[MarcusGB]

SwussDiver i agree. This is a Worldwide travel issue now.
All i have tried to do is give an insight from Australia, and Asia, where i have been passing through. So a localised insight.

With areas such as Italy, Iran / Middle East sources, Seoul, China generally, it has now become a Worldwide issue.It is beginning to have a countrywide Economic impact.
It is Likely to be designated a Pandemic by the WHO if this continues.
Certain information is not so available in Europe, or the UK, and friends colleagues etc inform me.

So we can just share what we see and pass on local media and press news, and Governments advice and actions.
Hopefully this will inform BT forum members from each of our experiences.

What is of note, is that if you do travel to one of these epicentres of the Health Emergency, you may not be able to return from that country without confinement!

[Tom Otley]

Hello, I can, of course, but can you identify which ones you would like me to take down? (by times posted)
thank you
Tom

[MarcusGB]

Thanks Tom.
The first two on 25th Feb i think, that will leave just the one.
I had to re-write them, as they did not load and post, yet i see them all piled up!!!
Apologies.
Thanks
M

[stevescoots]

[postquote quote=991520][/postquote]

Agree, i have not seen any price changes just capacity reductions

[cwoodward]

I thought that it may be worthwhile to list the worldwide cases as at 9am on Wednesday HK time today.
What struck me was that outside of China thee have been almost no fatalities.

The 2 Hong Kong fatalities had serious underlying existing medical problems and it seems that the fatality in the Philippines was undiagnosed until after death at home.

I am not for one moment suggesting that this virus is not extremely dangerous but are we as is being suggested in fact on the verge of a pandemic?
If so are the fatalities likely to be worse than in some of the serious influenza epidemics of the past providing that proper precautions are in place ?
Is the media not being a little premature in their somewhat alarmest proclamations?
CASES
Deaths
• Mainland China 78,064
2,715

• South Korea 1,146
11
• Diamond Princess 691
4
• Italy 323
11
• Japan 159
1
• Iran I95
16
• Singapore 91
0
• Hong Kong 85
2
• United States 53
0
• Thailand 37
0
• Taiwan 31
1
• Australia 23
0
• Malaysia 22
0
• Germany 18
0
• Vietnam 16
0
• France 14
1
• United Arab Emirates 13
0
• United Kingdom 13
0
• Macau 10
0
• Canada 10
0
• Kuwait 9
0
• Bahrain 8
0
• Iraq 5
0
• Spain 5
0
• Philippines 3
1
• India 3
0
• Austria 2
0
• Oman 2
0
• Russia 2
0
• Afghanistan 1
0
• Algeria 1
0
• Belgium 1
0
• Cambodia 1
0
• Croatia 1
0
• Egypt 1
0
• Finland 1
0
• Israel 1
0
• Lebanon 1
0
• Nepal 1
0
• Romania 1
0
• Sri Lanka 1
0
• Sweden 1
0
• Switzerland 1
0
• 0

[Swissdiver]

[postquote quote=991553][/postquote]

I guess:
1/ airlines now know how to manage this type of crisis
2/ the expectation is that by the Summer everything will go back to normal. So this piece of information is already in the price.

On a side note, I usually rent a villa in July in Tuscany. It might well be the moment to book…

[TupeloKid]

[postquote quote=991579][/postquote]

Indeed. To a large extent, the number of fatalities is a reflection of quality of health care in different countries.

Also, the degree of response and preparedness: Hong Kong, with 13 land border crossings to China, and 500 flights per week, plus sea crossings to the Mainland and probably 1,000 ferry trips per week to Macau, has so far had really quite a small number of cases – about 80 so far and just 2 deaths. Compare with Singapore (about 90 so far), with about 20% fewer flights and no land border or ferry links. Although there is a way to go before the full picture emerges, initial accusations that the Hong Kong government overreacted (matched of course by the same number of accusations that they underreacted) seem to be off the mark.

Likewise, criticism of HK citizens for getting masked up. The incidence of cases where people definitely were not masked up, such as large dinners and other gatherings (e.g. religious), seems to bear out that masking has helped restricted infections.

2 users thanked author for this post.

canucklad, openfly

[LuganoPirate]

Not wishing to play down this virus, but we’ve had flu epidemics that have killed and affected far more people than Covid-19. It was also interesting to read the post from another poster (sorry can’t remember who) that life in Vietnam is carrying on as normal as it is in many parts of the world. It’s also interesting to note some companies are now blaming the virus for their poor results. Unlikely they were but a good excuse for them!

I’m not changing travel plans, not buying any masks and nor are any of my family.

7 users thanked author for this post.

RomP, Swissdiver, FaroFlyer, MartynSinclair, canucklad, fatbear, TupeloKid

[canucklad]

Just had an email pop in to my inbox from our Resilience & Crisis Management team …..

No visitors to be allowed access to any of our campuses , of which we have many , including Europe , who have returned from high risk areas in the last 2 weeks
These include Northern Italy and pretty much the whole of SE Asia & Eastern Asia .

Considering the amount of visitors we get, and the geographical spread of sites throughout UK & Europe I’d say it’s a bit of a draconian step.
Even worse, my trip to HK is looming and the decision is pretty much to go, since it would appear that it’s pretty much stabilised , indicating the risk is moved to minim al.

Will now need to re-think that decision — Bloody Bats !!

[SimonS1]

And how is your company planning to police the issue of which visitors have been where in last 2 weeks?

Sounds like the type of corporate policy designed by people who wouldn’t know the difference between London and Lagos….

1 user thanked author for this post.

Swissdiver

[MarcusGB]

I cannot remember when so many countries have closed schools, banned gatherings, sports events with potentially the 2020 olympics needing a decision in 2 months, religious worship etc… with the virus in now in 41 countries.
I have never known so many World Airlines cut flights in weeks, Mostly between Europe, then travelling Eastwards, Middle East N. S/E Asia, all the way to The Pacific.
$29 Billion of losses as the situation stands today, was stated to be the current measured impact on The Worlds Airlines. How much could some Airlines stand to lose?
Tourism – has some major hotels groups with 9-30% occupancy only in Asia. Many small businesses are down considerably.

Listening from within Asia just now, TV news from all around Asia, Australia, Russia, USA, UK, EU, are all reporting the same situation, briefed daily from the WHO, who define what is a pandemic.
Many countries can lock down borders, but the EU has none within.

The WHO Medical Directors and Senior Epidemiologists and experts, are telling Governments to prepare for a Pandemic. It is not the Press putting out such statements, i wish it was just that! Death rates were running at about 3%, and true with pre-existing difficulties in health some have been more vulnerable.
Depending on the standard and resources of Healthcare around the World, clearly where it is poor, or less resourced, the death rates are far higher.
It is not just causing Respiratory impact, but kidney and liver failure also, and very rapid.

There is no vaccine, there is no set treatment, we do not yet know the incubation period, and responses around The World remain very different.
The WHO announced this morning, that countries should prepare, and fast that a Pandemic is coming. 41 countries at present, heading towards the USA, first declared in South America today.

Certainly cause for serious ongoing concern, and a more rapid rate of Worldwide transmission than any other “flu”, ME or Bird flu, which did not cause this major response.

The impact on Airlines is already heavy, and perhaps on travel generally yet to come, and see the full impact, not yet reached.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/02/raises-alarm-virus-spreads-parts-middle-east-europe-200224173916660.html?utm_source=website&utm_medium=article_page&utm_campaign=read_more_links

Much other information is available.
Many Tens of thousands of Healthcare workers preparations and training has been enacted some weeks ago in many areas of The World. I know of many Senior colleagues and Directors in the Healthcare Professions such as myself, who are being briefed In Europe and Australia alone.
The pace of monitoring and updates are changing rapidly daily, as this reaches other parts of The World. Week by week it is remarkably having a greater viability of impact.
Country Governments have Emergency Daily meetings.
As per usual, the stock markets crash downwards for the 2nd day.
Losses are huge financially already Worldwide in Economic terms.

We shall all see what develops day by day, and each week.

[FaroFlyer]

Not only are areas in Italy being set on lock-down, but some major trade shows are being cancelled. I was to attend Light & Building in Frankfurt in early March and it has now been postponed. Fortunately I had booked flexible hotels as I thought prices may reduce, but flights are paid and now a write-off. Am due in Frankfurt for another major trade show 1-3 April and am in a similar situation if that is cancelled, or postponed.

[JKL]

Just to throw in a perspective from Kuala Lumpur (where I live) and Bangkok (where I recently visited).

Life seems to be pretty normal in both cities. Perhaps slightly fewer cars on the road and fewer people in the malls, but otherwise much the same as ever.

The majority of people I’ve seen out and about are not bothering to wear masks, though the number who do seems a little higher than usually. Maybe the message is getting through that they’re not terribly effective. It would actually be better, I think, If people only wore them when actually unwell – then one could try to steer clear or hold one’s breath when passing etc 😉

In both cities, many malls and some shops now have bottles of hand sanitiser at entrances and on counters etc, for public use. Most people seem to use them, though some do not, which is a shame – I suspect it’s the ones who most need to who don’t bother, eg those who sneeze into the palm of their hand rather than elbow, or who don’t wash their hands after using the toilet (yep, that’s still a thing, and not just in developing countries).

I hope the practice of providing sanitizer continues long after the coronavirus problem has gone away. Strikes me it would be no bad thing to encourage the habit generally – might help reduce the spread of ‘regular’ flu, colds, and stomach bugs etc.

I have become much more conscious of what I touch, and try to push lift buttons with my knuckles, use only my little finger to pull door handles etc, and use the side of my hand or elbow to push doors, or hang on to escalators and handrails etc – anything to avoid having my palms or fingertips touch anything 😉

I carry a small bottle of hand sanitiser which I use regularly, especially after touching anything. Although one note of caution – I gather many hand sanitisers aren’t effective against viruses, only bacteria… Frequent and thorough washing with soap and water seems to be the preferable way to go.

Some malls and hotels in Bangkok had security staff with hand-held temperature sensors at the entrances, scanning everyone who came in – which all seemed very efficient and well managed. I haven’t seen that yet in KL, but on arrival at KLIA the other day I did notice that they’d set up an infrared camera on the approach to immigration, with the output shown on a big screen facing you as you walked past, so you could see your ‘results’. I assume anyone showing high temperature would be pulled aside, though I didn’t see that actually happen to anyone.

While in Bangkok we ate at the Siam hotel, and were the only people in the restaurant. I saw no signs of anyone actually being in residence either. We stayed at the Conrad, which seemed fairly busy, at least in the Exec lounge – but maybe that was the entire complement of guests… 😉

Overall, my sense is that if you didn’t already know about the coronavirus, and weren’t staying in an (empty) hotel, you wouldn’t notice anything amiss – though you might think it was quieter than usual. I’m not aware of any public events here having been cancelled. Hopefully the hotter weather here makes the virus less likely to survive and spread. People seem pretty relaxed. Whether that’s complacency / false sense of security, remains to be seen, I suppose. Life goes on.

1 user thanked author for this post.

MarcusGB

[canucklad]

[quote quote=991643]nd how is your company planning to police the issue of which visitors have been where in last 2 weeks?
Sounds like the type of corporate policy designed by people who wouldn’t know the difference between London and Lagos….[/quote]

You’re right, self declaration forms to be signed before passes are issued at security points stating that they’ve not been to any of the high risk (Laos?) area in last 2 weeks ?

I can’t remember SAR’s being quite as hyped as this, and I wonder if the hype is all true and If it becomes a pandemic is there an argument to shut down global air travel for a period of time ?

[capetonianm]

Sounds like the type of corporate policy designed by people who wouldn’t know the difference between London and Lagos….

Typical of most corporate policies.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/02/25/singapore-shows-stop-coronavirus-without-bringing-world-halt/
Excellent article :

Singapore shows how to stop coronavirus without bringing the world to a halt
But where the Singaporean response – which has been hailed as the “gold standard” in tackling the epidemic by no less an authority than Harvard University – has proved most effective is through the introduction of the basic, common sense measures that safeguard the well-being of ordinary citizens.

Probably very typical on Singapore authorities to handle it so well.

[Author]

Posts