[Muenchener]

Must he very hard Sam. I am really very relieved now that my last close elderly relative died in January

[James Malloch]

Cheers, sorry teestub, im finding it hard to stay in top of all the info. Sounds like unless that crags in your garden, you are going against advice.

Id probably work if I were you, but id be paranoid about touching anything, e.g. gates etc.. Good luck!

I had a gate opening stick this weekend to avoid any contact 

[andy popp]

Must he very hard Sam. I am really very relieved now that my last close elderly relative died in January

I'm not sure it's relief, but I had similar thoughts about my own parents. However, my late wife's parents are still alive and in their 80s. I worry about them but sadly we're estranged at the moment.

Your situation sounds tough Sam; I hope they make it through.

[Muenchener]

My recently deceased relative was in a care home with severe dementia. Care homes over here now have an absolute ban on visitors, and staff in rooms only in protective gear. He would have been utterly bewildered and terrified - although probably not for very long.

[fatneck]

The Wife and I met up briefly with Fiend at a terrible Wirral venue on Sat PM. He was much better at social distancing than I. Looking likely we will not be climbing in the foreseeable but feeling lucky that I have a park on my doorstep that I can run and fish in without using the car or going more than 2k from my house. This is going to be a Godsend in the coming weeks / months...

[Oldmanmatt]

Must he very hard Sam. I am really very relieved now that my last close elderly relative died in January

I'm not sure it's relief, but I had similar thoughts about my own parents. However, my late wife's parents are still alive and in their 80s. I worry about them but sadly we're estranged at the moment.

Your situation sounds tough Sam; I hope they make it through.

My late wife’s mother is a nurse, living in Lecco (Lombardy), working in a care home. In her late 60’s herself. My eldest daughter (14) has cottoned on to her risky position, but seems stoic.
The kids are close to her and she’s a fit, mountain climbing, woman. They would normally spend a chunk  of their summer holidays with her on the farm, quite high up in the Carpathians above Campulung in Romania.
 I was supposed to go out this year too. I was largely estranged from the extended family there, due to disputes about Lili’s treatments towards the end and have been building bridges again for the past couple of years.
That’s not going to happen. I might have left it too late. I regret that.

[T_B]

Just been to Sainsbury’s, the bakery and post office wearing a mask.

People looking at me in horror.

I don’t disagree with most of what’s been posted here about bouldering, but I do think we need some perspective.

At the moment, given the collective denial of a massive swathe of the population, it might be more helpful to nip down the shops in a mask than stay at home!

[steveri]

I climbed Saturday, 10 mins from home, only me on the crag, fresh chalk - first one up there in a while. Steady stream of people out for a stroll. Said hello to a climber on the way out (as it happens late 60s/70+). Car park was rammed when I got back, busiest I've seen it. My cold is back again today, I don't think it's *that* one but I've stopped my (immuno suppressant) arthritis meds again. I feel like a dick, wanting my 2h of entertainment.

This thing's moving so fast that yesterday's opinion counts for nothing and we'd all do well to be hyper cautious.

[Paul B]

I cycled past Quernmore yesterday and it was pretty eye opening to see that despite the car parks (used mainly by walkers I'd say) at places like Windy Clough being closed (barriers), people had just parked on the road and carried on as normal. As if seeing the place they intended to park closed off didn't even make them reconsider.

 

I'm not talking one or two cars either. I saw very few people on bikes and no groups. Gisburn Forest (MTB trails etc.) is being closed by the Forestry Commission but you can park at various track/entrances (and people do to avoid the parking charge). I can see what's going to happen.

[Muenchener]

This thing's moving so fast that yesterday's opinion counts for nothing and we'd all do well to be hyper cautious.

I got my big scare / tipping point in early. I was in Austria nine days ago - washing my hands, keeping my distance, carrying on. Previously they had pre-announced that they would be closing ski areas and tourist accommodation in a couple of days. Then on Sunday morning they declared national lockdown at one hour's notice.

Got home to Munich with strong advice to regard myself as a leper and self-quarantine, only to have Bavaria declare a state of emergency the next morning - although full lockdown due to idiots ignoring the previous advice didn't come until Friday.

A week for a major shift in one's perception of reality isn't a very long time and I'm still feeling pretty shocked. So I can sort of understand people still being behind the curve on their comprehension of the situation - but I'm still finding it increasingly hard to raise any tolerance or sympathy for them.

[Will Hunt]

I've a friend who was walking in Nepal. When he came down from the Himalaya he was totally behind on what has been happening and was joking about overlanding it across Europe for a laugh. Some strong words brought him more up to date and he then spent £800 on a ticket aboard the last flight out of Nepal. He had a stopover in Abu Dhabi and fortunately is now back in the UK.

Of all the social media and information sources that I have, UKB seems to be at the most heightened state of caution. For those who are just watching the BBC, not reading online articles etc, I can understand why they haven't yet cottoned on to the seriousness. People naturally look to their government for leadership and clarity and timely action has been completely lacking.

[Paul B]

some strong words brought him more up to date and he then spent £800.

The in-laws are still treating Aus. (Sydney) like a holiday saying they'll stay another week or so then fly back (and not bothering their Son in terms of getting them shopping etc.). The government advice on this is still pretty unclear (if I've misread it then please point me in the correct direction); I take it to mean don't travel anywhere unless you have to, they seem to think that includes coming home.

[Will Hunt]

The conversations I'm talking about were a few days ago now, so I'm not sure what the guidance was at that time. I'm not sure what I'd advise your in-laws to do, but one factor is that Sydney will probably be a much easier place to stick around than Kathmandu.

[jwi]

some strong words brought him more up to date and he then spent £800.

The in-laws are still treating Aus. (Sydney) like a holiday saying they'll stay another week or so then fly back (and not bothering their Son in terms of getting them shopping etc.). The government advice on this is still pretty unclear (if I've misread it then please point me in the correct direction); I take it to mean don't travel anywhere unless you have to, they seem to think that includes coming home.

Around 130 000 French citizens are stuck abroad without possibilities to return, due to cancelled flights etc.

In France we hope to return to the crags at the earliest by mid may or so, at least if the confinement is continuing to be relative lax compared to what Chinese experts are recommending. It seems likely that there will be some restrictions on climbing gyms after this to lower the number of people in the gym at the same time etc. Good overview in grimper magazine here https://www.grimper.com/news-coronavirus-quand-pourra-on-retourner-essayer-projets-falaise

[sdm]

some strong words brought him more up to date and he then spent £800.

The in-laws are still treating Aus. (Sydney) like a holiday saying they'll stay another week or so then fly back (and not bothering their Son in terms of getting them shopping etc.). The government advice on this is still pretty unclear (if I've misread it then please point me in the correct direction); I take it to mean don't travel anywhere unless you have to, they seem to think that includes coming home.

My sister is in rural Queensland and is working on the assumption that in a few days, it probably won't be possible to return to the UK.

She is in a weird position as a healthcare worker who emigrated shortly before things got weird. With all the panic, the Australian authorities haven't been able to process her final registration documents so she is currently unable to work.

The NHS have reinstated her registration over here (as they have done automatically for anyone who stopped working within the last 5 years, no additional training required! She has also heard of people in similar positions being offered double their old salaries to return). If her registration didn't come through soon, and if returning to the UK is still an option, they may have to reconsider their decision to emigrate soon.

The conversations I'm talking about were a few days ago now, so I'm not sure what the guidance was at that time. I'm not sure what I'd advise your in-laws to do, but one factor is that Sydney will probably be a much easier place to stick around than Kathmandu.

Isn't Sydney by far the worst hit place in Australia?

In Queensland, they have had rationing on food, loo roll and medical supplies since the weekend. The entire town went 6 days after loo roll supplies ran out before the next delivery arrived.

When new stocks arrived, they were dished out according to the waiting list and were limited to one roll each.

Although they are quite remote and there are no confirmed cases near by, the seriousness of the situation has been hitting people hard there over the last few days.

[Bonjoy]

Just been to Sainsbury’s, the bakery and post office wearing a mask.

People looking at me in horror.

Good on you. It strikes me that fear of embarrassment is the main reason we aren't all wearing homemade mask. That and the myth that they don't reduce risk. The science is clear, even homemade  masks lower risk.

[SA Chris]

I'm making do with a Buff. At least it's cold and windy here.

Wearing a hockey mask and bloodied overalls would guarantee people keep away!

[Will Hunt]

I'm not sure what points (if any) are being made. It had seemed obvious to me that being caught in a developing country whose healthcare system is not likely to be very resilient and where there may be varying quality of sanitation provision was a bad idea.

[spidermonkey09]

Whatever peoples personal views on UKC this seems a good and timely piece.

https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2020/03/outdoor_climbing_-_time_to_put_it_on_hold-72250

[shark]

No outdoor climbing statement on UKC

https://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/ukc/outdoor_climbing_-_time_to_put_it_on_hold-717370

Assume the BMC will do something similar in due course...

[Oldmanmatt]

No outdoor climbing statement on UKC

https://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/ukc/outdoor_climbing_-_time_to_put_it_on_hold-717370

Assume the BMC will do something similar in due course...

I’m not surprised.

Some experienced climbers can’t even manage to refrain from overburdening the NHS, in their own back gardens...

[cheque]

Just had an email from the BMC saying don’t go climbing or hillwalking.

EDIT: It was a whole mailing list thing, not just aimed at me personally.

[mrjonathanr]

Hi jwi, who are the Chinese experts you referenced. Have you got a link- would be interested to know more what they say.

[jwi]

Read it on France info or les echos, do not remember exactly where right now.

[mrjonathanr]

Merci