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Coronavirus: Impact on Theme Parks

JammyH

Hyper Poster
There is now apparently a concern that pubs & restaurants may have to close again in the UK in order to get children back into school in September: https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/12283045/pubs-restaurants-shut-schools-reopen-fully-scientists-warn/

Could this see UK theme parks closed again after the summer holidays?

I think Chris Whitty on this occasion is spot on with his comments, we have reached the limits of what we can open without causing a spike in infections. The positive rate of infections has been sitting at 1.1% for the last three weeks, it hasn't decreased or increased. (Numbers look higher this week but due to testing in targeted areas). Close more businesses down, positive rate shrinks and less infections, but open more things up and the positive rate could skyrocket.

It's not long before pupils are due to go back to school, I'm actually due to go to university myself. There's already been one year of compromised education, all the way from primary to secondary, a levels and gcses cancelled, pupils missing months of vital education. As far as I'm aware, next summer's a levels have already been pushed back to July. This cannot afford to be pushed back any further or more pupil's education will be hindered and the whole structure of the education system could fall apart.

As far as I'm clear the governments plan is to hold the level of infections at this current level until we have scientific breakthrough. Open schools and unis back up, increased social interaction, infections could skyrocket. There has to be a counteracting measure to prevent cases climbing at exponential rates which would put us back into national shutdown. Close businesses such as pubs, and more businesses will go bust and the economy will shrink even further. There needs to be a balance moving forwards.

My personal view is that both not reopening schools or closing pubs are not viable solutions. One of these options has fundamental implications to the future of society and the other cripples the economy. So how do we move forwards?

In my opinion, the way forward is for the UK to finally get strict. This will need to happen through introduction of late night curfews to prevent people staying out too late and getting too drunk and not social distancing, if you are caught on the streets, instant fine. Mandatory masks in all enclosed public spaces, including at restaurants when not sat at your table. Too many people are currently slipping past the mask rules as they think that rules don't apply to them. Immediate fines for those not complying with the rules unless they have a genuine exemption. People not social distancing and gathering in groups above the recommended allowance results in immediate fines and shutdowns of gatherings.

I may be sounding strict and harsh, but we need to get the schools open again, whilst keeping the economy running. If schools open up and we continually let people slip past the rules like we are at the moment, then infection rates will soar again and things will have to close down. The only way I see it feasible to have everything open without more people losing their lives is to toughen up on the rules, and actually enforce them. At the moment the rules are half there, but they aren't enforced, which is all going to have impacts on the infection rate.

On the subject of working at home, for those who have been shielding I think It is very important that they continue to work at home even though the shielding program has ended. If we send everyone back to the office, the trains will get overwhelmed with people leading to viral transmission and offices will have more local outbreaks, because face it, workers aren't going to bother social distancing. It needs to be a fine balance between getting the right amount of people back to the office so numbers don't increase and saving the economy, sending everyone back will just lead to overwhelming the health care system once again.
 

JammyH

Hyper Poster
In other news, Belgium has had a similar daily increase to the UK today and 1/6 of the population.

I expect them to be added to the quarantine list any minute now.
 

ECG

East Coast(er) General
Staff member
Administrator
More Universal updates with operational changes and the temporary closure of several attractions beginning Aug. 9th, including "Fast & Furious: Supercharged," "Fear Factor Live," "A Day in the Park with Barney" and "Kang & Kodos' Twirl 'n' Hurl" at Universal Studios Florida. The "Storm Force Accelatron" and "Poseidon's Fury" experiences at Islands of Adventure are also set to close indefinitely. All good choices IMO, but they could have added "Race Through New York with Jimmy Fallon" as well.
 

JammyH

Hyper Poster
Full list of places where face masks are mandatory in england from 8th august has been released:

  • Funeral directors
  • Premises providing professional, legal or financial services
  • Cinemas
  • Theatres
  • Bingo halls
  • Concert halls
  • Museums, galleries, aquariums, indoor zoos or visitor farms, or other indoor tourist, heritage or cultural sites
  • Nail, beauty, hair salons and barbers - other than where necessary to remove for treatments
  • Massage parlours
  • Public areas in hotels and hostels
  • Places of worship
  • Libraries and public reading rooms
  • Community centres
  • Social clubs
  • Tattoo and piercing parlours
  • Indoor entertainment venues (amusement arcades, funfairs, adventure activities such as laser quest, go-karting, escape rooms, heritage sites)
  • Storage and distribution facilities
  • Veterinary services
  • Auction houses
This is in addition to shops, supermarkets, takeaways, transport hubs, post offices, banks and public transport.

Basically anywhere indoors bar a pub/restaurant I guess.

@Nicky Borrill this might interest you.
 
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Hixee

Flojector
Staff member
Administrator
Moderator
Social Media Team
Premises providing professional, legal or financial services
I haven't (and won't) read the guidance in detail, but I assume that only counts for public facing work? Or does that include offices too?
 

JammyH

Hyper Poster
I haven't (and won't) read the guidance in detail, but I assume that only counts for public facing work? Or does that include offices too?

I assume only for public facing work. They already said masks won’t be mandatory in offices and haven’t u-turned on that guidance so I just assume it will be public facing work only.

I’ve just quoted that from a newspaper article, I haven’t read the official government guidance in detail though.

Source was from here: https://www.hertfordshiremercury.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/face-mask-rules-new-places-4389435
 

Nitefly

Hyper Poster
Full list of places where face masks are mandatory in england from 8th august has been released:

  • Funeral directors
  • Premises providing professional, legal or financial services
  • Cinemas
  • Theatres
  • Bingo halls
  • Concert halls
  • Museums, galleries, aquariums, indoor zoos or visitor farms, or other indoor tourist, heritage or cultural sites
  • Nail, beauty, hair salons and barbers - other than where necessary to remove for treatments
  • Massage parlours
  • Public areas in hotels and hostels
  • Places of worship
  • Libraries and public reading rooms
  • Community centres
  • Social clubs
  • Tattoo and piercing parlours
  • Indoor entertainment venues (amusement arcades, funfairs, adventure activities such as laser quest, go-karting, escape rooms, heritage sites)
  • Storage and distribution facilities
  • Veterinary services
  • Auction houses
This is in addition to shops, supermarkets, takeaways, transport hubs, post offices, banks and public transport.

Basically anywhere indoors bar a pub/restaurant I guess.

@Nicky Borrill this might interest you.
Phew, I’ll be able to get married without a mask by one day.
 

T4r0n

Roller Poster
Dutch authorities have said Toverland no longer need to leave a 1.5m gap between groups on the rollercoasters, meaning they can run fully-loaded, and guests don't have to wear face masks either.

In my opinion, a questionable decision given the Dutch coronavirus cases have risen a fair amount over the last few days.

Source: https://www.looopings.nl/weblog/149...chtbanen-Toverland-Mag-van-de-instanties.html
Yeah it was a big gamble for Toverland but the queues were very short the last days :)
 

davidm

Strata Poster
Sudden burst of Cedar Fair announcements just now...

Not opening in 2020; Carowinds, Kings Dominion, California Great America, Valleyfair

Worlds of Fun & Dorney Park ; Closing after labor day

Cedar Point ; Closing Nov 1st/ weekends only until then + no Haunt (but replacement "Tricks And Treats Fall Fest" event)

Kings Island ; Closing Nov 1st - no Haunt nor Winterfest (also replacement Haunt event ; "Tricks And Treats Fall Fest")

Knotts Berry Farm - no ScaryFarm

Thinks that's all right - links below.









 
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Nicky Borrill

Strata Poster
Some of you have lost the plot ??

Pubs won’t ‘close for schools to reopen.’ Boris already poured cold water on this. Plan has always been and remains, to manage outbreaks locally, which could mean local closures... They haven’t even mandated any closures in new areas under local lockdown yet!!!! Pubs may close if we see exponential growth.

The reason for national lockdown was ‘exponential growth’ that put NHS capacity under threat, we’re not seeing anything like that. A small steady increase in infections was obviously to be expected, a significant ‘second peak’ was the worry, and so far so good...

Keep calm & carry on... And wear a ******* mask!

Also, I’ll be the first to eat my words on this, as I honestly thought (under personal face to face advice of a scientist who works in bio medicine and vaccines specifically!!!) that a vaccine would be next to impossible... But it’s looking more and more likely to be this year!

 
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Nicky Borrill

Strata Poster
Full list of places where face masks are mandatory in england from 8th august has been released:

  • Funeral directors
  • Premises providing professional, legal or financial services
  • Cinemas
  • Theatres
  • Bingo halls
  • Concert halls
  • Museums, galleries, aquariums, indoor zoos or visitor farms, or other indoor tourist, heritage or cultural sites
  • Nail, beauty, hair salons and barbers - other than where necessary to remove for treatments
  • Massage parlours
  • Public areas in hotels and hostels
  • Places of worship
  • Libraries and public reading rooms
  • Community centres
  • Social clubs
  • Tattoo and piercing parlours
  • Indoor entertainment venues (amusement arcades, funfairs, adventure activities such as laser quest, go-karting, escape rooms, heritage sites)
  • Storage and distribution facilities
  • Veterinary services
  • Auction houses
This is in addition to shops, supermarkets, takeaways, transport hubs, post offices, banks and public transport.

Basically anywhere indoors bar a pub/restaurant I guess.

@Nicky Borrill this might interest you.
Sorry Jammy I missed the tag for some reason.

It does interest me, but why no pubs, bars and restaurants still?

They claim it will put people off dining, or ruin the atmosphere, but that wasn’t my experience in several European countries as you’re simply allowed to take them off when sat at a table... Makes no sense whatsoever!!!

As it stands with our own policies working, and being not only adhered to, but very much appreciated by our customers, it would make no difference for us, as everybody stays safely sat at all times, and use of the app to order and pay is mandatory so nobody ever comes within metres of a stranger... But some of the other places I’ve visited really could do with masks when arriving, leaving or visiting the bar / toilets.
 

JammyH

Hyper Poster
Sorry Jammy I missed the tag for some reason.

It does interest me, but why no pubs, bars and restaurants still?

They claim it will put people off dining, or ruin the atmosphere, but that wasn’t my experience in several European countries as you’re simply allowed to take them off when sat at a table... Makes no sense whatsoever!!!

As it stands with our own policies working, and being not only adhered to, but very much appreciated by our customers, it would make no difference for us, as everybody stays safely sat at all times, and use of the app to order and pay is mandatory so nobody ever comes within metres of a stranger... But some of the other places I’ve visited really could do with masks when arriving, leaving or visiting the bar / toilets.

Yes still no pubs, restaurants and bars... regardless of that we have made leaps and bounds in these requirements since 3 months ago. I must say though, the major thing that bugs me is all customers must wear them but staff are exempt.

I’ve been pushing for mandatory masks in all enclosed spaces in this country since they imposed it in germany, and now France (and I believe Switzerland) are following the German procedures too. Regardless of whether you are a customer or staff, the potential is there indoors for anyone to spread the virus. And regardless of whether you’re in a shop, a cinema or a pub, the potential is still there for the virus to be spread in those environments.

I think the UK government are really worried over survival of pubs and restaurants, hence the eat out scheme and the comments over schools vs pubs and what not. And I honestly think they believe that if they impose mandatory masks when not sat at the tables in these settings that the footfall will rapidly decrease. But in my opinion it’s better to see a decreased footfall and stop the country from a second wave than an exponential rise in cases and everything having to shut down again if it gets really bad, which would damage the industry more financially than making masks mandatory, which would enhance safety.

Unfortunately all of the mask rules regarding shops should have come in on 15th July and 4th July for the hospitality sector... introducing them now is good to try and curb a second wave but people will simply complain that the rules weren’t in place upon reopening of these industries. I am also in agreement with you that masks should be mandatory in sanitary facilities like toilets because that’s one of the places where I’ve experienced the most density of people in a small space when numbers aren’t controlled.

I’m not sure we will get to a point when pubs/bars and restaurants are included in mask rules, maybe only if the outbreak gets seriously worse, but so far I’m really pleased with the progress we are making as a country to catch up with the rules out there in countries such as Germany. The majority of indoor settings are now covered, and whilst not extensive to all of them, should certainly help make a positive difference in transmission rates.

Whilst this isn’t country wide, restaurants and pubs I believe are also entitled to make their own legislation surrounding mask wearing. My local Thai restaurant has mandated masks when not sat at the table, so I’m thinking about visiting them as it looks really safe in there, and all staff are in PPE in there too, they are taking it really seriously. So I think it’s possible to make them mandatory when not sat at the table/ in sanitary facilities as a business owner or at least actively encourage people to do so.

I don’t think I will ever get my head around why the government now have an extensive list of where masks must be worn, rather than just saying “in all public indoor spaces including when not sitting at your table eating out”. That would be a much simpler way to phrase it and would avoid all the confusion of where you actually need a mask—> just anywhere indoors which is a public space should be the blanket guidelines!!
 

Nicky Borrill

Strata Poster
Yes still no pubs, restaurants and bars... regardless of that we have made leaps and bounds in these requirements since 3 months ago. I must say though, the major thing that bugs me is all customers must wear them but staff are exempt.

I’ve been pushing for mandatory masks in all enclosed spaces in this country since they imposed it in germany, and now France (and I believe Switzerland) are following the German procedures too. Regardless of whether you are a customer or staff, the potential is there indoors for anyone to spread the virus. And regardless of whether you’re in a shop, a cinema or a pub, the potential is still there for the virus to be spread in those environments.

I think the UK government are really worried over survival of pubs and restaurants, hence the eat out scheme and the comments over schools vs pubs and what not. And I honestly think they believe that if they impose mandatory masks when not sat at the tables in these settings that the footfall will rapidly decrease. But in my opinion it’s better to see a decreased footfall and stop the country from a second wave than an exponential rise in cases and everything having to shut down again if it gets really bad, which would damage the industry more financially than making masks mandatory, which would enhance safety.

Unfortunately all of the mask rules regarding shops should have come in on 15th July and 4th July for the hospitality sector... introducing them now is good to try and curb a second wave but people will simply complain that the rules weren’t in place upon reopening of these industries. I am also in agreement with you that masks should be mandatory in sanitary facilities like toilets because that’s one of the places where I’ve experienced the most density of people in a small space when numbers aren’t controlled.

I’m not sure we will get to a point when pubs/bars and restaurants are included in mask rules, maybe only if the outbreak gets seriously worse, but so far I’m really pleased with the progress we are making as a country to catch up with the rules out there in countries such as Germany. The majority of indoor settings are now covered, and whilst not extensive to all of them, should certainly help make a positive difference in transmission rates.

Whilst this isn’t country wide, restaurants and pubs I believe are also entitled to make their own legislation surrounding mask wearing. My local Thai restaurant has mandated masks when not sat at the table, so I’m thinking about visiting them as it looks really safe in there, and all staff are in PPE in there too, they are taking it really seriously. So I think it’s possible to make them mandatory when not sat at the table/ in sanitary facilities as a business owner or at least actively encourage people to do so.

I don’t think I will ever get my head around why the government now have an extensive list of where masks must be worn, rather than just saying “in all public indoor spaces including when not sitting at your table eating out”. That would be a much simpler way to phrase it and would avoid all the confusion of where you actually need a mask—> just anywhere indoors which is a public space should be the blanket guidelines!!
People said we were being too strict, people wouldn’t visit, they wouldn’t stay at their tables, we’d never get older guests to use an app, yadda yadda yadda and so on...

We’ve been turning over more in the 3 days we open than we usually would over 6 days!!! People have loved the measures, elders have taken to apps (under my guidance.) and it’s been a really nice month or so...

People want to go out, but people want to feel safe!!!

I agree on that blanket indoor space message, it would be so much easier. Maybe we are working towards that, maybe they’re phasing it to save face after their ridiculous negative view on masks originally...
 
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JammyH

Hyper Poster
I agree on that blanket indoor space message, it would be so much easier. Maybe we are working towards that, maybe they’re phasing it to save face after their ridiculous negative view on masks originally...

When they announced mandatory masks in shops they said more face mask rules would be introduced in “chunks”. Which implies that more than one more “chunk” of rules will be introduced.

The rules coming into place on the 8th august is the next chunk, and perhaps there is another chunk after that which mandates them at restaurants and pubs when not sat at your table, but perhaps they only want to introduce this should they really have to if there’s a sudden rise in numbers.
 

Rein

Roller Poster
Dutch authorities have said Toverland no longer need to leave a 1.5m gap between groups on the rollercoasters, meaning they can run fully-loaded, and guests don't have to wear face masks either.

In my opinion, a questionable decision given the Dutch coronavirus cases have risen a fair amount over the last few days.

Source: https://www.looopings.nl/weblog/149...chtbanen-Toverland-Mag-van-de-instanties.html

There was some controversy about this. The Health and Safety goverment department was not consulted on this topic, only the mayor of the town gave permission.
In the meantime, Toverland has reapplied the 1.5m gap rule and will be leaving seats empty between families.
Face masks are only mandatory on public transport in the Netherlands.

 

JammyH

Hyper Poster
There was some controversy about this. The Health and Safety goverment department was not consulted on this topic, only the mayor of the town gave permission.
In the meantime, Toverland has reapplied the 1.5m gap rule and will be leaving seats empty between families.
Face masks are only mandatory on public transport in the Netherlands.


Think it’s for the best, especially given that the cases have gone up in the Netherlands, it simply wasn’t a safe decision to make having no distancing between riders, especially with no use of face masks.

I was very surprised the health authorities had approved the changed, so to find out that they actually hadn’t is more comprehensible. I am a bit shocked from toverland though, it is one of my favourite parks I really do love it, but compromising guest safety is not acceptable, especially when it goes against HSE advice (I don’t know how the town mayor thinks he has permission to give health and safety advice...).
 
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