Coronavirus

[antongould]

I wonder if sales of exercise bikes will go through the roof (or should that be reach the garret?).
We are in a large three-storey house here, so at least can get some easy exercise going up and down the stairs.
The top-floor front window slides open (there is a small railing, not really a balcony) so we can give Duke of Urbino-style addresses or papal-style blessings to passers by beneath, or send cheery waves to the dog-walkers on the meadow in front of the house.
Busy with choir business, contemplating cancelling the concert due to take place on 28 March: the contract makes us liable for full hire costs, but we can take the financial hit. Anyone know if we could at least claim the VAT back?

Fear not leader Shapps says we can go for a walk as long as we keep our non-social distance from others ...

[Oakapple]

Just three cases reported so far in Shropshire. I went to the theatre in Shrewsbury last Thursday and it was full, mainly of older folk. A 10-km run through the town also went ahead yesterday, as planned.

The show was The Buddy Holly Story. Not really my thing but I went to accompany someone else. I suppose the elderly were reliving their youths but I was surprised there were hardly any younger people interested in this sort of music.

[Frances_iom]

Fear not leader Shapps says we can go for a walk as long as we keep our non-social distance from others ...

I wonder if they could resurrect the old law that lepers need announce their presence with a handbell.

The more worrying as to the state of the world leaders is I thought I heard an EU or German state on the news that Trump had offered to buy/fund some vaccine production as long as the US had exclusive rights to it - was I mishearing it?

[Bryn]

I wonder if they could resurrect the old law that lepers need announce their presence with a handbell.

The more worrying as to the state of the world leaders is I thought I heard an EU or German state on the news that Trump had offered to buy/fund some vaccine production as long as the US had exclusive rights to it - was I mishearing it?

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/...avirus-vaccine

[DracoM]

Absolutely typical of him - if reports are true! Blimey.

[LMcD]

Fear not leader Shapps says we can go for a walk as long as we keep our non-social distance from others ...

... but did Shapps consult Hancock before announcing this seemingly welcome 'take' on the latter's pronouncement yesterday? Surely the sensible thing to do is not believe anything any politician says but form one's own conclusions and act on them - appropriately and responsibly.
(The scientists seem to be contradicting one another, so they're no help - did a member of the present government not say, a while ago, that we'd all had enough of experts? As for the financial authorities' attempts to calm the markets ....)

[oddoneout]

Just three cases reported so far in Shropshire. I went to the theatre in Shrewsbury last Thursday and it was full, mainly of older folk. A 10-km run through the town also went ahead yesterday, as planned.

The show was The Buddy Holly Story. Not really my thing but I went to accompany someone else. I suppose the elderly were reliving their youths but I was surprised there were hardly any younger people interested in this sort of music.

But what do such figures mean in real terms I wonder given the highly selective and limited testing that is being carried out? As a volunteer friend remarked, speaking as someone who spends a great deal of time going through archive material, if future historians or other researchers choose to study the current events one has to hope that suitable disclaimers/caveats appear with the data.

[Pulcinella]

Here is a link to some thoughts/considerations from the Making Music website:

https://www.makingmusic.org.uk/news/coronavirus-considerations-leisure-time-music-groups

[Dave2002]

Given that some of us may be out of action for some while - as suggested in this evening's press conference - some of us might want to spend the time contemplating the maths - such as the SIR model - which is discussed in this article - https://www.maa.org/press/periodical...equation-model

This maths does apply to similar diseases, but may still not be sufficently close to the reality to describe what will happen fully. We might have greater understanding in - say - six months time.

[cloughie]

Any choir members on the forum suspended rehearsals? We are making a decision this evening.

[Historian]

Any choir members on the forum suspended rehearsals? We are making a decision this evening.

Yes; suspended not cancelled as yet. Continuation depends on whether the concert will go ahead. Bit of a shame as something else was cancelled today which had enabled me to go to this week's rehearsal after all.

Special dilemma if a chorus has a more 'mature' membership (or at least a significant number falling into that category).

As people have already pointed out this is all very bad news for professional musicians/singers, all those who work with them and for musical organisations. Wonder how keen the government would be to help them out financially? [I realise that we already know the answer to that question.]

[Flay]

Any choir members on the forum suspended rehearsals? We are making a decision this evening.

That is a situation when face masks could help.

I am undecided about masks, but am inclined to say we should all be wearing them when outside. The official attitude here is that they don't prevent you getting infected. That may be the case. However those already infected have the potential to spread it widely, because they may be asymptomatic for the first couple of days, before self-isolation can start. Containing their spray of droplets when they are speaking or coughing (or singing!) could be protective to others.

My brother in Hong Kong points out that they have massively contained the infection, as has Singapore. He is very worried about the UK's lax attitude which implies we're all going to get it, but to do so in a controlled manner so the NHS can cope (which it cannot). We could stop the virus if we stop infecting each other.

He points out that 1 in 25 who survive COVID-19 will have permanent lung damage.

[gradus]

At least one local choir has cancelled all rehearsals and performances until further notice

[kernelbogey]

@PaulBrandITV
Massive problem for restaurants, pubs, entertainment industries. Government says don't go, but has not enforced closure, meaning none of them can claim insurance.

One event organiser tells me: "If they don't enforce any closures then pretty much the whole arts will go bust."
9
6:52 PM - Mar 16, 2020

Guardian report on No10 presser quotes a pub landlord saying that if the government doesn't tell pubs to close they can't claim on insurance and are likely to go bust.

Speculation in tweet above that same applies to arts organisations.

[Bryn]

That is a situation when face masks could help.

I am undecided about masks, but am inclined to say we should all be wearing them when outside. The official attitude here is that they don't prevent you getting infected. That may be the case. However those already infected have the potential to spread it widely, because they may be asymptomatic for the first couple of days, before self-isolation can start. Containing their spray of droplets when they are speaking or coughing (or singing!) could be protective to others.

My brother in Hong Kong points out that they have massively contained the infection, as has Singapore. He is very worried about the UK's lax attitude which implies we're all going to get it, but to do so in a controlled manner so the NHS can cope (which it cannot). We could stop the virus if we stop infecting each other.

He points out that 1 in 25 who survive COVID-19 will have permanent lung damage.

Salutary information, Flay. Many thanks.