Admin Post: IMPORTANT!

[pensnest]

Hi All

We may have a problem with Camp, and need to discuss matters with you all in good time. Hence this post. I know that some of you are already making travel arrangements, so nopseud and I wanted to get this out as soon as possible. Please let people know that they need to check Dreamwidth, if they are not usually online here.

It is the Corona virus, of course. CV is already here in the UK, not sure which counties have been listed, and it probably doesn't matter where it is now, because by June, presumably, it will look different. As a result, there could be a lot of disruption to travel; there could be difficulty doing touristy things, or, some of us could be ill or infected and unable to attend. There could be increased risk from being in planes. There could be advice from various governments about whether it is safe to travel. Who knows.

Something else I would like to mention: I was talking to someone last night who works for an insurance company, and who advised those present that anyone who wants travel insurance that will cover disruption to travel due to the health scare, get your travel insurance right NOW, because in a couple of weeks' time you won't be able to buy it any more.

Anyway.

So we have to figure out whether we are going to go ahead with Camp.

Financially, the deal is this: I have paid the deposit on the house (£800), and the remainder of the cost (£2,266) must be paid in late April (eight weeks before our booking starts). I usually put it on my credit card, and am reimbursed after Camp, when everyone has paid. If we cancel after paying the full rental, the payment is non-refundable unless they can fill the house during our week, or at least part of the week, in which case we would get some back. If we cancel early, we lose the deposit (we only get it back if they can re-let the house for the entire week). If they have to advertise the place as a late cancellation, there is usually a reduction in the price so we would not get back everything we have paid. Well, *I* have paid.

If we decide to go ahead, I think we need firm commitments from you that you will be paying a share of the rental even if you can't make it, for *whatever* reason. In other words, even if Camp does not happen, you'll pay your share. Or if you're ill and cannot come, you'll pay your share. Etc. (Obviously if Camp happens and you are unable to be there, you won't be paying for food!)

Alternatively, we cancel, in which case our options are:

1. Cancel now, on the grounds that it gives the best chance of the house being re-let and us getting the deposit back.

2. See how things go, and reconsider cancelling in late April rather than paying the balance.

Your thoughts?


ETA I'm not, personally, that scared of the virus itself, though Beast is more worried than I am. What does worry me is what our government, and/or other governments, may do to try to deal with it. Italy seems to have clamped down on all kinds of stuff. It may be that the UK government will decide that being *seen* to be doing something is better than actually doing something useful. Additionally, if it does take stronger hold, I can see flights being cancelled (for lack of passengers - people won't want to be cooped up in a plane with potential sources of infection), considerable disruption to travel, that kind of thing.

From comments, it looks as though waiting until April is the best choice.

Comments

[sperrywink]

Just a reminder that I will not be at Camp this year since I have the cruise in August (which will hopefully still happen, but I have insurance if it doesn't.)

GOod luck!

[fleurrochard]

I can't be at Camp anyway, since I couldn't get that time off, but I hope you all find a good solution!

[iconis]

I won’t be able to attend Camp this year but I hope you all can come to a satisfactory result. <3

[bubbleforest]

I won't be able to make it this year unfortunately. :/

[fadedsouls]

I won't be able to make it to Camp this year either. I did get the time off work, but I'm thinking of moving across the country to where my mom and sister live next summer-ish (if I get a job there and find a house I can afford and all that), so I do need to start saving for that as house prices are higher (and I want a house this time, not apartment). So while I would love to go, especially since I missed last year as well, I'm going to have to do some adutling and give up fun for the sake of saving money. Adulting sucks by the way.

[saba1789]

I know I previously said that I wasn't sure about making it this year but I was by now actually planning to go.

Currently much more worried about my planned trip to Japan in 2 weeks than being worried about trips in June also still being affected by this :DDD:
I guess it would make sense to rather cancel everything now if not enough people can commit to Camp than taking the chance later?

[rikes]

I would be very sad if there was no Camp Sparkle this year. Time-wise I would be able to attend, and was planning on doing so.

However, I haven't booked any flights yet so it would not be a financial problem either way.

I am willing to wait until April to make the final decision (also willing to cover a part of the deposit in case they aren't able to re-let the house for the week), though it is of course entirely possible that we won't be any wiser by then.

[turlough]

I don't think there's any reason to cancel Camp because of CV. There's far too much scaremongering going on in the press and online.

From what I've read the virus isn't nearly as contagious as was first believed and the number of deaths is just a tiny bit above what's normal for most influensas (and is happening among the same group of already vulnerable patients). Also, the number of new cases in China has started to level off. The only thing that makes it more problematic than an "ordinary" influensa is that there is no vaccine.

[adelate]

I’ve really been looking forward to Camp and wouldn’t want to cancel. Can we see what’s happening in April? For my part I could commit financially to cover my part of it if enough people agree, and I also don’t have flights yet so it’s not that big of a deal money wise.

[chalcopyrite]

Add me to the "Really looking forward to Camp, don't want to cancel!" list. I *have* bought plane tickets, for what it's worth, but it's just because I have to get my ducks (and dogs) lined up early.

Wait and reassess in a month/late April? I can also commit to covering my part of the deposit if we do decide to cancel then and you don't get it back.

(And thank you for the tip about travel insurance!)

[ninjetti75]

It's EXTREMELY unlikely that I'll be able to afford the airfare this year (air travel prices and my personal expenses are just as high as they've been for the past several years, sadly,) so I wasn't PLANNING on coming, but I agree that "wait and see" seems like the best option. (My understanding is that Turlough is right; CV isn't that much worse than most other viruses, only being deadly to the elderly & infirm, just like any other virus. It seems to lead to pneumonia somewhat frighteningly easily, and it's true there's no vaccine as yet, but it's not like CV is the Bubonic Plague or HIV or something.)

[chalcopyrite]

Something we're leaving out here: how do *you* feel about it? You're the one putting your financial neck out, and you also have An Elder to consider. Are *you* worried about the Camp Crud being particularly virulent this year?

[ihearthings_ii]

At the moment, at least the Danish Foreign Ministry is not advising against going to the UK, so I would still want to go ahead. I mean for me, I would still go ahead and then later if there's a more serious or official warning against going sure, but then I'm guessing we would also be able to use 'force majeure' for pulling out of the house?

[nopseud]

Once we've paid the money to the house owners, then it's gone unless they relet the week, and even if they do it's highly likely it would be at a lower rate and we wouldn't get back the full amount. Unfortunately, there's no provision in the contract for any reason for cancellation that gets the money back.

[bettina]

I was planning to come to Camp, so I'm voting for a "wait and see" tactic. I'd be happy to pay my share, even in the case I wouldn't be able to make it.

[turlough]

Psst, if you want another pair of socks take the poll.

[bettina]

<333

[ephemera]

a) whatever if the least-stress option for you has my blessing
b) having spent the past week doing *hours* of Covid-19 contingency planning at work, my vote is on revisiting this decision closer to the full payment deadline in late April (by which point we are likely to have a better sense of if it's a damp squib or the zombie apocalypse in the UK) and am happy to pay my share of the deposit if we can't get it back.

[stellamira]

Volcano, virus, I'm beginning to think Camp is doomed by V words...

Sadly, I very likely won't be able to make it. My vacation planning is messy this year, and I want to start looking for a different job (again), so I fear some vacation days will get used for that.

[letterboys]

Unfortunately due to the status of my job search, I won't be able to attend Camp this year as well. I miss all of you :(

[turlough]

Just wanted to add that I'm also willing to pay my share of the deposit if the decision will be to cancel Camp this year. In any case I think we should wait until April to make a final decision. Whatever will happen should have had plenty of time to do so before then.

PS It looks like Italy will serve as a warning example of how NOT to handle this. Their clamping down just seems to have made things worse.

[turps]

For what it's worth as I would have only been able to come down for a day visit/overnight/couple of days only. I think waiting until April is a good choice.

[msktrnanny]

backing the wait until April train.

EDIT: Maybe I'll just come with everything I own and stay. What a mess.

[turlough]

♥♥♥

PS If you want another pair of socks take the poll.

[msktrnanny]

I will not say no to more fabulous Turlough socks! Poll filled out. <3