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The London Festival of Railway Modelling- 21 & 22 March 2020


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11 hours ago, TEAMYAKIMA said:

have you seen Beijiao in the flesh or just on Rmweb?

 

I saw it in the flesh at last year's Stevenage show - very impressed, among other things, by the detail in the cameos in the buildings, even more so looking at your thread on here and seeing them in close up. 

 

 

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I've had another chat with our exhibitions team and they are still working on the show being business as usual, based on the advice coming from the government. Ally Pally will be installing hand sanitising stations and visitors will be encouraged to maintain high levels of hygiene.

 

Obviously, they will be watching how things progress and if there is any change, again, based on government advice, we'll let you know.

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59 minutes ago, Phil Parker said:

I've had another chat with our exhibitions team and they are still working on the show being business as usual, based on the advice coming from the government. Ally Pally will be installing hand sanitising stations and visitors will be encouraged to maintain high levels of hygiene.

 

Obviously, they will be watching how things progress and if there is any change, again, based on government advice, we'll let you know.

 

Great! And have you been able to change the ‘hand stamp for reentry’ policy?

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Our exhibitions team are contacting exhibitors and traders to advise the following with respect to Ally Pally.

 

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Coronavirus protocol / self-declaration

 

Warner’s deliver great shows offering great experiences in a safe and enjoyable environment and will continue to operate as planned.

 

In keeping with this we have been working extensively over the last few days to review our protocols and working processes given the potential for a Coronavirus outbreak affecting the UK.

 

We are following guidance and advice provided by The World Health Organisation and Public Health England.  We are also working closely with our venues and we have attached a self-declaration form that will need to be completed and returned.

 

We ask that you send this to all your sub-contractors/staff working the show.  We do not need a response from individual people but do need confirmation from you that all your staff have completed this self-declaration. Any individual unable to do so will not be permitted access to the site by Alexandra Palace Security.

 

 

The 'self-declaration' which is being put in place by Alexandra Palace asks for the following confirmation.

 

Quote

Public Health England have categorised locations/countries of interest into two categories as per https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-specified-countries-and-areas/covid-19-specified-countries-and-areas-with-implications-for-returning-travellers-or-visitors-arriving-in-the-uk 

 

As part of these plans, we require all clients operating events at Alexandra Palace to confirm that all staff working on site for the event undertake a self-declaration regarding their own personal movements for assurance purposes.

 

Please can you make sure that all staff working on your event at Alexandra Palace have confirmed that at least one of the below three statements applies to them prior to individual arriving at Alexandra Palace and presenting for a shift:

 

1. They have not travelled to a country or location listed in either Category 1 or Category 2 within a period of 14 days prior to their shift at Alexandra Palace

2. If they have recently travelled from a Category 1 country to the UK that they have completed a 14 day period of self-isolation and followed all associated NHS advice prior and received confirmation from a medical professional that it is appropriate for them to present at the Alexandra Palace

3. If they have recently travelled from a Category 2 country to the UK, that they will leave the site immediately upon the onset of any flu like or other symptoms and return to a location where they can self-isolate and call NHS 111 for further advice.

 

Please make sure that you have a process in place so that any team member leaving site can contact you as their employer and inform them of the situation. Should any team member be unable to confirm that one of the above statements applies to them then they cannot work on site for your event at Alexandra Palace and recommend that the individual contacts NHS 111 to seek further advice.

 

All forms are to be returned in advance of the show.

 

It's a pro-active stance to ensure there is clarity and reduce the risk of the virus being brought in by site staff or exhibition traders and exhibitors.

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1 hour ago, bart2day said:

Great! And have you been able to change the ‘hand stamp for reentry’ policy?

 

I'll ask. Not sure what the alternative is at this stage but then they are the experts.

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39 minutes ago, PenrithBeacon said:

Or even a ticket that you can keep?

It does always feel somewhat wasteful that they give you a ticket at the till, and then take it off you a minute later at the hand stamping station.

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On 29/02/2020 at 11:43, John M Upton said:

The whole virus thing is being blown out of all proportion by the media, it's a bug, blow you nose, wash your hands, keep calm and carry on.

 

On 29/02/2020 at 12:19, woodenhead said:

Is it?

 

The NHS are clearly preparing for something and having ships isolated at ports would suggest governments are concerned so I think it is more than just a bug.

 

But I agree with the sentiment that good hygiene is probably a big player in controlling it's spread and we do need to carry on as normal as we can otherwise we will all just be crippled with fear. 

 

Covid 19 to give it its propper name is not just 'a bug'....

 

....HOWEVER it is basically no different from the flu virus which the UK has sucessfully coped with every winter for decades!

 

IF you are unlucky enough to catch Covid 19 then yes, you are likely to have an unplessent couple of weeks while the body fights it off - but assuming you are otherwise healthy with no underlying health conditions then you are pretty much garunteed to make a total recovery quite quickly. Again I repat this is the NORMAL situation for a bad case of flu and the world doesn't fall apart every winter when it happens....

 

IF you are however mature in years very young, pregant or have underlying health problems (acepting that some folk may not be awere they have said underlying conditions till its too late) then as with flu, Covid 19 is much more dangerious.

 

Therefore while its true to say that the public need to be alert and make sure they obay basic hbygne practices (i.e. washing hands before eating, not coughing over others, etc) its equally true that the media are 100% guilty of masively over egging the risks to society / business / the world / etc.

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On 01/03/2020 at 17:36, bart2day said:

 

If your friend has a serious condition, why is he coming at all? Out of courtesy, people who are not well should try not to infect others and going to a big event like that is bound to increase the chances.

 

A 'condition' IS NOT AN ILLNESS!

 

Moreover with the levels of medical science pressent these days many previously life threatening 'illnesses' can instead be controled and contained via drugs allowing the person aflicted to maintain the same lifestyle as everyone else - including visiting model railway exhibitions.

 

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I'm exhibiting at the show and whilst it's all very well asking us exhibitors /traders if we have been in cat 1 and Cat 2 countries, it's the visitors who are more likely to be the problem! 

 

I am personally waiting to see how it goes in the next week, as an asthmatic and over 60 I already have grave concerns over my exposure risk not just at the show but at the hotel and any eating / drinking establishments we need to use. If the infection figures continue to ramp up in the next week I'm seriously considering pulling the plug myself, it's not an acceptable risk to the operating crew and myself. 

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18 minutes ago, Persephone said:

it's the visitors who are more likely to be the problem! 

 

I believe there are optional plans in consideration, if necessary, for asking visitors if they fit the same categories. It'll be an evolving consideration but at least there are active plans to assess the position rather than any finger-crossing.

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3 minutes ago, AY Mod said:

 

I believe there are optional plans in consideration, if necessary, for asking visitors if they fit the same categories. It'll be an evolving consideration but at least there are active plans to assess the position rather than any finger-crossing.

Thanks Andy that provides a measure of assurance. 

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8 minutes ago, Castlefinn said:

It does seem odd one rule for exhibitors and another for visitors,a lack of joined up thinking? Andy.

 

It's an evolving situation. Asking the exhibitors and traders is easy so it can be implemented even if you aren't sure it is required. Asking the public is a much bigger problem, it will need more staff for a start. I'd expect a trader interacting with loads of people to be more of a risk than a single visitor who doesn't talk to anyone.

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As noted, there is a lot of disinformation about concerning Coronavirus / Covid19.  As I understand it, it is basically a form of flu.  But there is no  general immunity nor vaccine at present.  Thus, the expectation is that more people will get Covid19 than the general seasonal flu - hence the references to "epidemic".

 

One key thing that isn't clear is how long after catching the virus you first become infectious and start spreading the illness to others.  I would guess that this could be at least a day or so.

 

Another "issue" would seem to be that the impact is variable - some people being more affected than others.  I suspect that a few people mildly affected don't realise they have Covid19 and carry on as usual believing the have a mild cold.  This would explain the recent cases where the virus has infected people with no obvious connection with the countries in question.

 

In terms of visitors, at the bag search, each visitor could be asked if they have recently been to any of the affected countries.  You might need an extra security guard to escort them off the premises if they answer yes. 

 

Even so, the main risk will be the traders and their interaction with visitors.  There may be an increased risk where operators operate from the front of the layout rather than the back due to increased proximity to visitors.  Also there is a risk between exhibitors and traders as I suspect that they share the same exhibitors' lounge for meals etc.  So sending the questionnaire to both exhibitors and traders is sensible.

 

And hand sanitisers at the entrance for use by all visitors is another useful precaution.

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Employing security to “escort visitors off the premises” if they’ve visited any of a number of countries seems pretty Draconian. It’s here. It’s going to spread. Tinkering about the edge with that stuff like that is pretty futile IMO. 

 

If people want to definitively avoid it they shouldn’t go.

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I fully support the hand sanitizer provision idea even though I have trouble using it at this time of year due to dry cracked hands that when that stuff gets in the cracks it stings like hell!!!

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How can anyone be sure that when they ask someone about Cat 1 or Cat 2 country visits, that the person asked will answer truthfully? I'm pretty sure there will be some who go to an event of any kind who would lie in order for their enjoyment at the event not to be stopped.

 

I'm also of the opinion that this is a new form of 'flu', and will eventually become endemic. All we're doing right now is slowing it down to see if we can put together a vaccine so its effects are lessened.

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15 hours ago, phil-b259 said:

 

 

Covid 19 to give it its propper name is not just 'a bug'....

 

....HOWEVER it is basically no different from the flu virus which the UK has sucessfully coped with every winter for decades!

 

IF you are unlucky enough to catch Covid 19 then yes, you are likely to have an unplessent couple of weeks while the body fights it off - but assuming you are otherwise healthy with no underlying health conditions then you are pretty much garunteed to make a total recovery quite quickly. Again I repat this is the NORMAL situation for a bad case of flu and the world doesn't fall apart every winter when it happens....

 

IF you are however mature in years very young, pregant or have underlying health problems (acepting that some folk may not be awere they have said underlying conditions till its too late) then as with flu, Covid 19 is much more dangerious.

 

Therefore while its true to say that the public need to be alert and make sure they obay basic hbygne practices (i.e. washing hands before eating, not coughing over others, etc) its equally true that the media are 100% guilty of masively over egging the risks to society / business / the world / etc.

 

The stats on the WHO website show a mortality rate of 0.1% for Influenza and around 3% for covid-19 although it's likely to be less than that due to unknown mild carriers.

Last week a 23 year old female athlete died of it and in Italy 49 people died in 1 day so I expect your assertion that it is no different from flu is wrong.

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8 minutes ago, maico said:

 

The stats on the WHO website show a mortality rate of 0.1% for Influenza and around 3% for covid-19 although it's likely to be less than that due to unknown mild carriers.

Last week a 23 year old female athlete died of it and in Italy 49 people died in 1 day so I expect your assertion that it is no different from flu is wrong.

 

Firstly, we have had flu vacines avalible for many years and as such there will be a proportion of folk who avoid catching flu as a result. There is no Covid-19 vacine and the virus itself is a new one. Wvry person that survives it will end up with an imune system better positioned to fight it off in future, while in time vacines could bring the morality rates down.

 

Secondly, you haven't clarified how many of those people in itally already had underlying heath conditions (both known and unknown) which have been cited in the majority of deaths so far. We know that things like being old or young will adversely affect the ability of the immune system to right off an infection - particularly a new one.

 

Thirdly, I would susgest that due to the nature of their ocupantion, athletes may well end up being more sesnitive to respotarty illness (if your body has to work hard drawing oxygen into the lungs then you may draw in more virus 'particles' and they may travel deeper than someone else who does not require that level of lung capacity.

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