COVID-19, Edinburgh Congress, SNCL etc.

[George Neave]

We are moving towards a busy period in the CS calendar: SNCL Round 7, Team Lightening, Richardson Semis & Edinburgh Congress.

In light of the spread of coronavirus cases in Scotland, media messages about a likely epidemic and advice to avoid large crowds in enclosed spaces, I wonder what the current thinking is of organisers for these events? If the situation does escalate as looks likely then I'd think current plans must be at risk. I note chessbase is reporting many international opens have been cancelled and we've even seen a withdrawal from the candidates as a consequence of this. 

What is the thinking here?

[Jim Webster]

Currently we are following the guidelines issued by FIDE, and the Scottish government.

I, or Andy, will post the current FIDE guidelines on the website news page sometime today.

Many of the events publish by ChessBase have a large entries affecting international travel.

We will continue to monitor this situation for all Chess Scottish events as well as the SNCL and Edinburgh Congress. At the present time we are still in the governments "containment phase" and as soon as then changes we will follow the given advice.
 

BBC News:-
The UK remains in the "containment" phase of tracing coronavirus cases to prevent it spreading in the community, England's deputy chief medical officer has said.
Jennie Harries told the BBC a decision about the next phase of delaying the spread of the virus would depend on how fast the number of cases rose.
But she said the UK was "teetering on the edge" of sustained transmission.
Measures to slow the virus needed to be "proportionate", she said.

BBC Scotland:-
On Friday, the number of cases of the virus in Scotland rose to 11.
The Scottish government said two of the new Covid-19 cases were in Fife, with one each in the Grampian, Forth Valley and Lothian health board areas.

Coronavirus in Scotland - Health board Confirmed cases

• Tayside 1
  
• Ayrshire & Arran 1
  
• Forth Valley 2
  
• Greater Glasgow & Clyde 1
  
• Grampian 3
  
• Fife 2
  
• Lothian 1
  

Source: Scottish government

[George Neave]

Currently we are following the guidelines issued by FIDE, and the Scottish government.

I, or Andy, will post the current FIDE guidelines on the website news page sometime today.

Many of the events publish by ChessBase have a large entries affecting international travel.

We will continue to monitor this situation for all Chess Scottish events as well as the SNCL and Edinburgh Congress. At the present time we are still in the governments "containment phase" and as soon as then changes we will follow the given advice.
 

BBC News:-
The UK remains in the "containment" phase of tracing coronavirus cases to prevent it spreading in the community, England's deputy chief medical officer has said.
Jennie Harries told the BBC a decision about the next phase of delaying the spread of the virus would depend on how fast the number of cases rose.
But she said the UK was "teetering on the edge" of sustained transmission.
Measures to slow the virus needed to be "proportionate", she said.

BBC Scotland:-
On Friday, the number of cases of the virus in Scotland rose to 11.
The Scottish government said two of the new Covid-19 cases were in Fife, with one each in the Grampian, Forth Valley and Lothian health board areas.

Coronavirus in Scotland - Health board Confirmed cases

• Tayside 1
  
• Ayrshire & Arran 1
  
• Forth Valley 2
  
• Greater Glasgow & Clyde 1
  
• Grampian 3
  
• Fife 2
  
• Lothian 1
  

Source: Scottish government

Thanks Jim. Appreciate it's a fast moving situation. Also conscious Edinburgh often attracts players from all over the country including overseas and, to my mind, the typical chess congress resembles precisely the sort of gathering to avoid should we move into the "delay" stage e.g. demographic with high % male and over 50 with many players in close proximity all touching pieces already touched by many others etc. Hopefully we don't move to "delay". I'd like to be playing but can't see it happening if the numbers go up as many are predicting. I am sure I am not alone there. Fingers crossed for now then and timely updates will be appreciated. Thanks again.

[Jim Webster]

I have now published the FIDE Guidelines on the CS News Page.

[Alan Tate]

So the official line is not to shake hands then?

[amuir]

"We are moving towards a busy period in the CS calendar: SNCL Round 7, Team Lightning, Richardson Semis & Edinburgh Congress."
Are these events definitely taking place or can they be called off at short notice due to escalating situation ?

[harrymarron]

"We are moving towards a busy period in the CS calendar: SNCL Round 7, Team Lightning, Richardson Semis & Edinburgh Congress."
Are these events definitely taking place or can they be called off at short notice due to escalating situation ?

I think it would be fairly obvious that in the middle of a virus pandemic, pretty much nothing is definite and anything is possible! I'm sure those with responsibility for organising events will be monitoring the fast moving situation and communicate appropriate decisions timeously.

[donaldheron]

I have entered for Edinburgh by post but I looked to see if I was there and I was not and I noticed on the online entry there was a heading saying that Edinburgh was inactive and the online entry was for demonstration purposes.  So, without saying it is cancelled it looks like it is.  Is it?

[Glynis Grant]

George, etal. Please see my post in League Announcements which confirms I have cancelled SNCL 29th March.

[JMcNicoll]

A notice is now on the online entry page cancelling the Edinburgh congress