ELK 2021

Anything relating to Cacti or CactiGuide.com that doesn't fit in another category should be posted under General.
Jangaudi
Posts: 457
Joined: Sun Aug 04, 2019 2:21 pm
Location: Gent, Belgium

ELK 2021

Post by Jangaudi »

...now that I mentioned it somewhere else, ELK seems to be confident that they can run this year's edition on 10, 11 and 12 september! Good news, though I would assume it will be a rather small fair this time.
http://www.elkcactus.eu/index.php?page_id=12
User avatar
Aiko
Posts: 2369
Joined: Mon Jan 24, 2011 5:26 pm
Location: the Netherlands

Re: ELK 2021

Post by Aiko »

I do wonder if the talks are now also available via zoom or such. I would only attend one day (pending if there are annoying restrictions for visitors), but the talks on the other two days I might like to watch from home.
User avatar
Aiko
Posts: 2369
Joined: Mon Jan 24, 2011 5:26 pm
Location: the Netherlands

Re: ELK 2021

Post by Aiko »

So, who is going to ELK this year? Just two more months to go!

With people going on vacation this summer first and probably ready to spread the delta or next variant around through August when they have returned, I am not so keen on going for the moment, really. I don't know if the ELK will be super crowded (as there hardly has been any fairs this and the previous year and people like to make up for it) or that it will be very quiet (as not everyone feels it is a wise thing to visit).
Jangaudi
Posts: 457
Joined: Sun Aug 04, 2019 2:21 pm
Location: Gent, Belgium

Re: ELK 2021

Post by Jangaudi »

I am keeping an eye on when they will publish the list of participants for this year. It will give a good clue to how big it will be. I still suspect it will be on the small side, though it's unlikely to be canceled, as vaxination rates in Belgium are really high already now, so the current perspective leans towards open doors for events. However there's a chance elk might have to roll out a reservation concept with time slots. Let's just hope the elk organisers are not going to pull the plug themselves, if they would consider it not worthwhile to run it this time. Even if this would be true, we can't take another year of "everything canceled" ! People need perspective !
User avatar
Aiko
Posts: 2369
Joined: Mon Jan 24, 2011 5:26 pm
Location: the Netherlands

Re: ELK 2021

Post by Aiko »

Well, I don't want to live in a world where I have to reserve a seat for everything and where I have to pass control for someone to check on wether or not I am vaccintated or I get the medical green light to continue after getting a test withing 24 hours before, being the norm. I would rather skip on everything and not participate in anything at all. So if this is the case for the ELK this and future years, I will not attend anymore. Nor anything else.

By the way, they have just started opening up events up here in the Netherlands with a test on checking entrance for negative tested people, so they can attend disco's and clubs and large events again. Since a week the positive tests have spiked from 500 a day to now 10.000 a day! They have now cancelled this again for at least one month. All the youngsters that attend these events have not had a decent chance of getting vaccinated (they can now sign up, but it takes a few weeks for them to get a shot and then some time to allow this to be effective), but at the same time they commit fraud on entrance by copying a negative test from someone else to get in. Or the bouncers just don't care and allow everyone to get in. Hence the spike in positive tests and code red to be back. So that is the end of clubs and dancing places to be open again... So I suspect control on access to events in general is something that will not work anyway. It is too much of a hassle for everyone and will not guarantee anything.
DaveW
Posts: 7374
Joined: Thu Dec 20, 2012 2:36 pm
Location: Nottingham, England/UK

Re: ELK 2021

Post by DaveW »

As you say Aiko I think the Netherlands just locked down again yesterday? This is going to be the problem for all countries with new virus strains appearing which may be resistant to present vaccines. Expect events to only go ahead if they actually go ahead, since all will be dependent on conditions ruling a few days before.

"10/7/21 The Netherlands has reinstated restrictions for entertainment venues several weeks after they were lifted. It was triggered by an unexpected rise in Covid infections predominately affecting younger adults."

https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/world/ne ... ar-AALZfLi
Jangaudi
Posts: 457
Joined: Sun Aug 04, 2019 2:21 pm
Location: Gent, Belgium

Re: ELK 2021

Post by Jangaudi »

It is indeed annoying to have these controls, but it's still 2 months, so things might have cooled down by then. Actually there are some events, like art exhibitions that do not check anything really, you just need to tell them around which time slot you plan to visit, so I think elk might fall into this category. We shall see.
User avatar
One Windowsill
Posts: 544
Joined: Mon Sep 12, 2011 5:27 pm
Location: Manchester

Re: ELK 2021

Post by One Windowsill »

Aiko wrote: Sun Jul 11, 2021 9:32 am So that is the end of clubs and dancing places to be open again... So I suspect control on access to events in general is something that will not work anyway. It is too much of a hassle for everyone and will not guarantee anything.
Why doesn't everybody have foam parties? The detergent in the foam will kill most of the virus present.
User avatar
Aiko
Posts: 2369
Joined: Mon Jan 24, 2011 5:26 pm
Location: the Netherlands

Re: ELK 2021

Post by Aiko »

DaveW wrote: Sun Jul 11, 2021 9:52 am As you say Aiko I think the Netherlands just locked down again yesterday? This is going to be the problem for all countries with new virus strains appearing which may be resistant to present vaccines. Expect events to only go ahead if they actually go ahead, since all will be dependent on conditions ruling a few days before.

"10/7/21 The Netherlands has reinstated restrictions for entertainment venues several weeks after they were lifted. It was triggered by an unexpected rise in Covid infections predominately affecting younger adults."

https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/world/ne ... ar-AALZfLi
I suspect things in the UK will be getting worse than this after next week. I understand all restrictions such as distancing are lifted as of 19 July, even though the numbers in the UK are not that great? Full stadiums for the European football cup will not help much too. Maybe for the UK it will be best to see the match getting lost tonight. That will save a lot of beer consumption and hours at the pub celebrating.
DaveW
Posts: 7374
Joined: Thu Dec 20, 2012 2:36 pm
Location: Nottingham, England/UK

Re: ELK 2021

Post by DaveW »

I don't know who wins makes much difference to alcoholics Aiko (you can tell I am TT :lol: ). They will either drink to celebrate or drink to drown their sorrows. All drinkers need is an excuse to drink! Wherever the match was held in the world it would increase Covid cases. Not only that those crossing borders to watch it will take different forms of Covid home with them. In a pandemic all unnecessary international travel should be banned, including 80% of so called international business travel which is unnecessary in the modern Internet world. Its more important for lorry drivers delivering goods to be able to continue to cross borders than Senior Managers and CEO's etc since if they can work from home in a pandemic they can work internationally from home too. Much of their previous foreign travel was a holiday at the shareholders expense.

https://www.news.com.au/world/coronavir ... aae5d76748

The England/Scotland Match spread a lot of viruses. Sports supporters are often not the most intelligent animals on the planet, particularly after the alcohol is imbibed, then social distancing goes out of the window.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/202 ... n-scotland

The problem for Governments is striking the balance of risks between population safety and bankruptcies in industry through being closed too long. Like you Aiko I would not be surprised if after the rules are slackened in England Covid cases increase too and lockdowns will have to be imposed again, whatever politicians presently say. Because "the tail will wag the dog" when it comes to keeping Covid cases and new variants down. That will not just apply to the Netherlands and UK, but all countries. The British Governments concern is not how many catch Covid, but how many are serious enough to need hospitalisation, meaning our hospitals (as presently with India) cannot cope. I guess that will be most EU governments concern too?

Just as stupid are the Olympics, no spectators now but still going ahead, whereas sense would have dictated the athletes can being it back from Japan, meaning postpone it altogether for a couple of years. Sport is not an essential industry, even if some sports fans think so.

Even more stupid is letting in EUFA VIP's (Virus Importing Persons?) into the UK without jabs or isolation and then allowing them out in public away from their hotel for a meal. Talk about one law for the Establishment and one for the rest. However whichever country held the matches cross border travel should have been discouraged in a pandemic, even if it meant re-erecting the old borders in the EU during the pandemic.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/articl ... ondon.html
User avatar
One Windowsill
Posts: 544
Joined: Mon Sep 12, 2011 5:27 pm
Location: Manchester

Re: ELK 2021

Post by One Windowsill »

DaveW, I agree with all that, except linking the Mail (it just encourages them). It seems we need cameras in all the government offices because we can't trust them to be decent human beings.

Vietnam must be spitting feathers after doing the right thing immediately and seeing the rest of the World still dithering after 18 months. Apparently pusillanimating is not a word, though it should be.
Jangaudi
Posts: 457
Joined: Sun Aug 04, 2019 2:21 pm
Location: Gent, Belgium

Re: ELK 2021

Post by Jangaudi »

There was a new update on the ELK website, in which they explain that "the Belgian Consultation Committee decided to postpone the relaxation of the corona measures planned for September." So if things stay this way ELK might have to check the amount of visitors in time windows, and possibly a test or vaccination proof, not sure. There's no details about it and I've given up trying to keep up with the ever changing rules.
However ! There's a new Consultation Committee on August 13 and things might still be relaxed as planned from september. We'll have to wait and see. The ELK commity does not say they will cancel the event, just that it would be "particularly complex and difficult"in these conditions. It's a bit vague, we'll see after the 13th...that's friday the 13th !! :D
User avatar
Aiko
Posts: 2369
Joined: Mon Jan 24, 2011 5:26 pm
Location: the Netherlands

Re: ELK 2021

Post by Aiko »

Well, I have basically given up already for this year to go to the ELK. I don't want to live in a world where I have to go through testing procedures and health checks. So I just don't go anywhere and keep my money. I will see if things are more relaxed in 2022.
Jangaudi
Posts: 457
Joined: Sun Aug 04, 2019 2:21 pm
Location: Gent, Belgium

Re: ELK 2021

Post by Jangaudi »

Update !
Elk website was updated again, but only in Dutch so far:
It says the planned meeting of the Consultation Committee was postponed to a later date, and that under current covid rules organising an event is pretty much the same as the summer festivals, which means visitors need to have a covid safe pass, so proof of vaccination, or a negative test, to enter. Bad news for some, but it seems the ELK committee is possitively certain they will go ahead under these circumstances. There's a small chance the restrictions might still be eased or lifted, but I wouldn't count on it, considering the covid numbers are rising again at the moment, albeit moderately.
User avatar
ohugal
Posts: 409
Joined: Sun Aug 18, 2019 10:45 am

Re: ELK 2021

Post by ohugal »

Aiko wrote: Wed Aug 04, 2021 4:06 pm Well, I have basically given up already for this year to go to the ELK. I don't want to live in a world where I have to go through testing procedures and health checks. So I just don't go anywhere and keep my money. I will see if things are more relaxed in 2022.
Unfortunate to hear that. No need to disclose any personal information, but if you are fully vaccinated... why not go? There is no guarantee it will not be the same in 2022 (it probably will). I 'm not going to buy cacti per se (no room at the moment and busy renovating our new place), but just to browse and see what growers are up to.
Location
Antwerp, Belgium
temperate, maritime climate with mild winters and cool summers
hardiness zone 8a
Post Reply