Covid And The Rest of Us

[Karin1984]

I don't think that's the case at all. We Aussies LOVE to travel; we just think a 5 hour flight to Bali is short! I’ve travelled overseas 5 times in the last 6 years, with my international flights ranging from 11 hours to 16 hours. My sister had a big trip to the States (where her best friends live) and Europe planned. My aunt is a travel agent who normally does multiple trips a year. I have family in the UK and Uganda (with a baby arriving in both countries by the end of the year) who we can’t see. Not being able to travel overseas definitely isn’t a normal thing. At the moment I can’t go further than 5km from my house! That’s DEFINITELY not normal for us! I think that the majority of us just think that it is worth sacrificing our normal for the time being.

Like we in the Netherlands are a very small country and think everything over an hour drive is far away I mean, when you drive from East to West in NL for an hour you are basically half way through the country!

News from NL, we put more places in France and Spain in the 'please quarantaine upon return'-zone.

I am currently vacationing for a few days in Berlin and I would really recommend it to whoever can travel to Germany (or at least Berlin). Everything is well arranged, the majority of the people does what they need to do.
It was busy at the Brandenburger Tor and the Spy museum should let in less people per time slot, but overall, well done!

I flew in Business via Paris with Air France and also there, it was all managed well. Except they didnt let me where my cute Disney mask

 

[bavaria]

I am currently vacationing for a few days in Berlin and I would really recommend it to whoever can travel to Germany (or at least Berlin). Everything is well arranged, the majority of the people does what they need to do.

Amazing to think that the museums already opened from first week of May, isn't it? I was so lucky to finally get a slot to visit the Boros Bunker (private collection of contemporary art, which requires a guide and had groups of I think 10 maximum, tickets so rare) earlier this year before everything shut down. But it is the perfect social distanced way to enjoy contemporary art as it is in a huge German railways WWII air raid bunker which was eventually purchased by a millionaire, and filled with his favourite contemporary art.

Hamburger Bahnhof is not private, so easy to get a ticket, and another huge space (an old train station) filled with contemporary art.

There are a lot of big open spaces in Berlin which act as temporary spaces for art, or light installations, etc which are great socially distanced options too.

 

[Karin1984]

Amazing to think that the museums already opened from first week of May, isn't it? I was so lucky to finally get a slot to visit the Boros Bunker (private collection of contemporary art, which requires a guide and had groups of I think 10 maximum, tickets so rare) earlier this year before everything shut down. But it is the perfect social distanced way to enjoy contemporary art as it is in a huge German railways WWII air raid bunker which was eventually purchased by a millionaire, and filled with his favourite contemporary art.

Hamburger Bahnhof is not private, so easy to get a ticket, and another huge space (an old train station) filled with contemporary art.

There are a lot of big open spaces in Berlin which act as temporary spaces for art, or light installations, etc which are great socially distanced options too.

Contemporary art is not really my thing, but that Berlin has so much art in the open air definitely played part in my decision to come here.

The National Gallery was deserted today, for several rooms I was the only one or only with two others.

The big park was amazing, I love the atmosphere, and people kept their distance.

I went to the Jewish museum yesterday and I think they only reopened this week.
I had planned to go the Jewish museum in Amsterdam, but as Amsterdam is a hotspot, they are discouraging people to go to the capital.

 

[ronandannette]

Like we in the Netherlands are a very small country and think everything over an hour drive is far away I mean, when you drive from East to West in NL for an hour you are basically half way through the country!

News from NL, we put more places in France and Spain in the 'please quarantaine upon return'-zone.

I am currently vacationing for a few days in Berlin and I would really recommend it to whoever can travel to Germany (or at least Berlin). Everything is well arranged, the majority of the people does what they need to do.
It was busy at the Brandenburger Tor and the Spy museum should let in less people per time slot, but overall, well done!

I flew in Business via Paris with Air France and also there, it was all managed well. Except they didnt let me where my cute Disney mask

Just curious - why would you fly to Berlin via Paris from Holland? It seems like it would be a very short, direct flight. Also, is the thing about the Disney mask a little joke or was there really some reason that you couldn't wear it?

Just an aside, I took a day trip for a brief visit with family last weekend. I went from my home in Calgary to Edmonton, the capital city of our province, and back on Saturday. It's a 3+hour drive each way and absolutely nothing out of the ordinary around here!

 

[Karin1984]

Just curious - why would you fly to Berlin via Paris from Holland? It seems like it would be a very short, direct flight. Also, is the thing about the Disney mask a little joke or was there really some reason that you couldn't wear it?

I wanted to take the scenic route!
No, I like to play the Frequent Flyer game. Flying in Business class via Paris (or via Amsterdam) is a relatively cheap way to earn as many status points as possible within my Frequent Flyer program within Europe. Especially now that they have a special double points offer to encourage flying again.

Taking a direct flight in Business Class within Europe is about 750-850 euro. Via Paris in Business Class is about half the amount of money (about 400 - 500 euro) but double the amount of status points.

The original plan was to play this game in April from Amsterdam to Paris to Vienna, which is less of a detour than Berlin. Of course, April was cancelled and I got a voucher.
When I booked my flight to Berlin, I decided to keep the route via Paris in Business class instead of a direct Economy flight.
My reasons:
- I had already paid the amount of the voucher months ago, I didn't feel it in my wallet anyway.
- If I used only part of the voucher, I would get a new voucher for the remaining amount, and I just do not feel like keeping track of how much I have on each voucher (I have more vouchers on more airlines as more trips got cancelled this year)
- Travelling in Business class guarantees me the middle seat being empty.
- I have a seat at the front of the cabin, I can board last, and de-board first, reducing the contact with other passengers.
- I have 3 weeks of vacation at the moment, I had planned to be in the US. I couldn't give back my vacation days, I had to use them. So, time was something I have,
In the end it is probably a good thing. I leave tomorrow and for most part of the day there is a huge storm predicted over NL. Taking a detour via Paris I arrive at the end of the day when the storm is almost over. So no additional delays.

And no, the mask was no joke. The airline I work for just asks her passengers to wear a mask, we do not care if it is home made or not. I must admit, I didn't really check what Air France' rules are (shame on me!), I scanned through the rules, saw the word 'mask' and thought: Check!

I was wearing my Disney mask and was stopped at the gate before boarding, telling me that Air France only allows the surgical masks (the blue/white disposable ones you can get at almost every store now). They were handing out masks at the gate and in the plane for those who didn't have one. I had brought a package myself. No big deal.
I do not know what the reason is. The only thing I can think of is that they know these masks fit properly. When a flight attendant walks by to check, she doesn't have to pay extra attention to all the homemade masks.

 

[ronandannette]

I wanted to take the scenic route!
No, I like to play the Frequent Flyer game. Flying in Business class via Paris (or via Amsterdam) is a relatively cheap way to earn as many status points as possible within my Frequent Flyer program within Europe. Especially now that they have a special double points offer to encourage flying again.

Taking a direct flight in Business Class within Europe is about 750-850 euro. Via Paris in Business Class is about half the amount of money (about 400 - 500 euro) but double the amount of status points.

The original plan was to play this game in April from Amsterdam to Paris to Vienna, which is less of a detour than Berlin. Of course, April was cancelled and I got a voucher.
When I booked my flight to Berlin, I decided to keep the route via Paris in Business class instead of a direct Economy flight.
My reasons:
- I had already paid the amount of the voucher months ago, I didn't feel it in my wallet anyway.
- If I used only part of the voucher, I would get a new voucher for the remaining amount, and I just do not feel like keeping track of how much I have on each voucher (I have more vouchers on more airlines as more trips got cancelled this year)
- Travelling in Business class guarantees me the middle seat being empty.
- I have a seat at the front of the cabin, I can board last, and de-board first, reducing the contact with other passengers.
- I have 3 weeks of vacation at the moment, I had planned to be in the US. I couldn't give back my vacation days, I had to use them. So, time was something I have,
In the end it is probably a good thing. I leave tomorrow and for most part of the day there is a huge storm predicted over NL. Taking a detour via Paris I arrive at the end of the day when the storm is almost over. So no additional delays.

And no, the mask was no joke. The airline I work for just asks her passengers to wear a mask, we do not care if it is home made or not. I must admit, I didn't really check what Air France' rules are (shame on me!), I scanned through the rules, saw the word 'mask' and thought: Check!

I was wearing my Disney mask and was stopped at the gate before boarding, telling me that Air France only allows the surgical masks (the blue/white disposable ones you can get at almost every store now). They were handing out masks at the gate and in the plane for those who didn't have one. I had brought a package myself. No big deal.
I do not know what the reason is. The only thing I can think of is that they know these masks fit properly. When a flight attendant walks by to check, she doesn't have to pay extra attention to all the homemade masks.

Neat! Flying true business or first class is still an unfulfilled dream of mine. I'm fainting at the costs you're quoting though - 850E is $1,400CAD. Even at 500E (+$700CAD) I'm just too cheap. I do also wonder if Air France just has a chip on their shoulder about Disney?!? A couple of years ago we flew from Paris to Barcelona after a brief visit to DLP. I had a spiffy new set of Disney-themed luggage DH had given me as a gift. The gate agent slapped a huge adhesive Air France sticker right across Mickey's face on my carry-on; I haven't been able to get it all off to this day.

 

[Karin1984]

Neat! Flying true business or first class is still an unfulfilled dream of mine. I'm fainting at the costs you're quoting though - 850E is $1,400CAD. Even at 500E (+$700CAD) I'm just too cheap. I do also wonder if Air France just has a chip on their shoulder about Disney?!? A couple of years ago we flew from Paris to Barcelona after a brief visit to DLP. I had a spiffy new set of Disney-themed luggage DH had given me as a gift. The gate agent slapped a huge adhesive Air France sticker right across Mickey's face on my carry-on; I haven't been able to get it all off to this day.

Flying in Business class within Europe isn't true Business class ;-) It's glorified Economy.
Air France is a partner of Disney. Not sure if they still have this benefit, but for a long time Air France employees could get discounts on park tickets and AP, I believe. And several times they have had big meetings at the convention center at Disneyland Paris. So they must like something... ;-)

 

[MommyinHonduras]

Two things to report. I know my first person on the island who has tested positive. He is in his mid 70s and in great health for his age. He thought he has a cold and was home resting but he is a volunteer at our local clinic and was diagnosed with pneumonia so they tested him for covid due to his age and symptoms. He says he's doing ok, but he has a gaggle of ladies making sure he is fed and cared for. Second. a covid center just opened today. It has beds for 30, will room for more and is set up in a church. I attached a photo.

 

[ronandannette]

Two things to report. I know my first person on the island who has tested positive. He is in his mid 70s and in great health for his age. He thought he has a cold and was home resting but he is a volunteer at our local clinic and was diagnosed with pneumonia so they tested him for covid due to his age and symptoms. He says he's doing ok, but he has a gaggle of ladies making sure he is fed and cared for. Second. a covid center just opened today. It has beds for 30, will room for more and is set up in a church. I attached a photo.

Thanks for letting us know and I wish him well. Have you been in contact? Will you now get tested?

 

[MommyinHonduras]

Thanks for letting us know and I wish him well. Have you been in contact? Will you now get tested?

Only contact by phone to check on him.

 

[bavaria]

Karin is being a good, kind neighbour and didn't want to air our dirty linen.

The reality is that getting in and out of Berlin is not easy, due to the 'new' BER airport being almost a decade overdue, and billions overcost. It's now due to open later this year (I signed up to be a tester a few times but have given up at this point) People bought flats to be near 'work', took new jobs, hotels were built, infrastructure developed, and this miracle of German efficiency and construction kept failing. In fact, the monitors had images burned into them from being on for so long and had to be replaced, along with the entire fire system, and much, much more.

After reunification, there were 3 airports. (During the DDR times Lufthansa was not allowed to fly the corridor, so LTU flew which later became Air Berlin. Air Berlin went broke last year. Lufthansa's first flight to Berlin was in 1990) As of a few years ago, there were only 2 airports, but after AB went broke most flights were moved to TXL (Tegel) as part of the plan to shut down the 3 old airports. Our poster from KC will recognise TXL as it is the same spectacular layout as MCI airport ie lounges before security, and one security line for every two gates, which backs up people endlessly and means having to queue longer than at any other German airport.

Landing at TXL is actually so quick and easy, but exit and good luck. There is a bus, but no train. And the new Hauptbahnhof was opened for the football WM 2006, but the problem is that the main train station isn't actually in the city centre.

Every time I fly out of Berlin, I swear that I will take the train the next time. But the train is also not a good option. It's about 4 hours to Frankfurt Airport! Until last year, it actually took longer to travel from Berlin to Dresden by train than it did in 1935. (That's because we had different guage rail lines in east and west Germany, just like we had two different versions of the Sandman, and two different kinds of lego, which did not stick together.)

So Karin was kind and claimed that she was concerned re her FF miles, but the sad truth is that it is almost impossible to get to/from the capital city of the most powerful country in Europe with any ease!


Edited to add: a few years ago when BER was 'finally' going to open (for about the 4th time), I got to fly a special flight when they had to ferry planes around Germany (TXL is not really an international airport except to Turkey and a few other places) So we all got to board a Lufthansa 747 for a flight which took about 25 minutes from Berlin to Frankfurt! (It's actually very interesting when they open a new airport and have to move planes. Istanbul opened a few years ago - stupid new airport - and they had to move all the plans from old IST to new IST overnight)

 

[anthony2k7]

Difficult to know which covid thread to post this in but I'll go with this one...

https://news.sky.com/story/coronavi...h-covid-19-for-a-second-time-reports-12056933
So that's now 3 confirmed people caught covid for a 2nd time.

 

[billlaurie]

Difficult to know which covid thread to post this in but I'll go with this one...

https://news.sky.com/story/coronavi...h-covid-19-for-a-second-time-reports-12056933
So that's now 3 confirmed people caught covid for a 2nd time.

This doesn't surprise me at all given the nature of coronaviruses and the fact that we know there are already different variants of Covid19. This is especially a problem with the elderly and those with weakened immune systems but hopefully most people will experience a milder form or asymptomatic the 2nd, third time etc. But then there's the contagion factor and exposing the vulnerable. Vaccine may help but isn't going to be the end all that people are hoping for.

 

[bavaria]

ARGH! Word is that Germany is going to abandon testing from high risk countries and reimpose the 14 day quarantine for arrivals from the 150++ countries on the RKI list. I hope that at least they keep the testing stations free and open for anyone at the Autobahn, train stations, and airports.n

The association wants politicians to “find ways to use the available testing capacity more efficiently”, and says that “dismantling the test infrastructure would be completely the wrong way to go”

https://www.flightglobal.com/strate...esting-and-reimpose-quarantine/139903.article

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Two things to report. I know my first person on the island who has tested positive. He is in his mid 70s and in great health for his age. He thought he has a cold and was home resting but he is a volunteer at our local clinic and was diagnosed with pneumonia so they tested him for covid due to his age and symptoms. He says he's doing ok, but he has a gaggle of ladies making sure he is fed and cared for. Second. a covid center just opened today. It has beds for 30, will room for more and is set up in a church. I attached a photo.

Looks like a cute set up but it’s lacking barriers between patients and individual negative air flow to keep airborne germs contained. Patients will have to wear masks, which will be tough. Hopefully it won’t be needed for an onslaught of cases? I also don’t see a lot of room for supplies and oxygen canisters and such. I worked in our Covid ICUs and there was a lot of equipment in rooms.

Difficult to know which covid thread to post this in but I'll go with this one...

https://news.sky.com/story/coronavi...h-covid-19-for-a-second-time-reports-12056933
So that's now 3 confirmed people caught covid for a 2nd time.

ETA Forgot to say, thanks for posting!

This doesn't surprise me at all given the nature of coronaviruses and the fact that we know there are already different variants of Covid19. This is especially a problem with the elderly and those with weakened immune systems but hopefully most people will experience a milder form or asymptomatic the 2nd, third time etc. But then there's the contagion factor and exposing the vulnerable. Vaccine may help but isn't going to be the end all that people are hoping for.

To the bolded, I would hope that, like with the flu shot, they will be able to add parts from different strains. It may end up varying year to year like the flu shot does, too.

 

[billlaurie]

To the bolded, I would hope that, like with the flu shot, they will be able to add parts from different strains. It may end up varying year to year like the flu shot does, too.
[/QUOTE]
I envision vaccine development and administration being very much like influenza, with all the same issues (i.e., constantly trying to stay ahead of the next strain and reduced efficacy in the elderly).

 

[Karin1984]

Every time I fly out of Berlin, I swear that I will take the train the next time. But the train is also not a good option. It's about 4 hours to Frankfurt Airport! Until last year, it actually took longer to travel from Berlin to Dresden by train than it did in 1935. (That's because we had different guage rail lines in east and west Germany, just like we had two different versions of the Sandman, and two different kinds of lego, which did not stick together.)

So Karin was kind and claimed that she was concerned re her FF miles, but the sad truth is that it is almost impossible to get to/from the capital city of the most powerful country in Europe with any ease!

Oh I agree with that, Berlin Tegel is not the best of airports in Europe. To put it mildly ;-) The strangest thing I witnessed today at Tegel was that we had two unaccompanied minors on the flight, and for both, the parents/caretakers were allowed to go through security, to the gate, say their goodbyes and wait at the gate for the plane to take off... At Amsterdam Airport, no one gets through security without a ticket. I thought that was a rule at all airports nowadays.

Difficult to know which covid thread to post this in but I'll go with this one...

https://news.sky.com/story/coronavi...h-covid-19-for-a-second-time-reports-12056933
So that's now 3 confirmed people caught covid for a 2nd time.

That's not up to date, the article only speaks about 1 person in NL, while I've read a Dutch article where we already have 2 people who are repeat-patients.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I envision vaccine development and administration being very much like influenza, with all the same issues (i.e., constantly trying to stay ahead of the next strain and reduced efficacy in the elderly).

My biggest concern about the vaccine not being the end-all-be-all is that roughly fifty percent of people say they aren’t going to take it. (Or a fairly large percentage of people, anyway.)

 

[MommyinHonduras]

Looks like a cute set up but it’s lacking barriers between patients and individual negative air flow to keep airborne germs contained. Patients will have to wear masks, which will be tough. Hopefully it won’t be needed for an onslaught of cases? I also don’t see a lot of room for supplies and oxygen canisters and such. I worked in our Covid ICUs and there was a lot of equipment in rooms.

ETA Forgot to say, thanks for posting!

They are having people bring down plastic shower curtains they they will be hanging up. But right now the regulations say that if you are not in your home, you have to have a mask on everywhere, so yes all people will be wearing masks at all times in the center. We have only has a handful of cases, but testing has been VERY selective. They have been sending tests out and it takes 2-4 weeks to get results. We have a PCR testing machine but they just used it for the first time yesterday... and of the around 130 tests, 60 came back positive, We have 8 in the hospital as of yesterday. I am not sure at what point they will have more than day patients at the covid center I posted. We do have 100 breathing bpap machines that were donated from New York, but we do not have the medical staff to work them. Last I heard there was only one nurse on the island who had been trained to use one.

 

[Heigh-Ho]

ARGH! Word is that Germany is going to abandon testing from high risk countries and reimpose the 14 day quarantine for arrivals from the 150++ countries on the RKI list. I hope that at least they keep the testing stations free and open for anyone at the Autobahn, train stations, and airports.n



https://www.flightglobal.com/strate...esting-and-reimpose-quarantine/139903.article

That seems like really big news. In reading the article this seems less about the virus itself and more about economy/travel patterns of the citizens maybe? I could be off base but I was thinking about that because of this statement in the article: “Testing obligations were necessary to control return traffic and prevent returnees from staying in quarantine for a long time,” says the spokesperson. “With the end of the summer holiday season we return to long-term quarantine rules.” I just find that interesting that testing appears to be mostly able to happen (as in supplies) but the reliance on testing versus quarantines is done based on movement frequency I guess for lack of a better term. Sorry I may be explaining my thoughts terribly here.