Coronavirus (COVID-19) Wuhan Pneumonia

[GeneChing]

NEWS MARCH 12, 2020 9:48PM PT
Marvel’s ‘Shang-Chi’ Suspends Production as Director Self-Isolates
By JUSTIN KROLL
Film Reporter
@https://twitter.com/krolljvar


CREDIT: INVISION/AP/REX/SHUTTERSTOCK

Following a number of release dates moving and premieres being cancelled, Marvel and Disney have decided to temporarily shutter production on “Shang-Chi.”

The delay comes due to director Destin Daniel Cretton being asked by a doctor to self-isolate. Cretton was not feeling symptoms of COVID-19, but chose to be tested as a precaution since he is a new father. He is self-isolating as he awaits his test results.

The movie had been shooting in Australia since February. The second unit will continue production at this time.

Marvel’s note to the crew read:

“As many of you know, Destin, our director, has a new born baby. He wanted to exercise additional caution given the current environment and decided to get tested for Covid-19 today. He is currently self-isolating under the recommendation of his doctor. While he waits for the results of the test, we are suspending 1st unit production in an abundance of caution until he gets the results this coming week. Second unit and off production will continue as normal. We will reach out to everyone by Tuesday for the latest update.

This is an unprecedented time. We appreciate everyone’s understanding as we work through this.”

It is unknown when the shoot was going to end and if it will impact the February 2021 release date at this time.

The film stars Simu Lu, Awkwafina and Tony Leung with Cretton directing.

The original Marvel Comics “Shang-Chi” follows Shang, a half-Chinese, half-American superhero created by writer Steve Englehart and artist Jim Starlin. In the comics, Shang-Chi is a master of numerous unarmed and weaponry-based wushu styles, including the use of the gun, nunchaku, and jian. Shang-Chi first appeared in Special Marvel Edition #15 in 1973.

Marvel Studios’ Kevin Feige is producing the film. Marvel’s Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso, and Jonathan Schwartz are executive producers on the project.

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Mulan is still on at this point. I'm scheduled to go to the screener soon.

Aw ******. I got my screener cancellation notification first thing this morning.

'Mulan' Release Pushed Back Amid Coronavirus Pandemic
MARCH 12, 2020 2:50PM by Mia Galuppo

The Disney movie was set to hit theaters in North America on March 27.

Disney is pushing the release of its upcoming live-action tentpole Mulan amid growing concerns around the coronavirus, the studio said Thursday. The movie was set to hit theaters in North America on March 27.

Also being pushed is the long-delayed New Mutants, which was due out April 3 via 20th Century Studios, and the Guillermo del Toro-produced Antlers, which was set for an April 17 release via Searchlight Pictures.

Disney is looking into new release dates for all of the titles later this year.

Mulan director Niki Caro posted on her personal instagram about the release date push, writing, "We are so excited to share this film with the world, but given the current ever-shifting circumstances we are all experiencing, unfortunately, we have to postpone the worldwide release of Mulan for now. Our hearts are with everyone the world over who is affected by this virus, and we hope that Mulan’s fighting spirit will continue to inspire those who are working so hard to keep us all safe."

Mulan is the latest studio release to be pushed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Universal postponed the ninth Fast & Furious film by a year, while Paramount dealyed the release of the Issa Rae-starring comedy The Lovebirds and A Quiet Place Part II.

While no theaters are yet closed in the U.S. because of the coronavirus, there is growing concern that some cinemas could go dark in areas where cases of COVID-19 are proliferating, or where business has slowed. That is in addition to the ongoing blackout on moviegoing in China. (Mulan did not yet have a Chinese release date.)

California Gov. Gavin Newsom late Wednesday recommended canceling or postponing gatherings of 250 or more people "at least through March" as the state grapples with the coronavirus outbreak. The recommendation directly impacts larger auditoriums, which may have to stagger seating.




The Hollywood Reporter
MIA GALUPPO
mia.galuppo@thr.com
@miagaluppo

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UFC’s bungled coronavirus response proves yet again, athletes are secondary concern
By Mike Chiappetta@MikeChiappetta Mar 13, 2020, 9:00am EDT


Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

Like dominos falling, sports and entertainment events were knocked down yesterday as organizations came to the realization that the show must not go on. Not right now, when a virus that our own government has said is 10 times more lethal than the flu has been declared a global pandemic. This includes the NBA, NHL, Major League Baseball, the NCAA, Formula 1, Champions League, Disney Parks and all of Broadway. Almost every major producer of such events weighed in on their plans by announcing postponements or cancellations, pointing to concern for customers and employees as a priority.

There was one glaring exception: the UFC.

With a regular touring schedule, the UFC touches more parts of the globe than almost any of the aforementioned entities. Last week, they were in Las Vegas. On Saturday, they have a scheduled show in Brasilia, Brazil. Next week, they’re supposed to be in London.

But how is the organization planning to handle this coronavirus outbreak? It took forever to find out. Most of Thursday came and went without a word.

While multiple outlets, including MMA Fighting, reported that at least this week’s Brazil event would go on without fans present, the UFC remained silent. Some of this can be excused. To be fair, this is an extraordinary circumstance that in the midst of an unrelenting schedule, can take some time to parse. It is OK to time some time to collect information before making a decision, but it would have been helpful to say they were monitoring the situation and considering options. Instead, they left people to wonder.

Finally, we got a bit of clarity late Thursday night when UFC president Dana White spoke to ESPN, saying they’d go on with events, some with fans, and some without. That is a decision that is misguided at best and dangerous at worst, considering the continued rise of cases, transmission rates, the possibility that the virus may be most infectious when symptoms are mildest, and with the finding that it is spread through breathing, even without coughing. With athletes, teams and production team members converging upon Brasilia from countries including the U.S., Denmark, Ukraine, France, Russia and Canada, among others, there is the possibility of coming into contact with an infected party, then bringing the virus back to their families and communities, possibly infecting others with underlying vulnerabilities who may not be able to fight it off in the way a healthy athlete can.

True, it is safer than an event with a full arena, but given the close confines of the cage and locker room, it’s the wrong call. There’s a reason the other leagues canceled or postponed events, and there’s a reason experts have urged social distancing as a means of controlling the spread of the virus. The NCAA, for one, earned an estimated $933 million on its March Madness tournaments last year, money they are forfeiting with their decision to cancel. You think they took this step lightly?

Worse, the organization plans to allow an audience at its London event next week, this despite UK numbers spiking over the last 24 hours, and Prime Minister Boris Johnson saying up to 10,000 people may already have the virus, many without yet knowing.

Such a decision to proceed with a packed event is irresponsible, bordering on malfeasant. Sadly, it’s not surprising that the UFC has chosen to flout the advice of experts when it comes to the treatment of their independent contractors. Because the fighters are not unionized or organized in any way, they have no voice in how things will move forward. Contrast that with Wednesday night’s NBA game, where the New Orleans Pelicans decided they would not take the floor after learning an assigned referee had officiated a game with a player, Rudy Gobert, who tested positive for coronavirus.

Most UFC fighters won’t speak up, and frankly, most of them can’t because they need the money. At this point they have put in weeks of camp, likely working through injuries and suffering through minimal, meticulous diets to reach their contracted weights. Their money isn’t guaranteed, so they are willing to risk injury—or illness—to earn it.

The UFC is quite capable of canceling this event, swallowing its cost and paying the fighters what they were supposed to earn, but they are loathe to share the riches with the plebeians. Remember, it was just a couple of weeks ago The New York Post reported that the UFC dipped into its cash reserves to approve a $300 million dividend to its investors — a number that is reportedly twice as much as it paid all of its fighters combined in 2019. There is always money when it comes to something ownership cares about: itself.

Meanwhile, the organization tried to frame its decision as some act of benevolence.

“They want to fight, they want to compete, and we’re going to do everything we can to keep them safe,” White said during his ESPN interview.

The best way to keep them safe—everyone safe—is to pay them the fighters their purses and to keep them away from gatherings. If the UFC doesn’t see this, can’t see this, it would be nice if their parent company did. Endeavor is a powerful entity that could easily step in and put a stop to the proceedings. It also holds sway over the Euroleague, which on Thursday morning—surprise, surprise—suspended league play. But the truth is, Endeavor doesn’t care any more about the athletes than the UFC does. It’s mostly interested in milking its cash cow.

So for now, the show will go on for the UFC. Of course it will. It was less than a week ago when White told us he “didn’t give a s—t about the coronavirus.” Thursday’s response proved it.

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A first-hand account. READ Battling COVID-19 in Beijing by Greg Brundage



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The Silk Road
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Now it's up to the rest of the world to follow.

1:49 a.m. ET, March 15, 2020
China is lifting travel restrictions and life is returning to normal


Children play in a garden in Beijing, China, on Saturday, as travel and movement restrictions begin to lift. Credit: Lintao Zhang/Getty Images

Life in China is beginning to return to normal now that the coronavirus outbreak has largely been contained across the country, with lockdowns lifting and employees returning to work.

China only reported 20 new cases today -- a drastic drop from just a few weeks ago, when the country was recording thousands of new infections a day.

The new cases are no longer spread out across the country -- now, new cases are mostly either imported from international travelers or concentrated in Hubei Province, the epicenter of the outbreak.

Domestic travel is resuming: During the worst of the outbreak, 1,119 highway entrances and exits across the country were closed. Now, all but two have reopened, according to state media outlet Xinhua.

Hundreds of previously-closed roads in counties, towns, and provinces have also reopened. The national road network is "basically running normally," and 28 provinces have resumed inter-provincial travel, Xinhua reported.

Of 12,028 health and quarantine stations set up on highways, 11,198 have been removed.

This is a huge contrast to February. Just a month ago, much of China was essentially locked down. Many residents weren't allowed to leave their apartment complexes, let alone the city. Some stayed indoors for weeks on end.

Even within cities, public transport was restricted; in Wuhan and other locked-down cities, subway trains were halted and most taxis suspended, with only a small number of government-issued shuttles and cars operating.

[GeneChing]

...while I certainly support gesture, racists will think what they want. It's a global problem now.

More than 200 civil rights groups demand Congress publicly reject coronavirus racism


Rep. Judy Chu, D-Calif., chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, center, is joined by, from left, House Democratic Caucus Chair Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., and Rep. Karen Bass, D-Calif., chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, as they speak to reporters about the 2020 census on Capitol Hill on March 5, 2020.J. Scott Applewhite / AP

March 13, 2020, 11:36 AM PDT
By Kimmy Yam

More than 200 civil rights groups have demanded that the House and Senate leadership take “tangible steps to counter the hysteria" around the coronavirus, offering the passage of a joint resolution denouncing the racism and xenophobia as one solution.

“The level of disruption COVID-19 has had on everyday life has caught many by surprise and left even more people understandably concerned about their health and the health of their loved ones,” Gregg Orton, national director of the National Council of Asian Pacific Americans, told NBC News. “For millions of Asian Americans, there is added anxiety in the way the virus has been racialized. For our country’s leaders to come together and set the tone, that despite the uncertainty of these times, we need to stand united against racism — that is a powerful statement.”

In a letter spearheaded by the council and sent to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., this week, a number of racist incidents were cited around the country that were fueled by the virus, including two Hmong guests in Indiana who were harassed and barred from staying at a Super 8 motel and then a Days Inn. In a separate incident, a woman wearing a mask in New York was called a “diseased b----.”

The groups also acknowledged that the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus had previously sent a letter to their fellow members of Congress. The caucus had called on the lawmakers to “help us prevent hysteria, ignorant attacks, and racist assaults that have been fueled by misinformation pertaining to the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19)” by only sharing confirmed and verifiable information. The organizations called on the other legislators to take the caucus’ lead.

“In the face of this growing threat, the American people need to hear from leaders such as yourselves, that we must face these circumstances together, rather than allow fear and misinformation to divide us,” the letter reads.

Pelosi has publicly condemned the racism tied to the pandemic on Twitter, writing that “Bigoted statements which spread misinformation and blame Asians and the Asian American community for #coronavirus make us all less safe.” She has also called on McCarthy, who tweeted the term “Chinese coronavirus,” to delete the words and apologize.

McCarthy, however, has responded to criticisms by pointing to outlets that have used the same language. The Asian American Journalists Association released guidelines for responsible reporting in February to guard against “fueling xenophobia and racism that have already emerged since the outbreak.”

Rep. Judy Chu, D-Calif., the chair of the caucus, says she “commends” the groups for speaking out. “Despite warnings from health experts and government officials” to avoid labeling the virus by country or ethnicity, members of the GOP have continued to do so, Chu said. Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., used the term “Wuhan virus” as recently as Thursday.

“It’s been especially appalling to see this rhetoric coming from President Trump and House Republican leader McCarthy, who should be working to bring our country together during this public health crisis rather than stoking xenophobia and fear,” she said. “If Republicans will not listen to the experts, perhaps they can understand the experiences of those impacted.”

On Tuesday, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Robert Redfield, agreed when questioned by Rep. Lois Frankel, D-Fla., at a House hearing that it was "absolutely wrong and inappropriate" to use the term “Chinese coronavirus.”

While GOP legislators have since continued to identify the disease by country or ethnicity, Rep. Grace Meng, D-N.Y., previously said that the rhetoric could be a possible tactic to distract from Trump’s handling of the pandemic. She believes it’s likely some officials are using China or Asian Americans as scapegoats “versus actually dealing with the problem at hand.”

Kimmy Yam
Kimmy Yam is a reporter for NBC Asian America.

[GeneChing]

Coronavirus: Production Hub South Africa Declares National State of Disaster
3:46 AM PDT 3/16/2020 by Scott Roxborough


Courtesy of Warner Bros.
MGM's 'Tomb Raider' reboot shot in South Africa

The country bans gatherings of 100-plus people and issues travel stops for visitors from hard-hit countries, including the U.S., U.K., Germany, Italy and China.
South Africa, one of the world's leading centers for international film and television production, is shutting its borders to foreign visitors amid the coronavirus crisis.

The South African government declared a national state of emergency Sunday and issued travel bans on nationals from several countries hard hit by the virus. Nationals from the U.S., U.K., China, Italy, Germany, South Korea, Iran and Spain will be denied visas to enter South Africa, while any foreigners who have visited a high-risk country in the past 20 days will also be refused entry, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said in a televised address to the nation. Travelers from medium-risk countries, such as Portugal, Hong Kong and Singapore, will be required to undergo high-intensity screenings.

South African citizens returning from countries with high incidences of the virus will be subject to testing and self-isolation or quarantine on their arrival. Thirty-five of the country’s 53 land ports of entry are shut as of Monday, while two of its eight sea ports will be closed for passengers and crew changes.

South Africa also issued new regulations to stem the spread of coronavirus within the country, including banning public gatherings of more than 100 people and shutting schools.

“We have decided to take urgent and drastic measures to manage the disease, protect the people of our country and to reduce the impact of the virus on our society and on our economy,” Ramaphosa said. “There can be no half measures.”

The new restrictions are certain to have a major impact on the South African film and television industry. The region is one of the most popular international locations for studio productions. Columbia Pictures' Escape Room 2, the sequel to the 2019 horror hit, shot in Cape Town, as did MGM's video game franchise reboot Tomb Raider. Tomb Raider 2 was expected to begin production in the region later this year.

Among the productions affected is Viacom18 Motion Pictures’ 'Forrest Gump' remake 'Laal Singh Chaddha,' starring Aamir Khan




SCOTT ROXBOROUGH
Scott.Roxborough@THR.com
sroxborough

THREADS
Tomb Raider 2
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[GeneChing]

MARCH 15, 2020 11:04PM PT
China’s Economy Heading for Historic Reverse, Reflecting Virus Impact
By PATRICK FRATER
Asia Bureau Chief


CREDIT: REX/SHUTTERSTOCK

An historic shift into reverse gear for the Chinese economy could be one of the next consequences flowing from the spread of the novel coronavirus. That prospect threw Asian stock markets into reverse on Monday, despite economic stimulus measures in the U.S.

The U.S. Federal Reserve, on Sunday (Monday morning in Asia) announced a full percentage point cut in its benchmark interest rate, reducing it to close to zero. The Fed also promised to inject liquidity into the economic system by buying at least $500 billion of Treasury securities and at least $200 billion of mortgage-backed securities. The Hong Kong Monetary Authority followed the U.S. central bank’s example and cut its own base rates.

But financial markets were unimpressed. Australia’s ASX index crashed by more than 9% on Monday to 5,002. New Zealand’s NZX 50 index fell 3.6%. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index, already a bear market since Friday, was down 2.2% at the lunchtime trading break. South Korea’s KOSPI index headed for a loss of more than 1%, though Japan’s Nikkei index rose 0.7%, apparently in anticipation of stimulus measures.


Mainland Chinese markets were firmly down, with the SSE Shanghai Composite benchmark down more than 2%.

Chinese data unveiled on Monday showed that industrial production in the world’s manufacturing hub fell by 13.3% in January and February. That has never happened before in the modern era.

Other data showed Chinese retail sales down by 20.5% in the same two months, and fixed asset investment down by 24.5%.

Despite China, now seeming to get back to work after new Covid-19 infections have peaked in the country, many economists are now forecasting an historic decline in China’s GDP when data for the January-March quarter is completed.

In total, China has incurred some 81,000 coronavirus infections and over 3,100 deaths. On Monday, it reported 16 new coronavirus infections and 14 deaths, numbers that are significantly down on the past trend. Since the weekend, mainland authorities have been saying that most new cases are not local infections, but are imported with foreigners arriving in China.

That pattern may also explain the latest fall in Asian stock markets. The recent decision by Apple to close its retail stores outside Greater China hurt many of its Asian suppliers. iPhone assembler Hon Hai Precision fell 4.3% to TWD71.3 per share by mid-Monday. Sunny Optical slumped 10.6% to HK$105.9. LG Display was 2.2% lower at KRW11,050. Sharp bucked the trend with a 2.2% gain to JPY989.

The pain being incurred by Chinese businesses was reflected in additional share price losses for Alibaba and Tencent. The Hong Kong-traded units of Alibaba dropped 5% on Monday to HK$182.10, while Tencent fell 4.2% to HK$349.60.

There was no new bad news for China’s media sector. But the longer that mainland cinemas stay shut, the deeper the problems become for companies including: Wanda Film (whose shares were down 4.4% to CNY17.12); China Film Co. (down 2.4% to CNY12.96); and Huayi Brothers (down 3.5% to CNY3.77). Hong Kong-traded Imax China on Monday fell 3.5% to HK$13.94.

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3.13.2020
AND THEN THEY CAME AFTER MULAN
And Other Things to Know From Angry Asian America.



So yeah, this happened.
This Mulan poster, spotted in Pasadena, California, was defaced with graffiti. If you can't make it out, that's a mask spray-painted on her face and the words "TOXIC. MADE IN WUHAN." Yes, I know there are people boycotting this movie because of Liu Yifei's remarks in support of Hong Kong police. This is not about that.

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The risks in going to the gym during the coronavirus pandemic, explained by experts
What gyms should do and are doing to help keep clients safe during the coronavirus pandemic.
By Alex Abad-Santosalex@vox.com Updated Mar 15, 2020, 10:22pm EDT


A pop-up Barry’s bootcamp class. Anna Webber/Getty Images for CMT

Update March 15, 2020: Since this article was published, the coronavirus outbreak has escalated in the US and New York City in particular. Though Mayor Bill de Blasio and Gov. Andrew Cuomo haven’t ordered gyms to close, both Barry’s and Peloton have closed their studios. And in an email to some of its Flatiron members, fitness center Equinox said one of its patrons had tested positive for Covid-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. As the experts we consulted said, spread of the virus makes visits to the gym, and all social interactions, riskier. Follow the guidance of local health and government officials concerning social distancing, even if gyms remain open.

Around 20 minutes into a group boot camp fitness class at the Upper East Side location of boutique workout studio Barry’s Friday morning, each one of us was ushered out of the room, like kids in a fire drill. Our instructor, Michael Pugliese, shooed everyone out while he and the cleaning staff grabbed disinfectant wipes and spray; then they began wiping down the entire sweaty room — from benches, mirrors, weights, and treadmills to the floor.

Six minutes later, we were let back in and allowed to continue with the workout.

The mid-session cleaning break, extra sanitizing wipes and hand sanitizer in each studio, and shortening all classes by 10 minutes to give staff 20 minutes to spray down and clean the room, are just some of the changes Barry’s has implemented in light of the coronavirus pandemic. And according to public health experts, Barry’s intense cleaning is the type of measure all gyms and boutique fitness classes should be taking.

In light of the coronavirus, we’ve learned how to wash our hands for 20 seconds, memorized what percentage of alcohol is necessary in hand sanitizer to kill the virus (at least 60 percent), and analyzed every informational blast — social distancing, canceled events, transmission guidance — released by public health officials.

But while guidelines from health officials are helpful and awareness about the coronavirus is valuable, it’s difficult to figure out which aspects of daily life we should change and which ones we can maintain in order to have some semblance of normalcy in our lives. With all the information out there, it feels as though we are simultaneously being told to brace for the worst and to keep calm, carry on, and try to live our lives as normally as possible.

For the millions of consumers worldwide that have helped make gyms and boutique fitness into a $94 billion industry, according to statistics from the International Health Racquet and Sportsclub Association, it is part of our lives. Fitness is therapy, exercise, and a de-stressor, which is why in these times of uncertainty, it’s a go-to.

Granted, if worse comes to the worst, I fully understand that putting a hold on the gym is a no-brainer. And in the grand scheme of things, clearly, not being able to go to the gym isn’t so dire.

But to get a better understanding of where things stand in the middle of the coronavirus outbreak — barring any further escalation — I asked public health experts and officials specializing in transmission and cleanliness protocol for the best practices for going to the gym. And that includes whether we should be going at all.

Going to the gym means taking precautions like wiping down all your equipment

The CDC and the WHO recommend several basic measures to help prevent the spread of Covid-19:

Wash your hands often for at least 20 seconds.
Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects.
Stay home when you are sick.
Contact a health worker if you have symptoms; fever and a dry cough are most common.
DON’T touch your face.
DON’T travel if you have a fever and cough.
DON’T wear a face mask if you are well.
Guidance may change. Stay informed, and stay safe, with Vox’s guide to Covid-19.

continued next post

[GeneChing]

Sweat is a constant at gyms and fitness classes. Every piece of equipment you touch has been touched by someone else’s sweat. And it’s even more so when you do the math of how long gyms have held on to their equipment, multiplied by the number of people in and out of a gym in any given hour, afternoon, day, or year.

So is coronavirus-laced sweat a possibility? Can the illness be transmitted through our buckets of sweat?

“As a respiratory virus, sweat isn’t generally a transmission route, though contaminated skin and hands can be,” Dr. Tara Smith, a professor of epidemiology at Kent State University, told me over email. “Think more about how you might touch your nose and then touch equipment, or cough on a hand and touch equipment, than about the sweat itself.”

The possibility of the virus living on weights or mats makes the gym a risk for transmission. The precise risk of Covid-19 coronavirus infection from surfaces is not yet known, but gym-goers, SoulCyclers, and Barry’s Bootcampers, should wipe down all the surfaces they’re touching with an approved disinfectant. They should take on that responsibility even if the gym or facility cleans the equipment as well.

“I study MRSA (a bacterium that can survive on surfaces) so I always wipe off equipment both before and after using it because you never know if the person ahead of you did a good job, but now is a good time to be extra careful about thorough cleaning,” Smith told me.

Smith also recommends distancing yourself from fellow gym-goers. This may mean doing something as simple as not going during the gym’s busy hours (usually before and after work), but those hours might be different given the pandemic. It also means no high-fives or handshakes at the gym.

But maintaining the recommended six feet of social distance from others is all but impossible in sold-out group fitness classes where bikes and stations are planted next to each other. Smith says to consider that before booking.

The experts maintain, however, that fitness studios and gyms aren’t any more or less hazardous than any other social setting we might place ourselves in — that is, barring the virus rapidly escalating and dependent on case/transmission rate in your area.

Gyms are not any more risky than “anywhere else where you would be touching things and in somewhat close contact with people — but as the virus is spreading, all of those activities are becoming increasingly risky, especially if you are in a group that is likely to be more severely affected by Covid-19,” Smith said. “I think individuals may want to consider any aspect of how they go out in public during these times, both for themselves and the rest of their community, particularly vulnerable individuals.”

But the most important thing public health experts have stressed over and over applies to everyone and everywhere, including the gym: Stay home if you’re not feeling well.

“The biggest thing right now is to stay home if you’re sick,” Dr. Saskia Popescu, an infection prevention epidemiologist and biodefense researcher, told me. “If you’re well, try and practice social distancing and basic infection control measures. This means don’t go to the gym if you’re sick. If you’re well and want to work out, try to avoid larger group classes, wipe down your equipment with disinfection wipes, before and after use, use hand hygiene frequently, and avoid touching your face.”

Gyms and group fitness studios like Barry’s and SoulCycle are adapting stricter cleaning routines. But some are shutting down for now.

Barry’s decision to require a break mid-class to disinfect the room seems to be the type of “stepping up” that Smith stresses. I also noticed the studio had new sanitizing wipe dispensers, and hand sanitizer in addition to hand soap in the restrooms. Barry’s also said it would cut the number of spots in each class by half beginning Monday, allowing its clients to maintain a safe distance from fellow bootcampers.

A spokesperson for the company told Vox that it would “continue to follow all CDC and Department of Public Health guidelines, and will follow best practices as they are released.”


Barry’s newsletter to its New York City clients.

SoulCycle, the expansive and ubiquitous spin class company, has also taken measures like removing the hand weight section from its classes, per a statement issued on March 12. Usually, SoulCycle classes involve an “arms” series, in which cyclers take a break from pedaling to perform bicep, tricep, and shoulder exercises. Those are now eliminated. The company also said it, too, was ramping up the availability of disinfecting wipes and hospital-grade cleaning solution. On Friday, SoulCycle sent an email to its riders saying that it would cut class sizes in half — a move that seems to be in line with the guidance of social distancing.

National gyms like Equinox and Crunch have also stepped up efforts, sending emails to clients about hygiene practices and promising to step up cleaning efforts with detailed information as to what they plan to do.

There are also online classes, including Peloton and its vaunted bike. In Beijing, online fitness classes have become trendy as officials there have urged civilians to stay inside and curb their social gatherings during the coronavirus outbreak.

For some gyms and group fitness studios, though, the best practice was shutting down. Chelsea Piers, a fancy gym and fitness facility with outposts in New York City and Connecticut, has closed through March 31, 2020. Rowgatta, a New York City-based fitness class that combines weightlifting and rowing, has temporarily shut down.

“We must do our part to protect our staff and to keep our Athletes safe,” Rowgatta said in an email to its clients. “In a time when there is a lack of clear direction from authorities, we must do what we can to lead and contribute to the wellbeing of the community in which we live.”

Similarly, Barry’s has temporarily shut down international locations in Italy, Sweden, and Norway, and has promised to waive cancellation fees for clients.

In light of these closings, improvements, and cleaning measures being taken, I asked Smith and Popescu what are the most important things gyms should be doing to protect their clients.

“I think they should be stepping up the cleaning they’re doing of all equipment in order to minimize the risk of transmission from weights, machines, mats, and also doorknobs and other surfaces,” Smith said. “We all know that some gym patrons are just terrible at doing this, so gyms should be extra vigilant to do so. Remind clients to spread out as much as possible in fitness classes, and emphasize hand-washing.”

Popescu offered similar advice.

“Gyms should be really reinforcing that people should not be there if they’re sick — both employees and clients — and providing ample opportunity for hand hygiene (reminders are great), and disinfecting wipes for equipment,” Popescu said, explaining that sanitizing wipes and disinfecting really help.

“I also encourage people to really be mindful of not touching their face and take some breaks for hand hygiene,” Popescu added. “If you’re in a fitness class, try to do one with a smaller group of people in a more open space, so you can all have about three to six feet between you. This is a great time to use the fitness apps and home gyms!”

We're near Santa Clara County, one of the nation's largest breakout regions, so most everything is shutting down. Today stated "When it comes to healthy younger people who have no symptoms and live in areas where there’s no widespread disease, it’s safe to go to the gym, said Dr. Michael Ison, an infectious disease physician at Northwestern Medicine in Chicago." However this is really ignorant because one of the factors that is causing the spread is that symptoms don't show with young contagious carriers right away. The mission here is not only to not get sick, but to flatten that curve and inhibit the spread.

THREADS
Cleaning Gear
covid-19

[GeneChing]

...I stand with China on this one.

ASIA MARCH 13, 2020 7:57PM PT
China’s ‘Mulan’ Fans Welcome News Of Release Delay
By REBECCA DAVIS


CREDIT: CHELSEA LAUREN/SHUTTERSTOCK

“Mulan” fans in mainland China on Friday welcomed the news that Disney will postpone the global release of the new live-action blockbuster, happy that they’ll likely now get the chance to see the film in theaters in sync with the rest of the world.

The new “Mulan” was scheduled to release worldwide outside of China, one of Disney’s most crucial overseas markets, on March 27. Chinese cinemas have been closed since late January due to the coronavirus epidemic.

Disney’s potentially costly decision to move ahead without China came despite the firm’s efforts to specifically cater to mainland audiences in its new retelling of the classic Chinese ballad, particularly in the decision to cast popular China-born starlet Liu Yifei as the titular heroine.

Chinese fans took to social media on Friday to express their relief that the film had been pulled — both for health reasons, and out of fears of piracy and spoilers as the last ones to get a theatrical release.

“Thank god!!!! Now I won’t be spoiled,” said one poster to China’s Twitter-like Weibo platform. Another enthused: “Finally they’ve pulled it! They should’ve done so long ago. Now everyone can watch it at the same time together.”

Most wrote of their support for the decision to prioritize health concerns. “Safety first! We’ll pull out the red carpet for the film at a better time,” wrote one commenter, adding: “Maybe now you can do the premiere in China?” The film had its initial U.S. debut in Hollywood on March 9.

By Friday evening, the Weibo hashtag “Mulan Global Release Cancelled” had been viewed 630 million times.

Disney released all four of its 2019 live action remakes in the mainland last year. China was the highest grossing overseas territory for October’s “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil” ($48.8 million) and July’s “The Lion King” ($120 million), and the second largest foreign market for May’s “Aladdin” ($112 million) and March’s “Dumbo” ($21.9 million).

Directed by New Zealand’s Niki Caro, “Mulan” is most expensive live-action feature to ever be helmed by a woman, with a budget of at least $200 million. It will obviously be seeking to earn big in China, one of the world’s most censorious nations where these days, it’s hard for any cultural phenomenon to sidestep t***** politics.

Earlier, the film had come under fire after Liu publicly expressed support across all her social media channels for the Hong Kong police force accused of excessive violence in attempts to quell pro-democracy protests there, leading for some to call for a boycott of the title.

More recently, she’s come under fire on mainland social media from Chinese nationalist trolls who have criticized local fans for identifying with and taking pride in a star who technically gave up her Chinese nationality to gain a U.S. passport.

“Liu Yifei is too miserable — beyond the Great Firewall [of internet censorship] the pro-Hong Kongers smear her, and within the Great Firewall the nationalists smear her,” joked one Weibo commenter.

Some former detractors gave her credit, however, for openly saying on her promotional tour that she hails from Wuhan, the city at the epicenter of the coronavirus epidemic where the disease originated.

“She’s the only one who dares to say in front of the world media that she’s a Wuhan native, so I’m a fan of her. Domestically right now, how many from Wuhan would dare openly admit that’s where they’re from?” read one post. People from Wuhan have been subject to extreme stigma since the start of the virus. Particularly in the early, panic-striken days of the epidemic, many ended up outcasts shunned by their peers and neighbors, kept out of hotels and even specially tracked and registered by the authorities — even in other parts of the country.

Beyond “Mulan,” a growing list of other films have recently canceled their scheduled debuts due to coronavirus concerns, including Disney’s “New Mutants” and “Antlers,” Paramount’s “A Quiet Place 2” and “The Love Birds,” and Universal Studios’ “Fast & Furious 9.”

“Mulan” marks the third film starring Chinese superstar Gong Li to be pulled in almost as many months, after Lou Ye’s “Saturday Fiction” — which debuted at Venice — was pulled from its expected Chinese theatrical release in December, presumably for censorship reasons, and Peter Chan’s highly anticipated volleyball film “Leap” cancelled its Chinese new year sortie just as the coronavirus situation was heating up.

But many Chinese fans say that neither the virus nor the delay will dampen their enthusiasm for Mulan. “A good meal won’t spoil just because it’s served a bit late. A good film will always catch the world’s attention, whenever it comes out,” one wrote online.

THREADS
Mulan (2020)
covid-19

[GeneChing]

...and I don't quite agree with it, but it's relevant to our forum here.

Culture China 22:32, 20-Feb-2020
Tai Chi, Baduanjin, Chinese-style exercises help you fight coronavirus
By Wu Yan



Chinese-style exercises such as Tai Chi and Baduanjin have become popular among patients during the novel coronavirus outbreak, and have been recommended by medical experts to ordinary people to improve physical strength.

Photos and videos of doctors leading patients with mild symptoms to practice Tai Chi and Baduanjin in makeshift hospitals in Wuhan have gone viral on social media recently. Experts say the exercises are good for patients' recovery and reducing their anxiety.

What's so good about Tai Chi and Baduanjin?

Developed from ancient Chinese philosophies and breathing techniques, Tai Chi is a system of meditative physical exercise. Tai Chi is best known as a martial art which has developed into many genres over the centuries.

In 1956, the then-national sports authority introduced 24-Form Tai Chi. Adapted from traditional Yang-style Tai Chi but simplified and standardized, 24-Form Tai Chi is widely adopted by many nowadays for relaxation and health.

"In China, a great way (to strengthen the body) is Tai Chi," renowned Chinese respiratory expert Zhong Nanshan said during an interview, "When doing Tai Chi, the practitioner is in a half-squatting posture. Although the static movement does not have significant effect on tachypnea (rapid breathing), it is good for training muscles."

He said that he had a dozen patients whose lung function level was only 20 to 30 percent of that of a normal person. But by continuing to take medicine, walking and practicing Tai Chi, the patients' movement was greatly enhanced and some were even able to climb a mountain.


A doctor leads patients of mild symptoms in a Tai Chi practice in a makeshift hospital in Wuhan, Hubei Province. /People's Daily

Similar to Tai Chi in that it emphasizes breathing, Baduanjin, or Eight-Section Brocade, refers to eight sections of movements performed repetitively and nonstop, reminiscent of brocade weaving.

Originating from the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127), Baduanjin traditionally contains both a standing and seated set of eight sections of movements each, but has also been expanded to twelve-section movements and sixteen-section movements.

In 2003, the General Administration of Sport of China re-choreographed the standing version of the aerobic exercise, and promoted it as one of eight health qigongs nationwide. Featuring slow movement and low intensity, Bajuanjin is suitable for all ages.

For epidemic prevention and control, people are currently being advised to stay at home.

To help people strengthen the body and develop a healthy lifestyle, the General Administration of Sport of China recently recommended a list of indoor exercises. Tai Chi, Baduanjin and other traditional Chinese-style exercises are on the list.

"The key is perseverance. It's better to practice every day," Zhang Boli, general counsel to Wuhan's Dahuashan makeshift hospital and president of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, told China Sports Daily.

He also suggested ordinary people practice according to one's abilities and advance gradually in due order.

(Cover image: A man practices Tai Chi. /VCG)

THREADS
Tai Chi as medicine
Baduanjin]
COVID-19

[GeneChing]

We are shutting down.

Bay Area authorities place strictest order in country: ‘Shelter in place,’ only essential businesses open in 6 counties
Photo of Erin Allday
Erin Allday March 16, 2020 Updated: March 16, 2020 1:19 p.m.



The San Francisco Chronicle has lifted the paywall on our coverage of this developing story to provide critical information to our community. To support our journalists' work, consider a digital subscription.

Six Bay Area counties announced a “shelter in place” order for all residents on Monday — the strictest measure of its kind in the country — directing everyone to stay inside their homes and away from others as much as possible for the next three weeks as public health officials desperately try to curb the rapid spread of coronavirus across the region.

The directive begins at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday and involves San Francisco, Santa Clara, San Mateo, Marin, Contra Costa and Alameda counties — a combined population of more than 6.7 million. It is to stay in place until at least April 7. Three other Bay Area counties — Sonoma, Solano and Napa — were not immediately included.

The order falls just short of a full lockdown, which would forbid people from leaving their homes without explicit permission, and it wasn’t immediately clear how, or to what degree, it would be enforced. The order calls for the sheriff or chief of police to “ensure compliance.” In Italy and other places that have instituted lockdowns, travel outside the home has been restricted without permission and police have been ordering people back home if they don’t have a reason to be in public.

“The scientific evidence shows that at this stage of the (coronavirus) emergency, it is essential to slow virus transmission as much as possible to protect the most vulnerable and to prevent the health care system from being overwhelmed,” the order states. “One proven way to slow the transmission is to limit interactions among people to the greatest extent practicable.”

The Bay Area orders are the most restrictive yet in the U.S. The region is the first to direct people to stay at home as much as possible and avoid even small social interactions.

In Washington state — where a Seattle-area outbreak has infected more than 400 and killed 37 — public health officials on Monday announced that bars, restaurants, clubs, gyms and other indoor social or recreational venues be closed until March 31. The state also banned all gatherings of 50 or more people. But the restrictions stopped short of advising people to shelter in place and did not ban non-essential travel.

In the six Bay Area counties, non-essential gatherings of any size are now banned, along with non-essential travel “on foot, bicycle, scooter, automobile or public transit.” People may travel for shopping for necessary supplies, accessing health care, and providing aid to family and friends who need assistance, and for non-residents, returning to their home outside the Bay Area. Airports, taxis, and public transit — including BART — will remain operational, but only for essential travel and people are expected to keep six feet apart when possible.

People in the six counties will still be able to go shopping for items such as food and household supplies, and seek medical care. They will be able to go outside for walks or exercise as long as they keep six feet away from anyone they don’t already live with. People who are homeless are exempt from the order but encouraged to find shelter.

People who are older or have underlying health problems are being told to stay inside at all times except for health care under the new directive. They should ask someone to shop for them if they are able.

The order calls for all “routine medical appointments” and elective procedures to be canceled or rescheduled. “To the extent possible, all health care visits that are not canceled or rescheduled should be done remotely,” the order states.

Everyone is to work from home, or stop working, unless they provide an essential service, which includes health care workers; police, fire and other emergency responders; and utility providers such as electricians, plumbers, and sanitation workers.

Grocery stores and pharmacies will remain open, and restaurants may stay open to provide takeout food only. Also staying open: veterinary services, gas stations and auto repair shops, hardware and other home supply stores, banks and laundry services. Businesses that remain open are encouraged to keep both employees and customers six feet apart, including while standing in line. But there are no specific limitations on the number of people allowed inside.

As Bay Area deals with the Coronavirus there are fewer people out in the city and in the streets making the Bay Area look and sound different as the population practices social distancing.
Video: San Francisco Chronicle
Daycare centers may stay open, but children must be kept in groups no larger than 12, and they must stay with the same group of children every day.

The Bay Area restrictions came as the White House on Monday urged all older Americans to stay home and everyone to avoid crowds and eating out at restaurants.

Among the new recommendations from President Donald Trump and his coronavirus task force: Over the next 15 days, Americans should not gather in groups of more than 10 people, schooling should be at home and discretionary travel and social visits should be avoided. If anyone in a household tests positive for the virus, everyone who lives there should stay home.

The orders come as cases of COVID-19, the illness caused by the new coronavirus, climb rapidly around the region. The Bay Area has reported 251 cases since the outbreak began — but more than half of those cases were in the past four days alone. And national testing shortfalls means that there are certainly many more hundreds and possibly thousands of cases in the region that have not been diagnosed, infectious disease experts say.

Increasingly aggressive responses — such as limiting large gatherings and closing schools — have not yet slowed down the spread of disease, and public health officials agreed over the weekend that much more restrictive tactics were needed to force people apart. Authorities fear that regional hospitals could be overwhelmed by a crush of seriously ill patients if the virus is allowed to keep spreading as it has been.

The Bay Area announcement comes just a day after Gov. Gavin Newsom advised that all bars in the state be closed, and that restaurants reduce capacity. Several states have announced closures of bars, restaurants and entertainment venues, and instituted curfews. Also on Sunday, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention urged that all gatherings of 50 or people or more be stopped nationwide — the agency’s strongest advisory so far. As of Monday morning, U.S. cases had topped 4,000, but the actual number of infected people is far higher.

Staff writers J.K. Dineen and Joaquin Palomino contributed to this report. The Associated Press also contributed.

Erin Allday is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: eallday@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @erinallday

Photo of Erin Allday
Erin Allday
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erinallday
Erin Allday is a health reporter who writes about infectious diseases, stem cells, neuroscience and consumer health topics like fitness and nutrition. She’s been on the health beat since 2006 (minus a nine-month stint covering Mayor Gavin Newsom). Before joining The Chronicle, Erin worked at newspapers all over the Bay Area and covered a little of everything, including business and technology, city government, and education. She was part of a reporting team that won a Polk Award for regional reporting in 2005, for a series of stories on outsourcing jobs from Santa Rosa to Penang, Malaysia. Erin started her journalism career at the Daily Californian student newspaper and many years later still calls Berkeley her home.

[GeneChing]

As of Tuesday March 17, the San Francisco Bay Area has issued a ‘Shelter in Place’ order closing all non-essential businesses until April 7. This affects the Kung Fu Tai Chi Headquarters in Tiger Claw’s California branch. We will still be telecommuting however response will be limited. Kung Fu Tai Chi subscriptions are fulfilled through MartialArtSmart.com so please direct any subscription questions there.

We appreciate your continued support and understanding during this global crisis. Please stay healthy everyone.

Gene Ching
Publisher, Kung Fu Tai Chi & KungFuMagazine.com