What is the Covid-19 situation like in your country? (Badminton related only)

[kwun]

In the US is really screwed up. While the federal govt is woefully incompetent, a lot of power is actually given to the local government. I am lucky that the leaders in my area saw this coming and started shelter in place earlier than everyone else. So far the cases here are still under control unlike in some other parts of the country. However, we still need to be very careful.

 

[yuquall]

In Australia, laws are different in different states. Public gathering of more than 2 people, except those from the same households, are prohibited. All leisure sports, except golf, are not allowed, though we are allowed to go out for brief exercise (about 30 minutes).
I suppose because golf clubs being longer than rackets can make sure that people stand further at the right physical distance.. 1.5m more or less?

 

[kwun]

All badminton clubs here are privately owned. They aren't getting any income and have rents to pay. I hope they are still doing ok. I think they should have a good buffer as these days with all the training badminton clubs are a pretty lucrative business.

 

[VSiva]

Reporting from India. So far we have been in lock-down for two weeks now when the total number of reported positive cases were less than 150. I do feel it was the right thing to do given the density of population here. So far the total number of positive cases is around 5,000 which is amazing given the population. However there are concerns about the number of tests being conducted, but I do not see any kind of panic yet. Hospitals are not flooded with patients who are coughing, or have caught cold or have high temperatures. I do expect the number of cases to go up with more tests being done now. But no panic yet among the general public.

Badminton clubs are closed and I do believe that it will be the last to re-open, definitely least of the priority for the authorities. But I do miss it so much. I spend about an hour each day practicing footwork, and doing badminton related strengthening exercises (I find Viktor Axelsen's channel quite good along with Badminton Family and Tobias Wadenka). My body feels fresh and strong, which I usually don't when playing 4 times a week.

I sincerely hope everyone gets through this difficult period and prayers to families who have lost their loved ones.

 

[Cheung]

In HK, recently we had a second wave. However, compared to other countries, it wasn't much but what we worry about is if there are transmissions where the person couldn't think of where they got the illness. I thought it was very marginal at one stage with a real big outbreak a possibility but thankfully it has settled. I see lots of people trying to do fitness sessions on IG. Nice but I think many people must be demotivated. I think badminton is probably not an option for another two weeks. Encouragingly, today we had just 13 new cases reported which is definitely a downward trend and something some cities can only dream of. Only slowly downwards though. Schools opening have been delayed again until the end of May. Hope the badminton courts are opened earlier. Some places are still following a timetable for competitions - i have put entries in for my kid and myself. No expectations but it's just to go and have a chance of getting tournament experience.... Probably it won't happen but if the entry wasn't in and the tournament goes ahead, then it is a chance lost.

 

[mater]

All badminton clubs here are privately owned. They aren't getting any income and have rents to pay. I hope they are still doing ok. I think they should have a good buffer as these days with all the training badminton clubs are a pretty lucrative business.

Do you know if in general the clubs there are more leased and not owned? I know badminton facilities are very lucrative with all the training sessions, there's bound to be some that are owned and not have to pay rent monthly. Those would do far better during this lock down period.

 

[kwun]

Do you know if in general the clubs there are more leased and not owned? I know badminton facilities are very lucrative with all the training sessions, there's bound to be some that are owned and not have to pay rent monthly. Those would do far better during this lock down period.

All of them are leased, except a handful like LABC in LA which the owner built his own dedicated building.

Even if they are owned, they will still have to pay property tax.

 

[webbingmania]

Malaysia prime minister just announced the lockdown to be extended till 28th April.
However the active case here looks like its flattening, hopefully next week can see some down trend.
I really miss playing badminton

 

[kwun]

Malaysia prime minister just announced the lockdown to be extended till 28th April.
However the active case here looks like its flattening, hopefully next week can see some down trend.
I really miss playing badminton

IMHO, it doesn't make sense to open up until there is zero community transmission for 2 weeks. Once there it one out there, it will grow again.

 

[Cheung]

Malaysia prime minister just announced the lockdown to be extended till 28th April.
However the active case here looks like its flattening, hopefully next week can see some down trend.
I really miss playing badminton

Expect it to last longer....end of May.

 

[samkool]

In HK, recently we had a second wave.

and that's what worries me the most: the return of it after we get an 'all clear'. once we get that i'll still avoid crowds. i can't imagine societies returning to 'normal' until a vax is cleared for use. what do you think the outcome of china being set free again will be?

california schools are finished for the academic year. since a vax is unlikely for 12-18 months the current home schooling of high school sr's will become freshman dorm schooling at their new colleges/universities.

badminton wise at the high school level it's a shame the sr's who were highly favored to win their league titles & regional titles won't be able to.

 

[LenaicM]

In France, the confinement has been extended until the 11th of May. Also no meetings gathering any individuals until mid-July includind hotels, cinemas, cofee shops restaurants, etc. I assume sports club fall in this category.

I'm afraid the season is over here and no one will step on court again before September. Anyone has had any experience with a shuttle launcher outdoor? I've got a bit of wind in my area but on the morning or at night it can be very calm and I will have to buy a shuttle launcher to help me keep practicing. I have a net and half a court already to practice shadow drills. A shuttle launcher is all I'm missing, even to practice at the net or mid court at least. (I'm afraid it would be hard at the back of the court outdoor for serious practice)

 

[Cheung]

what do you think the outcome of china being set free again will be?

I think difficult to predict. USA and Europe are going to have the biggest potential reservoirs of virus and reinfect the rest of the world. However , we still haven’t seen the completion of the current pandemic in India, Africa and South America.

 

[Baddie lover]

In India, PM announced there is another phase of lockdown till 3rd May. It's likely to get extended again. Not enough testing has been done, extending lockdown seems the only option. As of April 13, India has recorded 8048 active cases; 979 have been cured, and 324 people have died. Overall, India has a ratio of 1.3 tests per 10,000 population. The country has so far tested 179,374 samples (as on 11 April).

 

[sokol250]

Hi guys. In Russia, all sports, including badminton sections are closed around from March 22. The lockdown was introduced on March 30, but the normal gating system starts only tomorrow. Until this moment, after the closure of clubs, we played in the park near the building. Today it’s a problem. Probably now only in the apartment. The gating system will operate until May 1, what is next not clear, most likely there will be an extension.

 

[shooting stroke]

IMHO, it doesn't make sense to open up until there is zero community transmission for 2 weeks. Once there it one out there, it will grow again.

Indeed. Even our Malayis's MOH DG stated that only if there is no new cases for two consecutive weeks then they're confident to declare it's safe. Since there is still no Covid vaccine that is clinically proven to be effective and also safe being develop yet as well as there is still no evidence based antiviral medicine specifically design for Covid , then as the next best approach, it's only through this current movement control order (mco) in which by disrupting the chain of Covid infection, we hope it could prevent Covid from not spreading further and eventually cease.

Therefore, permitting non essential business sector to open will just allow mass gathering of people and eventually will beat the purpose of enforcing the mco at the first place.

 

[Cheung]

Here in Hong Kong, I think they want to see three weeks of no cases and then school will be reopened. We have had single digit figures for new cases and most of those are imported infections who are in quarantine. If it's the same after the weeks, then hopefully we can see some community badminton restarting again with some limitations..

 

[event]

Here in Hong Kong, I think they want to see three weeks of no cases and then school will be reopened. We have had single digit figures for new cases and most of those are imported infections who are in quarantine. If it's the same after the weeks, then hopefully we can see some community badminton restarting again with some limitations..

I would say it's the same in Korea. We've had under 30 new cases nationwide for the last 5 days and 3 of the last 6 days have been single digit if you exclude quarantined repatriates. Our big explosion, back in February, came after we had had 0 new cases for 7 of 11 days. Cumulative figures at that time were similar to daily figures today, because we'd had 31 people test positive out of just over 8,000 tests. Our gyms had re-opened in mid-February and then they closed down for good as soon as reports emerged of the explosion of cases linked to that cult. We have some provinces that are marking 2 weeks of 0 new cases today but they still haven't opened their gyms, to my knowledge.

 

[Borkya]

I'll add a mainland china update. We are back and running at full speed for badminton courts. Even the government run large sports centers are not only open, but offering cheaper prices for a short time to encourage playing.

(Although the largest government run sport center in my neighborhood is closed and sealed because it is where everyone who flies in has to go under supervision. Foreigners are totally blocked from entering china, even those who have a visa or a work permit, and any Chinese person who enters has to undergo a 2 week mandatory/supervised quarantine under supervision in specific facilities. So they escort them off the plane, bring them to the badminton courts, process them and bring them to various hotels around the city set up for the quarantine. It's an intense operation and of course no civilian is allowed anywhere near this sports center as there have been sick people who arrive in the city. But it's the largest facility near the airport so that's why it was sacrificed I guess! But those courts won't open for awhile and this sports center had a lot of badminton competitions...bummer!)

We are eagerly awaiting word on when the competitions will start, but nothing yet. That will be later because crowds are happening, but still kinda discouraged (though we don't have any social distancing rule here.) People need temp checks to enter most courts, and everyone arrives and leaves with masks on, but most people have stopped actually playing in masks (which was happening for a few weeks.)

Chinese scientists are warning of another wave, maybe Nov, and saying everything could be locked down again so I think people are getting out now and playing as much as possible, cause the future is uncertain...

 

[LenaicM]

It's very different in France and the French Badminton Association announced today that no tournament will take place until the 15th of July. Which basically ends the season with very little hope to see any club reopen their court before September.