GPWizard F1 Forum
F1 News & Discussions => General F1 Discussion => Topic started by: cosworth151 on August 18, 2021, 01:13:30 PM
-
I received a push message on my phone a few minutes ago that the 2021 Grand Prix of Japan has been cancelled due to Covid. I wasn't surprised.
A statement from Formula 1 read: "Following ongoing discussions with the promoter and authorities in Japan the decision has been taken by the Japanese government to cancel the race this season due to ongoing complexities of the pandemic in the country.
"Formula 1 is now working on the details of the revised calendar and will announce the final details in the coming weeks."
I doubt it will be the last cancellation. With the governor of Texas taking anyone who requires masks to court, I think Austin is on pretty shaky ground, too.
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.formula-1-confirms-2021-japanese-grand-prix-has-been-cancelled.2Cn8r5e6lIm00IW984WnfW.html
-
I received a push message on my phone a few minutes ago that the 2021 Grand Prix of Japan has been cancelled due to Covid. I wasn't surprised.
A statement from Formula 1 read: "Following ongoing discussions with the promoter and authorities in Japan the decision has been taken by the Japanese government to cancel the race this season due to ongoing complexities of the pandemic in the country.
"Formula 1 is now working on the details of the revised calendar and will announce the final details in the coming weeks."
I doubt it will be the last cancellation. With the governor of Texas taking anyone who requires masks to court, I think Austin is on pretty shaky ground, too.
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.formula-1-confirms-2021-japanese-grand-prix-has-been-cancelled.2Cn8r5e6lIm00IW984WnfW.html
Sad to see races go, but glad to see people taking the pandemic seriously.
I'd expect to see the American GP cancelled... but that means someone in Texas admitting there's a problem. (Glad we didn't have the Miami GP this year, no way they'd agree to cancel an event in Florida)
-
I think you are right Jeri I doubt we'll have a 23 race season, I thought it too long anyhow!
Keep safe people.
-
Interestingly, there's an additional rule I didn't know about, as stated on autosport, https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/how-many-races-does-formula-1-need-to-declare-a-season-4983325/4983325/:
Article 2.4.3.b.i states that in order to qualify as a world championship, the calendar "must include Competitions taking place on at least three continents during the same season."
Currently all races on the other side of the Atlantic are looking shaky, given the Covid rates there. Which would leave only 2 continents. Maybe Canada could jump in? Do they have winter tires in F1? :DD
-
All they really need is tire chains, as Max shows in this vid. Was this a secret test for a late year visit to Montreal? ;)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AsDgI6Ec3fQ
-
Interestingly, there's an additional rule I didn't know about, as stated on autosport, https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/how-many-races-does-formula-1-need-to-declare-a-season-4983325/4983325/:
Article 2.4.3.b.i states that in order to qualify as a world championship, the calendar "must include Competitions taking place on at least three continents during the same season."
Currently all races on the other side of the Atlantic are looking shaky, given the Covid rates there. Which would leave only 2 continents. Maybe Canada could jump in? Do they have winter tires in F1? :DD
Given that Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is a public space most of the year and not a full time race track, I doubt a race can be staged there.
However Canada has the Canadian Tire Motorplex, which previously hosted the Canadian GP when the track was called Mosport. I don't think it's up to snuff for modern F1, but it is a full time race track near Toronto that could be used.
The third track that has held the Canadian Grand Prix is another track near Montreal called Mont Tremblant. It's a full time track but is currently for sale by the owner... Lawrence Stroll. I don't know if it could host an F1 event from an FIA point of view, but I suspect it could be ready from a logistical point of view.
(As for getting around the three continents issue, what about staging a dummy race where the teams agree not to appear at... So it's run but no one is actually there and no points are awarded? Normally the FIA would disqualify such teams, but surely some pretext could be made, if anyone really wanted to push the point)
-
At the moment, there's a standing instruction from the FIA that any rule that would have been complied with but for COVID will be treated as complied with for series validation purposes, unless the FIA thinks that series is deliberately putting itself into noncompliance and using COVID as an excuse.
The FIA will consider F1 to have done its best effort to comply with the 3 continent rule if F1 doesn't cancel anything prematurely or refuse a reasonable offer for an unreasonable excuse (defined generously). F1 still needs one non-European race to make its TV contract (given that Turkey's still on the UK red list), but with 4 such locations still not redlisted yet, at least one of them is likely to come through.
-
The strange world we currently live in! :crazy:
-
Heads-up: Texas is reporting some ICUs are full (https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/texas-covid-19-state-grapples-with-worsening-numbers-as-health-officials-warn-of-full-icus/ar-AANuGMC?ocid=msedgntp) (322 beds available across the entire state) and some people needing intensive care are having to be sent to neighbouring states. This does not seem compatible with hosting a Grand Prix, though given the Texas governor has tested positive for COVID-19, it may be a couple of weeks before we get a definite answer.
-
Heads-up: Texas is reporting some ICUs are full (https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/texas-covid-19-state-grapples-with-worsening-numbers-as-health-officials-warn-of-full-icus/ar-AANuGMC?ocid=msedgntp) (322 beds available across the entire state) and some people needing intensive care are having to be sent to neighbouring states. This does not seem compatible with hosting a Grand Prix, though given the Texas governor has tested positive for COVID-19, it may be a couple of weeks before we get a definite answer.
The Governor's of Texas and Florida could come down with the
plaque and they'd act like it was a slight cold
-
Here in the States, we now refer to Florida & Texas as our national petri dishes.
-
Heads-up: Texas is reporting some ICUs are full (https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/texas-covid-19-state-grapples-with-worsening-numbers-as-health-officials-warn-of-full-icus/ar-AANuGMC?ocid=msedgntp) (322 beds available across the entire state) and some people needing intensive care are having to be sent to neighbouring states. This does not seem compatible with hosting a Grand Prix, though given the Texas governor has tested positive for COVID-19, it may be a couple of weeks before we get a definite answer.
The Governor's of Texas and Florida could come down with the
plaque and they'd act like it was a slight cold
I don't know who gets to cancel the race, but Texas is acting like everything is business as usual. They are enacting laws that make anti-covid measures ILLEGAL
They can't cancel the race unless a non Texan has the authority to do so.
-
This level of common sense is why drug makers here in the States have to include this warning in all of their adverts: "Do not take this product if you're allergic to it." :confused:
-
Heads-up: Texas is reporting some ICUs are full (https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/texas-covid-19-state-grapples-with-worsening-numbers-as-health-officials-warn-of-full-icus/ar-AANuGMC?ocid=msedgntp) (322 beds available across the entire state) and some people needing intensive care are having to be sent to neighbouring states. This does not seem compatible with hosting a Grand Prix, though given the Texas governor has tested positive for COVID-19, it may be a couple of weeks before we get a definite answer.
The Governor's of Texas and Florida could come down with the
plaque and they'd act like it was a slight cold
I don't know who gets to cancel the race, but Texas is acting like everything is business as usual. They are enacting laws that make anti-covid measures ILLEGAL
They can't cancel the race unless a non Texan has the authority to do so.
The UK government effectively can, by redlisting Texas (that bars any non-essential British person from entering Texas, unless they do a 10-day hotel quarantine afterwards at the traveller's expense). After public pressure, the amber watchlist has been banned, meaning there will no longer be any warning if the USA or any region thereof is going to be redlisted. In practise, I think it is more likely the UK will at least try to restrict by region rather than bar the whole USA in the first instance, though nothing will happen until the UK has finished evacuating the bulk of its people from Afghanistan. Anything else that results in the USA being declared appropriate for essential travel only would also work, or insurers refusing to cover against COVID treatment in the USA - either of which could happen if Texas remains out of ICU beds long enough.
The USA could ban European travel to the USA again, which is the next-most-likely option (although it wouldn't happen if only Texas was affected; it would have to be overwhelming most states in the contiguous USA before the federal level intervened).
If the governor returns from "plague", he might decide to change his mind. It has happened to some politicians (though not all of them were suitably enlightened, and the USA has not cornered the market for that sort of thing).
Also, the UK requires messages on all medicines telling people not to take substances to which they are allergic. This is as much for the doctors as the patients.
-
I have been surprised that Euro tracks have allowed spectators back in the stands. Certain regions are handling covid well and they must feel it is okay to do so. The USA on the other hand, is a bit of a mess, to put it mildly, and for the FIA to allow the F1 teams to enter anywhere in that country is just plain foolish.
Even if no fans are allowed in person, the teams still interact with possible covid carriers from the moment they enter the airports until they leave. Being double vaxxed is no certainty that will not get it.
Here in Canada the restrictions are lessening in certain provinces but to completely open the borders and airports to all international travel is dangerous and shows a rank disregard for the citizen's safety.
I truly enjoy F1 but we should not be racing during this pandemic. Period.
-
The UK's exemption for Silverstone was controversial, and the spike in cases after the British Grand Prix wasn't exactly a good sign (though the World Cup final the previous weekend, a handful of other exempted events, plus the removal of most restrictions the day after the race confused the picture somewhat).
Some other European venues have allowed spectators in line with social distancing protocols.
It should also be added that most of them require vaccination and/or testing - as far as I know, only Bahrain and the UK have allowed recovery from COVID as an additional exemption method. Until about six weeks ago, it was assumed that nearly everyone with double vaccination was safe from COVID. We know now that this is not true, that it's a risk reduction rather than a risk removal, but I don't think Liberty or Texas is ready for that information. The UK government, on the other hand, might be...
-
To Willy and Alianora, whilst I respect your view on the situation I reckon we've just got to learn to live with covid being around.
Of course there are risks in getting back to our lives pre-pandemic style but all life is a risk, surely?
Vaccination never promised we couldn't catch covid, they've always stated that it enormously reduces the chances of death, or prolonged harm, from covid. I believe these claims are holding up, so with some self restrictions & each of us using whatever personal safeguards we feel comfortable with, we should get on with our lives - this includes sporting events, holidays and all the rest of things we enjoy.
Anyone who doesn't wish to take some risk can self isolate to there hearts content, whilst us others take the chance to put some fun back into our dreary lives.
I've always thought it's how we live our lives and quality of life that counts the most, not how we die, so I'm all for allowing events and travel to start opening up.
-
The mayor of Austin says no problem, go ahead & do a double header.
https://racer.com/2021/08/24/austin-mayor-expects-usgp-go-ahead-this-week-open-to-second-race/
BTW, Fox News, the main anti-vax, "it's all a hoax" outlet here in the States, now has a solution. Several of its biggest prime time stars, who preach against the vaccinations constantly, are now promoting ivermectin, a product to de-worm livestock, as a cure for covid. The poison control centers are keeping quite busy.
-
As bad or worse than the Covid Pandemic we are experiencing is the Rampant Stupidity pandemic that seems to accompany it. :fool:
-
The mayor of Austin says no problem, go ahead & do a double header.
https://racer.com/2021/08/24/austin-mayor-expects-usgp-go-ahead-this-week-open-to-second-race/
BTW, Fox News, the main anti-vax, "it's all a hoax" outlet here in the States, now has a solution. Several of its biggest prime time stars, who preach against the vaccinations constantly, are now promoting ivermectin, a product to de-worm livestock, as a cure for covid. The poison control centers are keeping quite busy.
Many years ago I used to make Ivermectin and an unknown fact was that it was given away by MSD to African counties for the treatment of river blindness as they would not be able to afford to buy it and distribute it. Does Covid have worms? :DntKnw: ;)
-
The mayor of Austin says no problem, go ahead & do a double header.
https://racer.com/2021/08/24/austin-mayor-expects-usgp-go-ahead-this-week-open-to-second-race/
BTW, Fox News, the main anti-vax, "it's all a hoax" outlet here in the States, now has a solution. Several of its biggest prime time stars, who preach against the vaccinations constantly, are now promoting ivermectin, a product to de-worm livestock, as a cure for covid. The poison control centers are keeping quite busy.
Many years ago I used to make Ivermectin and an unknown fact was that it was given away by MSD to African counties for the treatment of river blindness as they would not be able to afford to buy it and distribute it. Does Covid have worms? :DntKnw: ;)
Was the Ivermectin a dose for humans. Here there taking it
made for animals. Big difference in dosage
-
The mayor of Austin says no problem, go ahead & do a double header.
https://racer.com/2021/08/24/austin-mayor-expects-usgp-go-ahead-this-week-open-to-second-race/
BTW, Fox News, the main anti-vax, "it's all a hoax" outlet here in the States, now has a solution. Several of its biggest prime time stars, who preach against the vaccinations constantly, are now promoting ivermectin, a product to de-worm livestock, as a cure for covid. The poison control centers are keeping quite busy.
Many years ago I used to make Ivermectin and an unknown fact was that it was given away by MSD to African counties for the treatment of river blindness as they would not be able to afford to buy it and distribute it. Does Covid have worms? :DntKnw: ;)
Was the Ivermectin a dose for humans. Here there taking it
made for animals. Big difference in dosage
It was a High Potency Steroid made for animal health but animal health products are made and regulated the same as manufacturing for human use. Once manufactured their use does change as more gets known about it.
It's use includes and is not restricted to: -
Ivermectin is a medication that is used to treat parasite infestations.
In humans, this includes head lice, scabies, river blindness, strongyloidiasis, trichuriasis, ascariasis, and lymphatic filariasis. In veterinary medicine, it is used to prevent and treat heartworm and acariasis, among other indications.
-
To Willy and Alianora, whilst I respect your view on the situation I reckon we've just got to learn to live with covid being around.
Of course there are risks in getting back to our lives pre-pandemic style but all life is a risk, surely?
That is an extremely bad strategy, given that we now know that 11.5% of people with COVID who don't end up in hospital for the COVID, end up there within the next 6 months with severe neurological or psychiatric problems (the figure for those hospitalised wasn't a statistically significant amount more). That's not counting people who get Long COVID or other respiratory problems (which were specifically excluded from that research) or people whose neurological/psychiatric illnesses didn't result in a diagnosis within 6 months (there's a 3-year waiting list for non-hospital-grade mental illness in my area, people with minor symptoms aren't admitted to the waiting list, and my area was one of the ones covered by this research).
There's already a 5-million-patient waiting list for non-emergency hospital interventions in the UK (that's 1 in 13 people, for anyone keeping score). I'm on that list, as are several other people I know. The more people go with the "live with COVID and assume it's forever" strategy, the longer we will have to wait and the more likely it is that COVID will kill me (and possibly some of the others) regardless of my/our precautions - due to being unable to get treatment (for example, my condition isn't urgent but there is a limit to how long it's possible to delay and it still be possible to treat) due to other people's refusal to take the necessary precautions to avoid getting COVID.
By the way, it looks like the Texas double-header isn't happening (hardly surprising, given it's likely the UK government will bar the UK-based teams from going there, Brazil and Mexico without quarantining afterwards and cancelling a round is easier than cancelling two).
Human ivermectin does not work against COVID (this has been researched - some anecdontal data suggested it might have been worthwhile, hence the internet gossip and research that have since become mis-aligned) and animal ivermectin for a human COVID case is worse than not treating COVID at all.
-
To Willy and Alianora, whilst I respect your view on the situation I reckon we've just got to learn to live with covid being around.
Of course there are risks in getting back to our lives pre-pandemic style but all life is a risk, surely?
The more people go with the "live with COVID and assume it's forever" strategy, the longer we will have to wait and the more likely it is that COVID will kill me (and possibly some of the others) regardless of my/our precautions - due to being unable to get treatment (for example, my condition isn't urgent but there is a limit to how long it's possible to delay and it still be possible to treat) due to other people's refusal to take the necessary precautions to avoid getting COVID.
Alia, I have every sympathy and regard for both you and everyone else on hospital waiting lists and hope you all get treated in not to distant future. However your response about how Covid virus can be eliminated is sadly missing from your otherwise informative reply.
Flu was a mass killer in 1920 on the same scale, or maybe worse than the current pandemic if you just count known deaths around the world, but we now manage Flu viruses and have had to learn to live with them.
Those of us putting forward the proposition that we have to learn to live with covid are not advocating no precautions, rather we are suggesting individuals will have to take increased responsibility for their own safety precautions and well being. Even if this means some people being left with little choice than to stay mostly in a self imposed lockdown.
Before anyone throws human/disability rights into this there's no precedent for limiting or restricting a population at large to level up for alleged discrimination. Balancing provisions against discrimination seek to assist levelling up for affected parties towards median, rather than bringing general median down lower.
Obviously some official rules will still need to stay in place for all of us, e.g. wearing masks on public transport, being tested before being allowed into hospital for elective/planned/investigative treatments, or if any destination requires isolation for arrivals, etc.
It's also possible on odd occasions there may well have to be more emergency rules, even lockdowns, on a short term localised basis should Covid threatens to overwhelm an area/town/region.
-
If everyone obeyed a worldwide 3-week lockdown, there would be no more COVID (and it would also remove all other airborne viruses from humanity).
Good luck getting that organised worldwide, or even in most developed countries, but it's certainly feasible for populations that commit to it together, have a reasonable amount of wealth to start with, and have a mostly enforceable border (e.g. the UK).
The next best thing (this one is possible for every nation) is "breaker lockdowns" buying small windows where it's safe(r) to do things. The more carefully people actually obey the lockdowns and the fewer risks they take between times, the longer those windows become and - eventually - we can have something akin to the common cold, or possibly even something that can be treated like measles instead of the current "evade and hope" if we're lucky. However, even this plan imposes a maximum risk level that people collectively can take before things get worse. This is the path the Western world took for flu, by the way.
Since lots of places refuse to do even that, the next option is for people to deliberately run their lives as low-risk as possible given the demands placed on their lives: only accept socially-distanced, well-ventilated locations (this must include the "sqaush points" such as gates and toilets when discussing mass events), always using masks correctly except where contradindicated, washing hands with soap or alcohol thoroughly every time, getting vaccinated if possible. And yes, that means everyone, not just the ones who feel like it. Very eventually, this is likely to weaken the virus to the point where vaccines can hit measles-like effectiveness.
Finally, there's requiring everyone to limit risk. Which yes, still requires high-risk stuff to be off-limits. This has the longest time period before it's safe to do things. The less strict the requirements, the longer it takes and the more risk of variants with even more vaccine escape than Delta.
This is why I didn't give a solution - there's several solutions, I think most people by this point know what they are, it's up to people collectively to pick one. Note that the earlier options are cheaper and mean less cumulative loss of freedom, but are harder to co-ordinate. If the answers is "no to all of the above", then you'll likely have to live with perhaps 6-7% of people disabled due to things like heart attacks, strokes, psychiatric problems and other things like that (assuming half of the people who have that happen die, and before counting the respiratory stuff that's usually considered "Long COVID", or disability due to non-COVID sources). That's going to curtail a lot of people's freedoms - quite likely everyone still alive by that point.
Yes, there are precedents for limiting and restricting entire populations to level up for discrimination. Several equality laws in the UK, and the ADA in the USA, are among examples of this. Also, when everyone has the same requirement and some happen to need that requirement more than others, arguments against restrictions based on discrimination tend not to work so well.
(While I get that a lot of people are advocating increased personal responsibility for risk, from what I've seen the majority of humans are incapable of that with regard to even the most basic policies. Apart from the vaccines, only enforced restrictions from people more powerful than them helped with that. I would go further but suspect it would bring the forum into over-political territory).
-
If everyone obeyed a worldwide 3-week lockdown, there would be no more COVID (and it would also remove all other airborne viruses from humanity).
This has been my thinking for a long time now. If we'd all just stayed at home for 3 weeks it would have solved the problem. China is pretty much the only country to achieve something close to this and they managed to eradicate the virus for a while (at least as much as we can trust their official figures). It has now returned, I assume through contact with the outside world and I think realistically a complete three week lockdown can't be done. Even with the army on the street - and that would kind of show it's not a 100% lockdown. There will always be "leakages" otherwise you would be telling someone with a stroke in week 1 that they have to wait a couple more weeks for the ambulance to arrive.
Also the draconian way this was implemented in China is in my view somehow worse than the virus, as illiberal as I agree that sounds. The virus is being used by governments around the world, including the "free west", to implement temporary laws to control our lives. We all know these temporary laws eventually become permanent. I am not an anti-vaxxer and have been fully vaccinated and keep on insisting that my relatives in more sceptical countries get on with being vaccinated. I actually think being not being jabbed should be illegal (which I agree goes against my point on controlling our lives). But we all live in societies which are based on common ideals and governments can't just force through rules putting those ideals at risk or we risk waking up in China one day. However, also, we can't just do what we want. We can't just put others at risk through our own personal views.
Which leads to the point of accepting some responsibility for the risks you are willing to take. This is OK for known risks, such as sky diving. No one else is at risk if your parachute fails to open. But essentially telling person A they have to stay at home because person B might be carrying a highly infectious and deadly virus and refuses to get vaccinated is not what I consider to be living in a society.
So I think this should be turned round. Rather than telling the at risk population to stay home, make the unvaccinated to stay home. You can do what you want in your own home. But not on a crowded bus or in busy restaurant.
Sorry for being way off topic. Hopefully the Dutch GP will give us some actual racing to talk about!
-
If the army is on the street for enforcement purposes, then by definition it's not a 100% lockdown (who's locking down the army, when there's no COVID-safe way to physically restrain a citizen from doing what they want)? I presented the worldwide 3-week lockdown because that would be the requirement to get rid of COVID in the shortest theoretically possible time. However, it would require everyone to comply voluntarily, and it would require a lot of preparation that many people really aren't in a position to do even if willing in principle (for example, rock-solid COVID-safe deliveries for everyone).
China managed a substantial lockdown in parts of the country, but it was never total and never across the whole country. They also made a hash of the release process every time, leading to at least two further waves (including their current one). It's definitely realistic to suggest that better lockdowns are possible than what China managed - potentially without having to involve the army at all.
I'm convinced that a lot of anti-vaxxers would be more likely to get vaccinated if they had an open and honest conversation with their doctor, over a cup of tea/coffee/preferred beverage, that focused on accurately filling information gaps and giving cogent personalised advice, rather than making vaccination mandatory. There are also some people who can't get vaccinated. However, we can all be careful with our risk profiles (which includes getting vaccinated if possible, as well as masking where possible and socially distancing).
By the way, there were 15 positive COVID cases in the paddock at Spa this week, out of 2000 or so people.
-
Japan is like Australia and New Zealand - they thought they could keep COVID out rather than vaccinate against it. I'm not sure why there are so many negative comments about China. By business has three factories in China (in three different regions). When COVID first hit, the Government closed the borders and told the people to stay at home and they stayed at home. This didn't need police enforcement and certainly not army enforcement. The Government then arranged a fantastic plan of Vaccination which everyone accepted. When new cases reduced, the Government allowed locals to travel internally and everyone got back to work. In a Country of 1.2 billion people they have hardly any new cases. Of course China is not as free as the west but I have not met anyone during my 30years of travelling in China that feels oppressed. They follow rules because they are brought up to respect authority.
-
Interesting. The information I was getting from China was that the current situation is as bad as it is in much of Europe despite the precautions.
-
Of course it is impossible to be sure if 'reported' information is correct (I read an interesting article recently that suggested the UK is the only country in the World that is reporting accurately). However, China is reporting approximately 30 new cases per day (in >1.2billion population!!!). Most regions are considered completely safe but some parts of Shanghai and Jiangsu are at 'Medium Risk' level. China has administered over 2billion vaccinations and they are just opening up vaccinations for 12 to 14year olds. None of our staff have had the disease and none of them know anyone that has had the disease. Currently the only way anyone can visit China is to isolate in a Government Hotel for 2weeks after entry (I have chosen not to visit - the hotels I normally stay in are 'basic' and not tailored for westerners so I dread to think what a Government selected hotel would be like!)
-
...I have not met anyone during my 30years of travelling in China that feels oppressed. They follow rules because they are brought up to respect authority.
I doubt they would admit being oppressed to their business partners. Ask the owners of Alibaba and Tencent what they think right now! And I am not sure how much they freely respect authority and how much of that is authoritarian rule. What I saw in Bulgaria after Communism collapsed there was half a nation who lost all respect for living in a society and behaved however they wanted and ruined it for the other half. In short authoritarian rule has never taught anyone to respect anything. They just have obedience beaten into them.
I read an interesting article recently that suggested the UK is the only country in the World that is reporting accurately
This might be true, because they have health care system that enables them to be very uniform about how they collect data (other countries also have good healthcare systems but they are federal in nature without central control, eg Germany where results are still faxed between institutions!). This system is also great for running studies and it is why as far as I remember most of the initial epidemiological studies on Covid came out of the UK. So the UK death rate is probably more accurate than most other countries. The case rate on the other hand is purely a function of how much you test and I am not convinced that these numbers can be compared between countries anymore. You want a low case rate? Stop testing! :-)
-
I doubt they would admit being oppressed to their business partners. Ask the owners of Alibaba and Tencent what they think right now! And I am not sure how much they freely respect authority and how much of that is authoritarian rule. What I saw in Bulgaria after Communism collapsed there was half a nation who lost all respect for living in a society and behaved however they wanted and ruined it for the other half. In short authoritarian rule has never taught anyone to respect anything. They just have obedience beaten into them.
My job has required me to work with Chinese colleagues for 20years; visiting several times a year. I am confident that (at least in the regions I work - Guangdong, Zhongshan, Hunan & Shanghai) the people are very happy and generally support the Central Government. They have seen massive improvements in the lifestyle of their families over the years and if they work hard they get the rewards.
-
Of course it is impossible to be sure if 'reported' information is correct (I read an interesting article recently that suggested the UK is the only country in the World that is reporting accurately). However, China is reporting approximately 30 new cases per day (in >1.2billion population!!!). Most regions are considered completely safe but some parts of Shanghai and Jiangsu are at 'Medium Risk' level. China has administered over 2billion vaccinations and they are just opening up vaccinations for 12 to 14year olds. None of our staff have had the disease and none of them know anyone that has had the disease. Currently the only way anyone can visit China is to isolate in a Government Hotel for 2weeks after entry (I have chosen not to visit - the hotels I normally stay in are 'basic' and not tailored for westerners so I dread to think what a Government selected hotel would be like!)
Sounds like it's pot luck (https://www.laprensalatina.com/chinas-quarantine-hotels-for-international-arrivals-not-for-everyone/) - you might get a windowless room or you might get a 5-star hotel with a sea view. The government picked the hotels for cleanliness and staff who understand the protocols fully, not for conventional indicators of quality. This is partly based on how many people get isolated (if you are not going to Beijing or anywhere else on Medium Alert, you're only isolated if you are 3 or fewer rows away from a positive case. And yes, people going to Beijing via land get isolated for 2 weeks, not just international arrivals. Otherwise you do quarantine in the location you registered you were staying). International people cannot go to High Alert locations to avoid making the situations there worse (as far as I know, no part of China currently has that status, but it's a tool in reserve in case of need).
I'm also going to add that the windowless rooms may be terrible, but they're charging $770 for the stay. In the UK, it's £2250 - with a guarantee of 2-star treatment (a window is guaranteed because otherwise the hotel could not have 2-star status) but it almost certainly won't be allowed to be open, due to protocols for securing airflow intended to prevent infections outside the hotel).
By the way, according to Dieter Rencken, Qatar is waiting for proof that F1 won't be a super-spreader event (https://www.racefans.net/2021/09/06/paddock-diary-dutch-grand-prix-part-two/) before accepting an offer to be F1's "TBA" race. If it doesn't like what it sees, the "TBA" race will be Bahrain (which did the vaccinations for the non-UK-based teams).