Large gatherings ie Crufts

[Gertie75]

At the press conference yesterday they were saying that we are currently in the containment and delay phase of the outbreak so why haven't they decided to stop large gatherings of people yet?
Surely that's a big step towards helping limit the spread.

Crufts starts tomorrow for 4 days and they'll have 160,000 people in 5 halls from all over the world, it seems like that's a prime place for it to spread.

I guess... just a guess that it's up to the organisers to cancel or change it and another guess finanaciallly not viable.

It appears crufts are remaining open but is consulting ongoing with lots of health bodies eg defra, department of health

It doesn't make sense to me, they said they won't cancel gatherings yet however may do down the line but wouldn't it help more to do it early on to try and limit it rather than wait until it's out of control.

I agree, I think that would be sensible

I agree with you. This line of ‘we’re not at that stage yet’ makes no sense. By the time we’re there it’ll be too late!

The London Book Fair which has 25,000 attendees has just been cancelled.

I think they should cancel. A dog show isn't exactly essential is it?!

It should be cancelled, the dogs will cope with their disappointment admirably I'm sure.

I think it should be cancelled. As already said, cancelling large events like this, especially when people are travelling from overseas to attend, should be done as a matter of course to limit the spread.

the dogs will cope with their disappointment admirably I'm sure

Thank you for giving me a little smile tonight!

Agree it should be cancelled.

Then next week it's the St Patrick's Day festival in Ireland and Gold Cup in Cheltenham. The later attracted 266000 at racecourse last year, employs 6000 staff, as well as pubs being full and families going for shopping/Cotswolds - 85000 use the shuttle buses day.

It's going to be interesting and unfortunate to see if we get any hotspots, stating these events as the transmission time.

I don't think Cheltenham is quite as international as crufts, obviously there will be the odd horse/spectator coming a long way but they huge majority will be from the UK and Ireland and a handful from the likes of France, I'd still be surprised if it wasn't cancelled as it's a bit further down the line. It wound be devastating though for many yards who have spent the entire year preparing their horses specifically for the event

Crafts can't just cancel - insurance doesn't pay out if you choose not to go ahead.

It needs to be told that as a public health measure it must not take place.

These decisions are important, and it is the government who should be making them. Public health should not just be left up to event directors, nor should the event have to risk bankrupting itself by ceding to demands to cancel in uninsured circs

Agree with the EdithWeston Crufts, if cancelled due to social media pressure would lose millions of pounds, it's all well and good saying it's only money but that's real people's lives who would go bankrupt, lay of staff, cause financial and mental issues. The risk of suicide after bankruptcy is high, the social impact of people losing their jobs. Crufts is a massive business which supports thousands of other businesses.
However I do agree the government needs to make a decision and then insurances will pay out, people will still lose a lot of money but not as much.

I think it is irresponsible for these large events to go ahead, in the circumstances, as usual profits before health.

The responsibility for publication c health r sets with PHE and tye government.

Not event directors

Of course individuals can decide not to participate (traders could decide to tale the loss and not usebtheir stand, entrants could give it a miss thus year, spectators choose not to go, other staff risk the disciplinary and refuse to attend.

I think that things like Crufts are going to be what makes it all kick off.