6 ms·

As an organizer of a very small event coming up in mid April, I'm terrified of the flu ransacking our group and killing some of our members many of whom are str

As an organizer of a very small event coming up in mid April, I'm terrified of the flu ransacking our group and killing some of our members many of whom are straight up sick and elderly. We're giving guidance to stay home if they're at risk, but I know if we have the show they'll be there. If we cancel the show it'll be devastating in other ways, and our group is overall conservative and fiercely advocates personal responsibility. Needless to say, if we cancel it will possibly implode the group or cause similar clubs to take over a 30 year tradition. What do I do?

kyleee 7y ago
The responsible thing to do is cancel, even though I know you're feeling damned if you do.
jfkebwjsbx 7y ago
I suggest waiting a few days if you can and then cancel. News will be way worse than now, which allows you to excuse yourself better.
hrayr 7y ago
I work on a virtual conference platform, we've had significant increase in interest in the last couple months... you might want to look into hosting a virtual conference to uphold your tradition and be responsible at the same time.
- behringer 7y ago
  We will be teleconferencing. Perhaps I will advertise that option more.
FriendlyNormie 7y ago
Simple. You ignore the lunatics telling you to cancel.
iokanuon 7y ago
There's a third option, postpone it a couple months.
- behringer 7y ago
  Not viable imo. There's likely no cure coming this year. In a couple months the virus will be more disbursed and pose an even greater threat of transmission to our attendees that are old or sick and refuse to stay home.
  - davidw 7y ago
    You could say "let's try in August" and if warm weather has positive effects, then I guess it goes ahead, or if not, you just flat out cancel. It's irresponsible to hold events right now.
    - lostlogin 7y ago
      The warm weather thing keeps coming up. Sure it’ll be warm where most the population is, but the other half of the world is going into winter.
      - davidw 7y ago
        No one really knows if it has any effect anyway, yet, from what I can tell.
        chasd00 7y ago
        shouldn't we be able to tell from countries on the equator? Or is too early to tell?
    - acwan93 7y ago
      That’s what we’re doing with an event originally scheduled for May. We’re postponing until September and hoping for positive news over the summer.
anigbrowl 7y ago
Call the local jurisdiction where your event is being held and 'ask' them if you should cancel it. 'If' they say yes, then call your insurer.
- harambaebae69 7y ago
  Love the quotes on this. Those individuals you're asking are guaranteed to be risk averse from a game theory perspective, rightly or wrongly (probably rightly here).
ncallaway 7y ago
Take a look at the Biogen conference. 70 of 92 coronavirus cases in MA are linked to the employees of that company, and the conference is thought to have been a major vector [1]. Ask yourself if that's a risk you're welling to take having been associated with that conference. I think event organizers are in a particularly brutal position. I know that the credibility and finances of a lot of events are on a thread, and that cancellation can crush the event (even in the future). It's a tough decision. Were it me, I would cancel, because I think it's the responsible thing to do. [1] https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/11/health/coronavirus-massachusetts-state-of-emergency/index.html https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/11/health/coronavirus-massachuse...
- gist 7y ago
  > Ask yourself if that's a risk you're welling to take having been associated with that conference. This seems to be as if making a choice between what actually might be good and how something might impact you personally (psychologically or otherwise). It's the difference between thinking 'I could never live with myself if that carnival amusement ride killed a child' vs. 'I'd hate to have a child killed on that carnival ride'. Not criticism of what you are saying - just pointing this out.
  - ncallaway 7y ago
    Totally fair, I went back and forth on the wording a few times, and never felt like I got it quite right. I didn't want to come across as saying "You will have blood on your wants if you do this", but I think there is a risk that there will be blood on the hands of event organizers. I guess I didn't know how to frame it other than "are you willing to risk this outcome?"
    - tomcam 7y ago
      I'll back you on your wording. Made perfect sense to me and I'm right at Ground Zero (Redmond, WA) of the US outbreak and in the high risk cohort (old, fat, diabetic). These decisions have to be made as you've phrased it.
gowld 7y ago
Surely a group of conservative old, wise people who advocate personal responsibility would all choose not to attend an event while a novel virus is spreading around the world? Ask for updated RSVPs, and when you see 0 plan to attend your event nor any alternative, cancel this year's live event.
- behringer 7y ago
  In an effort to try not to be too political, not all conservatives are always capable of making the best personally responsible choices... But where I stand on that is that's their problem, not mine. At the same time as the lead organizer I don't want their blood on my hands. It's a conundrum for sure. I liked one of these other posters that said to wait for things to get worse and then cancel haha.

kyleee 7y ago

The responsible thing to do is cancel, even though I know you're feeling damned if you do.

jfkebwjsbx 7y ago

I suggest waiting a few days if you can and then cancel. News will be way worse than now, which allows you to excuse yourself better.

hrayr 7y ago

I work on a virtual conference platform, we've had significant increase in interest in the last couple months... you might want to look into hosting a virtual conference to uphold your tradition and be responsible at the same time.

behringer 7y ago
We will be teleconferencing. Perhaps I will advertise that option more.

FriendlyNormie 7y ago

Simple. You ignore the lunatics telling you to cancel.

iokanuon 7y ago

There's a third option, postpone it a couple months.

behringer 7y ago
Not viable imo. There's likely no cure coming this year. In a couple months the virus will be more disbursed and pose an even greater threat of transmission to our attendees that are old or sick and refuse to stay home.
- davidw 7y ago
  You could say "let's try in August" and if warm weather has positive effects, then I guess it goes ahead, or if not, you just flat out cancel. It's irresponsible to hold events right now.
  - lostlogin 7y ago
    The warm weather thing keeps coming up. Sure it’ll be warm where most the population is, but the other half of the world is going into winter.
    - davidw 7y ago
      No one really knows if it has any effect anyway, yet, from what I can tell.
      - chasd00 7y ago
        shouldn't we be able to tell from countries on the equator? Or is too early to tell?
  - acwan93 7y ago
    That’s what we’re doing with an event originally scheduled for May. We’re postponing until September and hoping for positive news over the summer.

anigbrowl 7y ago

Call the local jurisdiction where your event is being held and 'ask' them if you should cancel it. 'If' they say yes, then call your insurer.

harambaebae69 7y ago
Love the quotes on this. Those individuals you're asking are guaranteed to be risk averse from a game theory perspective, rightly or wrongly (probably rightly here).

ncallaway 7y ago

Take a look at the Biogen conference. 70 of 92 coronavirus cases in MA are linked to the employees of that company, and the conference is thought to have been a major vector [1]. Ask yourself if that's a risk you're welling to take having been associated with that conference. I think event organizers are in a particularly brutal position. I know that the credibility and finances of a lot of events are on a thread, and that cancellation can crush the event (even in the future). It's a tough decision. Were it me, I would cancel, because I think it's the responsible thing to do. [1] https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/11/health/coronavirus-massachusetts-state-of-emergency/index.html https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/11/health/coronavirus-massachuse...

gist 7y ago
> Ask yourself if that's a risk you're welling to take having been associated with that conference. This seems to be as if making a choice between what actually might be good and how something might impact you personally (psychologically or otherwise). It's the difference between thinking 'I could never live with myself if that carnival amusement ride killed a child' vs. 'I'd hate to have a child killed on that carnival ride'. Not criticism of what you are saying - just pointing this out.
- ncallaway 7y ago
  Totally fair, I went back and forth on the wording a few times, and never felt like I got it quite right. I didn't want to come across as saying "You will have blood on your wants if you do this", but I think there is a risk that there will be blood on the hands of event organizers. I guess I didn't know how to frame it other than "are you willing to risk this outcome?"
  - tomcam 7y ago
    I'll back you on your wording. Made perfect sense to me and I'm right at Ground Zero (Redmond, WA) of the US outbreak and in the high risk cohort (old, fat, diabetic). These decisions have to be made as you've phrased it.

gowld 7y ago

Surely a group of conservative old, wise people who advocate personal responsibility would all choose not to attend an event while a novel virus is spreading around the world? Ask for updated RSVPs, and when you see 0 plan to attend your event nor any alternative, cancel this year's live event.

behringer 7y ago
In an effort to try not to be too political, not all conservatives are always capable of making the best personally responsible choices... But where I stand on that is that's their problem, not mine. At the same time as the lead organizer I don't want their blood on my hands. It's a conundrum for sure. I liked one of these other posters that said to wait for things to get worse and then cancel haha.