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Re: (Chess) Life Returning To Normal
Posted: Fri Dec 24, 2021 2:30 pm
by Simon Rogers
News from around the grounds:
2 new Topics on the Shropshire Chess Association website regards COVID and the suspension of OTB chess in the county. One of the Topics is the minutes from the Zoom EGM when the decision was made to suspend OTB activities.
https://www.shropshirechess.org
Topic posted on the Surrey County Chess Association website on the 22nd December in the News category.
"Latest advice on new COVID rules to SCCA clubs from the SCCA Board."
https://www.scca.co.uk
On a brighter note as a Xmas present to you all, on my travels around the country I have picked up a number of tournaments provisionally taking place next year. I'll gradually post these as new Topics in the Congress Diary Category.
Have a merry Christmas.
Re: (Chess) Life Returning To Normal
Posted: Fri Dec 24, 2021 2:42 pm
by Chris Rice
Matt Bridgeman wrote: ↑Fri Dec 24, 2021 12:45 pm
NickFaulks wrote: ↑Fri Dec 24, 2021 12:15 pm
David Gilbert wrote: ↑Fri Dec 24, 2021 9:48 am
Indeed it has. The League may have jumped the gun or it could turn out to be a very sensible action.
Organisations such as the 4NCL, which need to make decisions a month in advance, really have no choice. The LCL may well be at least somewhat in this positions. If a league is in the more fortunate position of being able to take decisions week by week, there is no reason not to do so.
Given the rate at which this latest thing is blasting through London, it could be in our rear view mirror in two or three weeks. At which point, let's get straight back to playing chess.
This does of course make the assumption that there is a reason to stop socialising anyway. I wouldn't be surprised if everyone who is able to get Omicron ( despite vaccinations, natural antibodies, anything else we don't know about ) will get it, although in many cases the only way they will know is by being tested. Preventing this from happening may be both an already lost cause and pointless.
It looks like we get the straight answer finally on Monday 27th as to what restrictions the government have chosen. But I think you’re right, ONS estimated 1 in 20 had it in London last week, and it’s presumably even higher now. I’d guess that picture has to spread countrywide before it eases off. I do recall post-Christmas with the Kent variant was complete carnage, so I’d guess you can write off January as a mess at this point.
Tamara Cohen on
Sky News this morning was saying it was unlikely that there would be any new restrictions on the 27th as the government could argue that Christmas Day and Boxing Day data wouldn't be meaningful. Indeed given Boris's perilous position in attempting to get any new restrictions through I'm guessing he will be eager to argue that any data over the festive period, no matter how bad it is, will not be meaningful enough to take any extra actions well into January.
Re: (Chess) Life Returning To Normal
Posted: Fri Dec 24, 2021 2:42 pm
by Tim Spanton
Simon Rogers wrote: ↑Fri Dec 24, 2021 2:30 pm
News from around the grounds:
2 new Topics on the Shropshire Chess Association website regards COVID and the suspension of OTB chess in the county. One of the Topics is the minutes from the Zoom EGM when the decision was made to suspend OTB activities.
https://www.shropshirechess.org
Topic posted on the Surrey County Chess Association website on the 22nd December in the News category.
"Latest advice on new COVID rules to SCCA clubs from the SCCA Board."
https://www.scca.co.uk
On a brighter note as a Xmas present to you all, on my travels around the country I have picked up a number of tournaments provisionally taking place next year. I'll gradually post these as new Topics in the Congress Diary Category.
Have a merry Christmas.
Don't bother including Hastings ...
Re: (Chess) Life Returning To Normal
Posted: Fri Dec 24, 2021 2:47 pm
by Nick Ivell
I think this thread may be misnamed.
There is no 'normal' any more.
Re: (Chess) Life Returning To Normal
Posted: Fri Dec 24, 2021 3:37 pm
by Stephen Westmoreland
There is a normal. Tomorrow is Christmas Day. The kids will get presents, the whole family will meet up and the chess club night is on Wednesday. Our local league will sort the next round of fixtures next week (well I will sort). Happy Christmas all.
Re: (Chess) Life Returning To Normal
Posted: Fri Dec 24, 2021 4:31 pm
by Matt Mackenzie
The evidence continues to build that Omicron isn't that serious for all but the totally unvaccinated.
There is still the prospect, though receding by the day, that we may be overwhelmed by quantity rather than quality (so to speak) but it is looking ever more likely this isn't after all going to be a death blow for OTB chess.
Re: (Chess) Life Returning To Normal
Posted: Fri Dec 24, 2021 4:36 pm
by Nick Ivell
Quantity is still important. A lot of people not seriously ill - at no risk of dying at all - but having to take time off work for a week or two.
Re: (Chess) Life Returning To Normal
Posted: Fri Dec 24, 2021 5:27 pm
by Matt Bridgeman
Matt Mackenzie wrote: ↑Fri Dec 24, 2021 4:31 pm
The evidence continues to build that Omicron isn't that serious for all but the totally unvaccinated.
There is still the prospect, though receding by the day, that we may be overwhelmed by quantity rather than quality (so to speak) but it is looking ever more likely this isn't after all going to be a death blow for OTB chess.
Apart from I suppose the evidence of hospital admissions being up 92% this week, the highest since Feb.
Re: (Chess) Life Returning To Normal
Posted: Fri Dec 24, 2021 5:33 pm
by Stephen Westmoreland
Re: (Chess) Life Returning To Normal
Posted: Fri Dec 24, 2021 6:08 pm
by Matt Bridgeman
In London I should have added. The hint being it will start to happen outside of London soon.
Re: (Chess) Life Returning To Normal
Posted: Fri Dec 24, 2021 6:56 pm
by Stephen Westmoreland
Matt Bridgeman wrote: ↑Fri Dec 24, 2021 6:08 pm
In London I should have added. The hint being it will start to happen outside of London soon.
Hospitalisations are pretty flat. Also very unclear as many are in for different reasons.
Re: (Chess) Life Returning To Normal
Posted: Fri Dec 24, 2021 6:59 pm
by David Shepherd
I think whether it is milder or not, it is a big mistake to confuse milder with mild. For significant numbers of people this is still an extremely severe illness. Of course there are now mitigating factors that reduce the current risk such as vaccinations, previous exposure and some available treatments, but that is different from classing the virus itself as mild (although of course for large numbers of people it can be mild).
Re: (Chess) Life Returning To Normal
Posted: Fri Dec 24, 2021 7:12 pm
by Matt Mackenzie
Indeed, but that is also true of plenty of ailments that we don't routinely lock down for.
Re: (Chess) Life Returning To Normal
Posted: Fri Dec 24, 2021 7:14 pm
by Nick Ivell
There can be no more lockdowns.
And with that I wish everyone a very merry Christmas.
Re: (Chess) Life Returning To Normal
Posted: Fri Dec 24, 2021 7:19 pm
by Tim Spanton
Matt Mackenzie wrote: ↑Fri Dec 24, 2021 7:12 pm
Indeed, but that is also true of plenty of ailments that we don't routinely lock down for.
Flu and pneumonia, for example: 27,142 deaths in England in 2018; 24,400 in 2019, according to the Office for National Statistics