Coronavirus - how is it/has it affected you?

[Khamelion]

Apparently John Travolta has contracted it. He's got chills and they're multiplying and he's losing control ….

I'll get my coat.

Yeah turns out he contracted Saturday night fever, not covid-19

 

[USER1999]

I have hay fever. I walked into the petrol station yesterday with the sniffles. It got some interesting looks.

 

[Khamelion]

The company I work for has a travel ban in place for all but the more essential travel. My trip to Paris for work was cancelled and we are looking at increrasing our Internet edge BW to accomodate people working from home as part of our BCP plan. No direct impact yet other than a lot of bosses getting their knickers in a knot and doing very good impersoantions of headless chickens, it's starting to run like an episode of Dad's Army

 

[CliveW]

I'm off to Turkey in April and hopefully all will be OK. Currently the cost of our flight has reduced by half from what we paid in May last year.

 

[SteveJay]

Just starting to affect us. Daughter's work has 2 confirmed cases and a planned few days away to Nice next month for me and the wife is looking unlikely.

I was fairly relaxed thinking it is only like the flu for most that contract it, but hearing the news from Italy last night where hospitals have insufficient intensive care units to cope, it does sound more serious, although numbers are still relatively low and all the panic here seems over the top.

 

[Tashyboy]

4 days to Mexico and hopefully loads of Coronas ?

 

[Beezerk]

4 days to Mexico and hopefully loads of Coronas ?

?
Which hotel mate?

 

[Papas1982]

Missus starting to panic as we're due to head to Portugal 1st April.

I'll be miffed if it's cancelled as I got an absolute bargain that will not doubt not be available in summer or October half term

 

[Tashyboy]

?
Which hotel mate?

Occidental puerto nuevo. Hopefully. Just sorting out golf tops and shorts. Think al get away with short socks. ?

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

My pension fund will have taken a hammering...I do not want to look. This could delay my hanging up of my boots

 

[Orikoru]

We are meant to be flying out to Bratislava in a couple of weeks for a long weekend so I'm just hoping nothing happens to get that cancelled at the minute.

 

[Deleted member 18121]

Just been discussing this at work.....the conspiracy theorists are in full flow: so bearing in mind all thats going on in the world with carbon netural etc a suggested "solution" voiced by many is population control. So what better than a government started illness that could wipe out large portions of the old and infirm......

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Genuine question.
what would you hope he does?

having read a few of your posts, your lad works in this industry through choice and so takes his chances. Events like this will always run with loose contracts as there is clearly no need for full time staff.

His situation is no different from anyone who is self-employed or works on a zero hours contract.

If he is ill, then he does not work and loses any income he might have made during that period. He also knows that June, July and August are low periods for his work - as winter is for gardeners - and so works to accommodates that accordingly. Yes - that's the name of the game.

But he works on the assumptions that his customers (event management companies) continue to provide him with work with reasonable advance notice (most do not have salaried reps such as what my son does), so that he can see gaps and fill them - or plan for having no income. But the current situation is different and very worrying for him. He has a good workload in place for March and April - and would expect to be advised of May work in the next few weeks. But he has no idea what might happen to his March and April work as it could all be cancelled tomorrow - and clearly has no idea if there will be ANY work in May.

There are very many in this country who are self-employed or work in zero hours service industries - services often that you and I might use. What about them when the work stops and they have no income to pay their bills? Do their employers have any responsibility to these employees? Do we through our taxes not ourselves have a responsibility to them in circumstances such as we find ourselves in - where it is not the companies who will determine what happens to work - but the government.

But since you ask what he is doing to mitigate at least some of the risk - he and his partner are both having their Universal Credit interviews today. And so hopefully they will get some support from the state.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Just been discussing this at work.....the conspiracy theorists are in full flow: so bearing in mind all thats going on in the world with carbon netural etc a suggested "solution" voiced by many is population control. So what better than a government started illness that could wipe out large portions of the old and infirm......

Heard the same conspiratorial rubbish as being a solution concocted to address the UK's Elderly Social Care problem.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

£2300! Wow hopefully it won't come to that.

The cost of private medical care when there is an existing condition or risk is eek! My Mrs was quoted £520/month for private Medical Cover for her existing condition (in remission from BC)...

 

[Robster59]

Our company has now banned non-essential people from going into our main offices. I was scheduled for a meeting in a pharmaceutical company today which they have cancelled over Covid 19 concerns. Our company has banned non-essential travel and the use of shared pool cars.
I feel like walking around with a bell shouting "unclean, unclean!"

 

[Kellfire]

Life goes on as normal so far. One lad refused to shake anyone’s hand after football last night. We’ve got a coronavirus pod at work, which I didn’t realise until today.

 

[Papas1982]

His situation is no different from anyone who is self-employed or works on a zero hours contract.

If he is ill, then he does not work and loses any income he might have made during that period. He also knows that June, July and August are low periods for his work - as winter is for gardeners - and so works to accommodates that accordingly. Yes - that's the name of the game.

But he works on the assumptions that his customers (event management companies) continue to provide him with work with reasonable advance notice (most do not have salaried reps such as what my son does), so that he can see gaps and fill them - or plan for having no income. But the current situation is different and very worrying for him. He has a good workload in place for March and April - and would expect to be advised of May work in the next few weeks. But he has no idea what might happen to his March and April work as it could all be cancelled tomorrow - and clearly has no idea if there will be ANY work in May.

There are very many in this country who are self-employed or work in zero hours service industries - services often that you and I might use. What about them when the work stops and they have no income to pay their bills? Do their employers have any responsibility to these employees? Do we through our taxes not ourselves have a responsibility to them in circumstances such as we find ourselves in - where it is not the companies who will determine what happens to work - but the government.

But since you ask what he is doing to mitigate at least some of the risk - he and his partner are both having their Universal Credit interviews today. And so hopefully they will get some support from the state.

I meant what would you like the chancellor to do...
Not your son. Obviously we can all only prepare do much ourselves.

The majority of people I know will struggle if they lose 2 weeks wages.

Unfortunately low hour contracts are here to stay. Its either that or fire 75% of people in them and jeep the ones ehi can guarantee availability for 39 hours plus.

 

[IanM]

Pension fund has taken a severe kick in the doodahs

 

[Rooter]

Home life, no difference, really starting to affect my work now...

2 planned works in Italy cancelled.
Event in Athens for April cancelled.
Israel imposing a 2 week isolation on arrival will delay 3 deployment projects
Next 2 days i am at the Excel for a large event
Next week flying to Belgrade for another large event.