Ferrari takes “precautionary measures” following coronavirus outbreak in Italy

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Ferrari takes “precautionary measures” following coronavirus outbreak in Italy

Ferrari has reacted to growing concern over the spread of the coronavirus in Italy by imposing new restrictions on its staff.

A number of towns have been quarantined as the country tried to contain the spread of the virus. Over 200 people in Italy are known to have the virus and seven have died. Codogno, one of the most affected areas, is around 140 kilometers from Maranello, where Ferrari are based.


In a statement Ferrari said it “has defined precautionary measures to manage the current coronavirus alert. As requested by local authorities, both Ferrari Museums in Maranello and in Modena have been closed and the company has restricted access for employees that are resident or have visited the affected municipalities.”

The team has imposed restrictions on staff travel, though this is unlikely to affect its participation in this week’s three-day pre-season Formula 1 test.

“The company has also suspended until further notice all external visits – including factory tours – as well as all non-critical business travel,” said the team’s statement. “The situation is being monitored closely. New measures will be promptly implemented and communicated should they become necessary.”

The World Health Organisation has warned the global spread of the coronavirus outbreak is close to becoming a pandemic. The virus is believed to have originated in China, which has seen the vast majority of infections and fatalities.

The Chinese Grand Prix has already been postponed due to the outbreak. However as the virus continues to spread worldwide, with over 80,000 cases now identified, other races may also come under threat.

https://www.racefans.net/2020/02/25/ferrari-takes-precautionary-measures-following-coronavirus-outbreak-in-italy/

 

Sadly, I fear this year's championship will be compromised by this pandemic

 

"Pandemic definition is - occurring over a wide geographic area and affecting an exceptionally high proportion of the population."

Let us not panic. An "exceptionally high proportion of the population" it is not, thankfully, so far..... Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Not pandemic ?

Coronavirus: Outbreak spreads in Europe from Italy

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-51638095

Several European countries have announced their first coronavirus cases, all apparently linked to the growing outbreak in Italy.

Austria, Croatia and Switzerland said the cases involved people who had been to Italy, as did Algeria in Africa.
The first positive virus test has been recorded in Latin America - a Brazilian resident just returned from Italy.
Italy has in recent days become Europe's worst-affected country, with more than 300 cases and 11 deaths.
Health ministers from France, Germany, Italy and the EU Commission committed to keeping frontiers open at a meeting on Tuesday as new cases of the virus emerged throughout Europe and in central and southern Italy.
"We're talking about a virus that doesn't respect borders," said Italian Health Minister Roberto Speranza.

What's the latest around Europe?
§ In Austria, a young Italian couple who live in Innsbruck in the Tyrol were confirmed to have the virus. The couple's home was sealed off and a hotel that one of the pair worked at was put in lockdown. Officials on Wednesday said the lockdown on the hotel had been lifted, while nine people had been put under quarantine "as a precaution" following medical tests

§ Switzerland said a man in his seventies living in Ticino, bordering Italy, had been infected in the city of Milan on 15 February and was now in isolation

§ A man in Croatia who recently returned from Italy became the first confirmed patient in the Balkans

§ On the Spanish island of Tenerife, up to 1,000 guests were locked down in a hotel after an Italian doctor and his wife tested positive for the virus

§ Spain reported its first case on the mainland, involving a woman in Barcelona who had been to northern Italy

§ France and Germany also reported new cases involving people who had recently been to northern Italy

What's the global picture?
Italy is one of three global hot-spots outside China. In Iran, fewer than 100 people have officially been infected but it's assumed the numbers are far higher. The infection of the country's deputy health minister has deepened fears that the virus has already spread widely.

South Korea on Wednesday reported 115 new cases of the coronavirus, bringing the total number of infections there to 1,261, according to local media reports. Eleven people have died in the country, which has the most infections outside China.

In Brazil, local media reported on Tuesday that an initial test on a 61-year-old man who had recently been to northern Italy had come out positive.

In Japan, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe called on organisers of big sports and cultural events to cancel or curtail them for two weeks amid concerns that the coronavirus could threaten the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Most of the cases of the new coronavirus remain in China, where the virus originated last year.

According to the latest figures published on Wednesday, 78,064 people have been infected since the outbreak began.

Health officials also reported 52 more deaths on Tuesday, the lowest daily total in more than three weeks. The overall death toll in mainland China is now 2,715.

 

I wish every person on Wall St thought like you, then I wouldn’t be seeing this sea of blood in the markets...

 

Other F1 races in jeopardy? Shanghi, Vietnam?

 

Me too........

 

One of my cousins stopped in a tobacco shop in Maranello and send the person behind the counter had latex gloves and a face mask. Taking it seriously.


Sent from my iPhone using FerrariChat.com mobile app

 

How does this affect the teams? Will the Scuderia be allowed to leave Italy to travel to these other countries for the races?

 

Well, pt all-in when it draws down 50% like last time.

 

I have been following a discussion about this Coronavirus. It looks like that this virus has been circulating around Europe and the USA for two weeks or so but Italy has been the first country in Europe that started testing people in large scale.

For instance, a flight attendant that was detected with the virus did TWO back and forth flights from Los Angeles to Seoul. Imagine how many people she had infected during that time? Like her there were thousands of people who travelled to or from China, Korea, Japan, Singapore, etc. It's a matter of days until we see a real outbreak.

I saw some predictions that up to 70% of the world population might get this virus, where around 25% will get ill and 3% will die. Those who die from Covid-19 (the name of the illness) are mostly 70-old plus with previous health issues. Young children seem to be unaffected and females considerably less than males.

 

Want to see how virus is moving around the world?

https://www.flightradar24.com/3.11,101.61/3

Houston we have a problem

 

Yep, the F1 circus will just be another carrier of the pathogen. Good game.

 

Flying is now more dangerous than driving

 

Good overview of what happened. Video is about 40 minutes long.

https://www.lifesitenews.com/blogs/coronavirus-leading-china-expert-details-the-reality?utm_content=buffer6c35e&utm_medium=CRC%2BBuffer&utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=CRC&fbclid=IwAR249pcSGlk-Pc03dXl560no5_CQjAHH10uJHYYIf6n_1kdVP4Iufy9xS0E

 

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/148478/ferrari-wants-assurances-over-coronavirus-from-f1

Ferrari says Formula 1 teams must be given assurances about the risks they may face at the Australian Grand Prix regarding the coronavirus before staff start travelling to Melbourne.

Amid growing fears that some staff will not be allowed to travel, or risk being held in quarantine on arrival, Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto said F1 and the FIA must ensure there are no surprises for teams.

Italian team personnel and drivers have had trouble getting to this weekend's Bahrain F2 test because of fears over the virus.

Binotto said he wants nothing left to chance, and added it will be too late to make a decision once personnel are on their way.

Asked about the potential for a repeat of the troubles that F2 has faced in Bahrain, Binotto said: "[Getting] to testing has been difficult.

"Some of our engineers going there have remained home - so instead of taking the risk to be there and eventually staying there for a few days or many days, they stayed home.

"I think what we will need is simply to have assurance before leaving. I don't think we can discover when [teams arrive] what can be or what will be the situation.

"So if there are any medical screenings, we need to know about them.

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"You need to know exactly what's about. We need to understand what the consequences are in case of any problem.

"Obviously we need to protect our employees. We have got collective and individual responsibility towards them.

"And it's important, really, to make sure that before leaving, the picture, whatever is the scenario, is known and clear."

Team bosses met with F1 CEO Chase Carey on Friday morning for an update on the status of the first three races.

One issue for F1 could be that if one or two teams cannot run in Australia because staff cannot get there, but all the others are fine, whether the race should go ahead.

But Binotto said the implication of such a problem for Italian staff would stretch far beyond the two teams based in the country, Ferrari and AlphaTauri.

"I say it's not only two [teams] because we are supplying assistance to Haas and the Alfa Sauber team," he said.

"So it will be four teams at least, plus the Pirelli situation which we need to understand.

"So what will be the situation that if eventually four teams cannot run and if the race will take place or not?

"That is not my decision."

 

I guess too much money is on the line and greed is overwhelming common sense. This should be a no-brainer, first 3 races should be considered cancelled period until further notice.

Not even sure why it’s a debate.

 

It will be for sure, and we all know this...

 

Depends on location of travel and who is arriving. From Italy the teams will get more Aussie scrutiny yet what is the situation in Australia for the outbreak? Team should test their personnel now as well. If Im in Aus I would ask if they are carriers - all team members. this is normal and should be expected. If you are not clear you dont go into Aus. F1 is not special but could be a conduit. The paddock will be locked down more I think. Restrictions on entry to hotel floors of the teams etc. There is alot to consider and a race can be held. I see why Binotto is concerned as the Italian situation is not at all good so far from the North. Bahrain will be interesting!

 

Columbus sailors brought VD back to Europe on there return! Terrible that many days at sea made you want to get laid!

 

25 infected (7 in the state of Victoria where the GP is being held), 15 have recovered. 9 are from Diamond Princess and are currently in a 2 week quarantine.

Current travel restrictions only apply to mainland China (esp from Hubei province) and as of today there are no plans to add further restrictions to other countries like South Korea, Iran, Japan, Italy, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand and Indonesia.

 

I don't know who the "we all" are as most of my friends and acquaintances have not clambered aboard the pandemic panic bandwagon.

 

Update, as of a few hours ago Iran has been added to the travel ban.

A lady that recently returned from Iran tested positive for corona, I guess we have to wait to see how many other people she infected.

 

I thought this a interesting read.
You’re Likely to Get the Coronavirus
Most cases are not life-threatening, which is also what makes the virus a historic challenge to contain.
https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2020/02/covid-vaccine/607000/

 

Thanks for that.

I fear that the F1 forum on Ferrarichat will turn into a Coronavirus forum soon, because we won't have anything else to talk about at this rate.