Virus and Gigs

[Haddock]

Anyone cancelling gigs to avoid the virus yet? Despite living in a part of the world more remote than most, it seems a lot of folk about here are already shutting down operations or at least thinking about it. Ive got a gig in the local hotel tomorrow which is unlikely to breach the government guidelines about gatherings of more than 500 people but cancelling was still discussed due to the fact that most folk here are in the wrong age group and have plenty of quality ‘underlying conditions’. Still there’s only one case in the whole of highland region and its quite big!
Just curious to see what everyone else is thinking..
Cheers
Calum

[Donny Johnston]

Hi Calum, Just noticed the North Steelies have canceled there next meeting, they're going to leave it till May. Donny

[Haddock]

Thanks Donny. I got your email and will respond shortly. Re tomorrows gig, the band are thinking ‘give the virus a big Colintraive finger’ so we’re doing it anyway. If John is to be believed, its the banjo that will kill them so I’ll not take it and do the banjo stuff on the steel. That’s what the chromatic strings were meant for anyway.......
Cheers
Calum

[JohnDavisStringsHere]

[Jif]

I was intending to go to Gartcosh this month and was going to wait until nearer the time to see what the situation was and decide then, I know you guys who organise it don't have that luxury as decisions re booking the hall etc have to be made in advance.

Having just recovered from a viral infection, (not corona virus), which lasted about 3 weeks and involved the triage nurse calling out the paramedics to my house as she thought I may be having a heart attack, I think I'll probably give it a miss and live to Gartcosh another day. As it happens the severe chest pains I was having were caused by viral inflammation of resident scar tissue I have around my rib cage, I had a major chest operation when I was 12 and this has occured over the years on occasion but never as bad as this. They also found that my blood pressure was and remains in hypertension and have prescribed even more pills to try and bring it down. So I will err on the side of caution.

Looking at the facts such as they are, it is predicted that the UK will be approaching the same scenario as Italy within the next 2-3 weeks where medics don't have enough equipment to deal with all the serious cases and are having to make spot decisions on who gets treatment and who doesn't. The current approach in the UK is to attempt to stagger the rate of infection so the hospitals are not overwhelmed all at once. Given that they are not mass testing, many could be carrying the virus without knowing it and it is believed that this is responsible for the rapid spread of the virus. I just read this on the BBC website indicating that the Government will be asking all people over 70 to self isolate within weeks.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-51895873

There is also a point of view that small gatherings are worse than large gatherings such as football matches due to the intimate nature of smaller gatherings. The virus can live for up to 72 hours on a hard surface such as door handles....

It is probably inevitable that most of us will contract it at some stage, we can only hope that the plan to stagger it works and enough ventilators are available for everyone who requires treatment.

Sorry to sound like the messenger of doom, but there's little doubt in my mind things are going to get very bad in quite a short space of time. Good luck everyone and hopefully we will all get through this and live to play another day

[nevada150]

Hi Geoff,
This is exactly why we decided to postpone the North East Steelies meeting. We’re all in the “at risk” group, and even though it’s only a small group, around eight or nine attendees, it seems that could be the most vulnerable number. Let’s hope the authorities make the right decisions in the near future.
I’m still recovering from a recent Umbilical Hernia operation and I can only heap praise on the NHS.
Regards.
Keith

[Jif]

Hi Geoff,
This is exactly why we decided to postpone the North East Steelies meeting. We’re all in the “at risk” group, and even though it’s only a small group, around eight or nine attendees, it seems that could be the most vulnerable number. Let’s hope the authorities make the right decisions in the near future.
I’m still recovering from a recent Umbilical Hernia operation and I can only heap praise on the NHS.
Regards.
Keith

Hi Keith, yeah I've had more than my fair share of experience of the NHS and feel exactly the same, it aint perfect but it's damn good and the people who work in it deserve gratitude and respect for their excellent work.

On the bright side, you won't have to put strain on that hernia lifting heavy cases

Stay well.

[bazmusicman]

As I am in the 'danger age group' for this Corona Virus and I like playing music, I wondered if they had any music venues in heaven so I went to a clairvoyant to find out.

She got in touch with the other side and said there was some good news and some bad news. I said, "what is the good news"?
she said "they do indeed have a lovely clubhouse / venue where they have entertainment, dancing, music etc."

I said, "great, whats the bad news"? She said "your booked it to play next Thursday".....

[Uncle Roy]

very funny Baz hope it's only a joke, you ain't ready for that mate you still need to play down here on earth.

[bazmusicman]

Yes Roy, only a joke (I hope!) but at 76 time isn't on my side, but 'hey' I work up this morning so everything else is a bonus!