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Originally posted by r0gue:

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Originally posted by TXJIM:
I was scheduled to attend a very large international medical conference next week. Just got the word that it has been cancelled. Roughly 50,000 healthcare executives and doctors typically attend. The lost revenue for those numbers of hotel rooms and uber rides and nice dinners is not insignificant.

I was also scheduled to go to it. From my perspective, the way that unfolded, non-healthcare specific companies bailed first (like Cisco Systems). IMO these companies were there as table-stakes, but there's no way they really reap back (quantifiably) the cost of attending. They just go because their competitors go.

As that continued and the dominoes started falling, it started to look a little shaky. Then a lot of hospitals started pulling back. Then Trump announced he was coming on Monday to open the show, and people started melting the hell down. Watching one of the HIT blogs, I was shocked to see well educated people spouting typical TDS nonsense. It was all over at that point. All last week the cancelations continued to roll in. Finally, the conference folks rolled up the carpet and called it a day.

Orlando will be a ghost town next week if anyone is interested. Bet you can get a room for a song.

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I can’t even begin to imagine what all the people who run all the hotels and restaurants and other facilities there are going through right now, probably just reeling in shock and realizing they may be screwed in the short term at the very least

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Originally posted by Fed161:
What are you retired guys doing?

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Originally posted by rburg:

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Originally posted by Fed161:
What are you retired guys doing?

Well, I sleep in. Then I take a nap almost every afternoon. Feels good. Every day I take stock of my billfold, and if there isn't enough money in it, I add some. Come afternoon, I take my wife to lunch. Its tough being retired.

I haven't taken stock of my savings in maybe 4 months. I don't call it a portfolio because I don't consider it that way. I'm a little upset that interest rates are dropping because I have a significant portion in savings bonds. Yes, the E bonds. I'd been pulling about 5 or 6% depending on when I bought them. But they do well during bad times.

Then I realized that about everything is paid for so why should I worry. And my checking account balance keeps growing slowly because of my generous SS deposits. It means I can live off it forever, or until I die. Guess I need to load up my guns to ward off the unwashed hoards when they read this. Or go to bed. So you could say I haven't bothered to panic. Yet.

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Originally posted by ZSMICHAEL:

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I can’t even begin to imagine what all the people who run all the hotels and restaurants and other facilities there are going through right now, probably just reeling in shock and realizing they may be screwed in the short term at the very least

^^^^^^^^^^^^
It is just a bump in the road. It is not like Disney or the city of Orlando is going into bankruptcy. Things always bounce back. It would be nice if the media would be quarantined as they have spread panic and made things much worse.

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Originally posted by ZSMICHAEL:

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I can’t even begin to imagine what all the people who run all the hotels and restaurants and other facilities there are going through right now, probably just reeling in shock and realizing they may be screwed in the short term at the very least

^^^^^^^^^^^^
It is just a bump in the road. It is not like Disney or the city of Orlando is going into bankruptcy. Things always bounce back. It would be nice if the media would be quarantined as they have spread panic and made things much worse.

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Originally posted by smlsig:
So my question is this...Does the current flu vaccine have any effect on this virus as far as minimizing its possible effects?

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Originally posted by Skins2881:
Many, many hotels, restaurants, and other businesses are franchises or mom and pops. This has been planned a year in advance, maybe more? The businesses plan their year out assuming the make their money on key dates (think Black Friday). This can be the difference between closing doors or being profitable for some of these businesses. They employee servers, bar tenders, bussboys, valets, maids, cooks, cashiers, bakers, etc. These people are the most likely to be living paycheck to paycheck. These people may not have insurance, may not have food supplies, may not be able to make car/rent payments. This could lead to a couple of businesses going out of business, RIFs, or cut hours.

Small businesses are the backbone of our economy. Even for the Walt Disney and corporate based service industries this will at a bare minimum hurt, yeah they aren't closing their doors, but guess who owns these companies? Me and you. Our life savings are tied to the success of all companies in American, big and small.

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Originally posted by smlsig:
Since we have some Docs in this thread I have been wondering about something that I haven’t seen addressed and maybe one or more of you guys could respond..

In the past, even when our flu vaccine wasn’t specifically designed for the actual strain that came over we were advised to still get it as it would somewhat minimize the effect of the flu.

So my question is this...Does the current flu vaccine have any effect on this virus as far as minimizing its possible effects?
It very well may not but I have been curious about this.

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In any case, I won't be canceling or curtailing any of my upcoming travels.

I'm praying though that by April a majority of this IRRATIONAL hysteria will cease.

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Originally posted by arabiancowboy:
I’m scheduled for a cruise next week. Hopefully we aren’t quarantined on the ship! It’s the Bahamas so I think my chances are good it will be fine.