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Corona virus threat to birding (3 Viewers)
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Andy Adcock
Worst person on Birdforum
Agreed.
Andy Adcock
Worst person on Birdforum
Nothing to do with government, it's EU law and there is apparently, emergency action to stop it.
Andy Adcock
Worst person on Birdforum
As I said, it's EU law that leads to this, we are still deemed a member for certain purposes. The quetion was asked about the UK status in relation to Von de Leyens speech so I doubt we'd rock the boat by going rogue on this just yet.
Von der Leyen's speech yesterday made clear that all production of required, medical equipment, will not, without special permissions, be allowed to leave the EU area so we should, be in line for our share of EU produced ventilators and other stuff. She stated that no single country in the EU, can produce enough on it's own and the combined production of the whole EU will be shared.
Regarding cargo on the emty flights, you'd think the airlines would utilise the cabin area for maximum profit, take all the seats out maybe?
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DMW
Well-known member
I doubt any EU national governments give a crap about what EU laws or the EU Commission says right now. Some Schengen states are closing their borders, and some are only allowing their own nationals to enter. At the end of the day, national governments are responsible to their own electorate, not to bureaucrats in another country.
As for preventing export of medical equipment outside the EU, I wonder whether this is even legally enforceable?
Andy Adcock
Worst person on Birdforum
Isn't this why the UK left, or at least part of it? The good aspects of membership should kick in, in times of emergency but as most would predict, it's each country for themself. It may show the EU to be nothing more than an idealogical pipedream and could go some way to seeing the end of the union eventually?
A quote from one af the atricles.....
'We are facing exactly the type of emergency in which a “Europe that protects” must show it can deliver. Unless we wake up immediately, we run the risk of going down in history like the leaders in 1914 who sleepwalked into World War I. The virus will pass, but any rotten seeds of complacency or selfishness will stay.'
https://www.politico.eu/article/coronavirus-eu-limit-exports-medical-equipment/
https://www.politico.eu/article/health-ministers-squabble-over-face-masks-at-coronavirus-talks/
Trump has been complaining that Germany won't sell them stuff, with his 'America first' policy, can you imagine the boot on the other foot, we'd get nothing from the US.
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opisska
rabid twitcher
I really wish people wouldn't abuse crises for their own political agenda, but it is sadly happening. It's even obvious from how many countries hurried to first lock the borders, despite the virus already spreading internally.
Even if the EU fails to do something impactful about coronavirus, that won't be a reason to dissolve it, unless it really actively hurts the situation. Hopefully people won't forget the immense amount of benefit it brings in the times where we are not all fearing of death.
Even if the EU fails to do something impactful about coronavirus, that won't be a reason to dissolve it, unless it really actively hurts the situation. Hopefully people won't forget the immense amount of benefit it brings in the times where we are not all fearing of death.
Andy Adcock
Worst person on Birdforum
That's not the reason, the reason would be all the ill feeling from certain countries refusing to share what are being seen as 'common' EU assets. An ever greater burden is going to fall on Germany in assisting the smaller nations, this which will create ill feeling amongst some in Germany.
As I said before, Trump is already complaining that Germany won't sell them any equipment.
Tero
Retired
I've been taking a group of seniors birding during the week, about 10 people signed in, but usually 4-5 show up. We are under the umbrella of a University Olli program, and they cancelled all classes and special interest groups. I am not able to schedule any trips till May.
It was helpful for us to find birds as a group, with several pairs of eyes. They got birds that I did not see with sparrows last year, but all but two are useless with warblers so far on their own. They may see a bird high up in trees but give up on ID. I thought they would gain some skills this May.
For me personally, I am anxious to see what happens by July. We have tickets to go to a wedding in Austria.
It was helpful for us to find birds as a group, with several pairs of eyes. They got birds that I did not see with sparrows last year, but all but two are useless with warblers so far on their own. They may see a bird high up in trees but give up on ID. I thought they would gain some skills this May.
For me personally, I am anxious to see what happens by July. We have tickets to go to a wedding in Austria.
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Mysticete
Well-known member
CDC last night warned folks to avoid gatherings of more than 50 people for the next 8 week...ouch. I keep hoping things will start returning to normal by May
Several states (Ohio, California, probably some others) have ordered closure of all restaurants and bars, largely because too many people were ignoring the warnings. Some state parks are also seeing widespread closure due to the shutdown. I was really really hoping that even if visitor centers are closed, the parks themselves would be open for birding. Hopefully Wisconsin will keep there parks open.
Several states (Ohio, California, probably some others) have ordered closure of all restaurants and bars, largely because too many people were ignoring the warnings. Some state parks are also seeing widespread closure due to the shutdown. I was really really hoping that even if visitor centers are closed, the parks themselves would be open for birding. Hopefully Wisconsin will keep there parks open.
Andy Adcock
Worst person on Birdforum
Hope I'm wrong for all our sakes but I think you can forget the wedding.
I take my toddler to a playgroup on Fridays and expected that numbers would be well down but they actually weren't far off normal which surprised me.
Andy Adcock
Worst person on Birdforum
I see zero logic in preventing individuals taking walks in places where they may not actually see anyone else. Several of the places I go to, I rarely see anyone.
Andy Adcock
Worst person on Birdforum
Von der Lyens statement incuded this....
In a joint statement following a videoconference on Wednesday, von der Leyen and Conte said they would take "swift action" — such as setting up a team of scientists at EU level to coordinate the fight against the virus, and ensuring that any country planning any restrictive measure first discusses it at a European level, "so that vital supplies go where they are needed most."
This is in principal, a great idea and arguably, the kind of liason that is benficial to both the people of Europe and the image of the EU generally, I do fear though that it will cause friction.
In a joint statement following a videoconference on Wednesday, von der Leyen and Conte said they would take "swift action" — such as setting up a team of scientists at EU level to coordinate the fight against the virus, and ensuring that any country planning any restrictive measure first discusses it at a European level, "so that vital supplies go where they are needed most."
This is in principal, a great idea and arguably, the kind of liason that is benficial to both the people of Europe and the image of the EU generally, I do fear though that it will cause friction.
dantheman
Bah humbug
Extreme lockdown measures do seem a bit crazy imo. Too late, and how long will they have to go on for?
Unintended consequences - I wonder how the murder and suicide rates will change over the next few months (US and Europe).
Economic hardship, mental health etc - what's the balance?
Unintended consequences - I wonder how the murder and suicide rates will change over the next few months (US and Europe).
Economic hardship, mental health etc - what's the balance?
Andy Adcock
Worst person on Birdforum
Trump tries to corner the market in vaccines
Stuff Trump I say, top slime ball..............
'The Donald Trump administration offered "large sums of money" to get exclusive access to a coronavirus vaccine being developed by a German company, Die Welt reported Sunday. According to the article, Trump was trying to get the Tübingen-based CureVac company — which also has sites in Frankfurt and Boston — to move its research wing to the United States and develop the vaccine "for the U.S. only."
The full article....
https://www.politico.eu/article/ger...d-to-buy-firm-working-on-coronavirus-vaccine/
Stuff Trump I say, top slime ball..............
'The Donald Trump administration offered "large sums of money" to get exclusive access to a coronavirus vaccine being developed by a German company, Die Welt reported Sunday. According to the article, Trump was trying to get the Tübingen-based CureVac company — which also has sites in Frankfurt and Boston — to move its research wing to the United States and develop the vaccine "for the U.S. only."
The full article....
https://www.politico.eu/article/ger...d-to-buy-firm-working-on-coronavirus-vaccine/
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Farnboro John
Well-known member
Andy Adcock
Worst person on Birdforum
This article expalins what I was trying to say, perfectly.
'If there is one lesson from the Great Depression, it is that when international leadership fails, it is replaced by the destructive, non-cooperative behavior of national governments.'
The full piece....
https://www.politico.eu/article/cor...lth-crisis-could-break-the-eu-european-union/
Tero
Retired
The airline of course will give tickets to a later flight, but it is unlikely they will cancel the wedding. If gatherings such as weddings are still allowed. We will just visit the couple for a few days then. Original flight was to Zurich, then train to the area at the far end of Austria, Lake Constance.
