better at hygiene and hand gel. Sneese into armpit and not shake hands.

[Stewart Reuben]

The World Senior Team Chess Championships take place in Prague Friday 6 to Saturday 14 March.
No Chinese, Japanese or Korean teams have entered. The event is very Eurocentric. I presume players from North Italy will not take part.
We are sending 30 English players, the US about 14. Germans and Czechs much larger nubers. Dr Jana Bellin, prevos FIDE Chairman of the Medical Commission is playing for the ECF women's team.
Seniors are more at risk than younger people.
I guess we are no more at risk in Prague than in London - apart from the proximity of the air travel.

[Eric Gardiner]

A question for those who think it's a good idea to avoid Chinese people (and presumably now also wish to avoid northern Italians and Iranians): how do you deduce from someone's nationality or ethnicity where they have recently been?

[Mick Norris]

You can't

I gather there is an as yet unexplained case in Surrey so presumably Nick G will be avoiding himself just in case?

[Paul McKeown]

Nick, I would gladly encourage you to spam soneone else's post. Thank you.

[Paul McKeown]

I reckon someone should send John McKenna a pith helmet

[Paul McKeown]

some people on here sound like they are stuck in the 19th century.

Danny, you are far too polite. I think there are a few posters on this thread stuck in Sigmund Freud's Anal Phase of development. They are certainly talking shite, in any case.

[Nick Grey]

Strange to equate Surrey with London Mick.
My self confined relatives bosses were working in rome-milan-venice and Singapore-China.

The London death was north of the river. No reason to avoid playing chess other than finding Mx new venue.

Lets see how many Londoners wear surgical masks next week.

[Nick Grey]

Paul, these are fine.

One question does the venue have hand gel as is standard especially with children and elderly?
That would make it attractive for me to play.

[Chris Rice]

I was managing a school at a junior event today. Instead of handshakes children were advised to put a "thumbs up" when a game finished. Hand washing with those little bottles was advised. Two girls turned up with surgical masks. Sensible measures and it all went off very nicely I think.

I wish I'd taken measures like this when I was a kid, I could have avoided numerous plagues by taking preventative measures against all those chess players who are happy to batter you with their hacking coughs and wild sneezing without even the courtesy of putting their hand over their mouth.

[David Robertson]

I was managing a school at a junior event today. Instead of handshakes children were advised to put a "thumbs up" when a game finished

All very well-intentioned, but utterly pointless. Shaking hands leads to contagion only if a person is infected. But if a person is infected, the virus can readily survive for a short time on most surfaces. Hence, say 14 NxN BxN, will potentially contaminate. Avoiding courtesy protocols won't impress the virus, nor lower the risk of infection. Proportion in everything. Above all, this

[Chris Rice]

I was managing a school at a junior event today. Instead of handshakes children were advised to put a "thumbs up" when a game finished

All very well-intentioned, but utterly pointless. Shaking hands leads to contagion only if a person is infected. But if a person is infected, the virus can readily survive for a short time on most surfaces. Hence, say 14 NxN BxN, will potentially contaminate. Avoiding courtesy protocols won't impress the virus, nor lower the risk of infection. Proportion in everything. Above all, this

The organisers were relying on the latest detailed advice from Public Health England on the gov.uk site. For example at 4.1 "standard precautions to include hand hygiene".

Also they saw the NHS advice

"cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when you cough or sneeze

put used tissues in the bin immediately

wash your hands with soap and water often – use hand sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available

try to avoid close contact with people who are unwell"

Regarding the viral transmission through inanimate objects we can treat handling chess pieces the same way as handling packages of food as the advice says:

"How coronavirus is spread

Because it's a new illness, we do not know exactly how coronavirus spreads from person to person. Similar viruses are spread in cough droplets.

It's very unlikely it can be spread through things like packages or food. Viruses like coronavirus cannot live outside the body for very long."

[NickFaulks]

Avoiding courtesy protocols won't impress the virus, nor lower the risk of infection.

Perhaps it may bang into the kids the fact that this thing really is a big deal, and make it more likely that they will take other measures which may actually help, such as scrupulous washing of hands.

Could even work with adults.