Opinion How is COVID-19 affecting you in general?

[David]

Generally speaking, what impact has COVID-19 had on you, be it in Okinawa or around the world?

I am seeing a lot of PCS/military cease movements and quarantines outside of Okinawa, and, it might spread to Japan and Okinawa as well with the US being hit hard. My home state, Washington, especially being hit hard with a little more than 10% of the total cases so far. I have family members there more susceptible to an unfavorable outcome, so hoping it doesn't spread a little south their way.

As for me, I had a conference in the States that I was going to attend. I ended up purchasing the cheapest, non-refundable, plane tickets on February 1st, without insurance for around $1100; because who would've known? I also had to put down a $190 deposit on a hotel room because, at the time, rooms for April were flying fast and I didn't want to risk not being able to stay in a Navy/Army Lodge as someone with orders could've easily reserved a room and bumped me to, well, nothing.

So as it stands now, I am out about $1300.

I booked my tickets through Expedia, but, they will only answer inquiries on what to do 72-hours in advance of my flight. I'm unsure how the airlines are going to react: whether they'll give a full refund or flight credit, which I'll never use on any of those airlines so it would be pointless to use. I could use the cash, as I have no intention of flying; a credit of any sort would be pointless, on any airline.

I'm really at odds end, and wondering if the hotel, which I booked through a recommendation by IHG, that operates an Army Lodge, elsewhere. If the government allows a firm to sell you on another room, through an affiliate because their Army Lodge is booked, you would think they would do good and give the non-refundable deposit back, right?

It seems like a lot of people that didn't foresee this coming, and are just a regular Joe. They are going to be impacted too. However, in Japan, at least, there is talks about businesses being bailed out through it all if it continues. Why not anyone else?

My intentions were to go. I still had planned on going. But, everything is getting so hectic that it's almost impossible to know for sure the outcome of coronavirus, on just about everything, as well as how your bank account is going to be hit.

 

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[BBZ]

zero impact for my household and I , let's hope it stays that way

 

[David]

zero impact for my household and I , let's hope it stays that way

None outside of your house, such as family members?

I worry about the ones back home in Washington, too. It'd be selfish of me to put my worry of losing $1300 over them.

 

[David]

Well, good news for me, it looks.

Japan has been upgraded to a travel warning level of 3, which South Korea was in long ago. This means anyone coming from Japan has to be quarantined for 14 days. Does that mean in your place of residence or at the airport? If a place of residence, it'd be at the hotel.

I'm sure Holiday Inn Express Waikiki doesn't want someone from Japan to stay in their rooms for 1 (or 14?) days. So, I suppose they have to give me a refund or take me in as I reserved the room. Right?

It'd seem unethical to keep a non-refundable deposit if they didn't provide a service...

COVID-19 in Japan - Warning - Level 3, Avoid Nonessential Travel - Travel Health Notices | Travelers' Health | CDC​

 

[island cyclist]

For us it means to go on food stamps... hmm, wait a minute. Japan doesn't have food stamps for the unemployed. Actually starting Monday March 30 is the big turning point here in Japan. I always said Japan was about 30 days ahead of USA, but now USA is about 3 weeks ahead of Japan.
Stay tune for some not so exciting news coming out way.

 

[David]

For us it means to go on food stamps

Unfortunately, Japan doesn't have a system like this. But, I believe there are many welfare programs available... as to being able to access necessities when you need them with closures, I don't know. You can always count on basically free medical and other handouts for lower income here. Other than that... this should be a consideration for the Government of Japan to implement. Although there is low homelessness, in Okinawa at least, a card of sorts that could be used to buy food here and there each month would benefit a lot, especially low income.

I always said Japan was about 30 days ahead of USA, but now USA is about 3 weeks ahead of Japan.

I say the US is about 6 months behind now. We just spend 1/2 our yearly operating budget to keep open for 3 months. If this isn't contained in 3 months, we could be hurting badly with a second run at it. Nothing that will prevent us from coming back stronger in my opinion though.

Stay tune for some not so exciting news coming out way.

What do you think is going to come out of Tokyo that all governments will choose to enforce?

 

[island cyclist]

Unfortunately, Japan doesn't have a system like this. But, I believe there are many welfare programs available... as to being able to access necessities when you need them with closures, I don't know. You can always count on basically free medical and other handouts for lower income here. Other than that... this should be a consideration for the Government of Japan to implement. Although there is low homelessness, in Okinawa at least, a card of sorts that could be used to buy food here and there each month would benefit a lot, especially low income.

I say the US is about 6 months behind now. We just spend 1/2 our yearly operating budget to keep open for 3 months. If this isn't contained in 3 months, we could be hurting badly with a second run at it. Nothing that will prevent us from coming back stronger in my opinion though.

What do you think is going to come out of Tokyo that all governments will choose to enforce?

Tokyo will make a statement concerning the school schedule. In my opinion, schools must be prepared to close. In this area junior and senior ride bikes , trains and buses to school. Trains and buses are going to be too dangerous to ride.
Elementary kids walk to school here. So it may vary from city to city, but if they decide to open schools, its not going to go well if the whole family get sick. Anyway its a mess.
not sure how I do this separate quote stuff.
Yes, the US is 6 months behind China.
But not now
Japan is even with China since January I feel
Hope you all got some supplies put away
This stuff WILL get out of hand within 2 weeks

 

[David]

Hope you all got some supplies put away

Prior to this happening, I suggested that we set up an emergency supply as my mother was a big believer in having a year's worth of non-perishables stocked up in case of anything. I'm sure she's fine right now if she stuck to it, but, I have to give her a call as she's in one of the most impacted regions in the States now (Washington State).

But, it never came to fruition. Sadly, we have a couple MREs that can get us through a day or two if need be.

We might actually stock up, a bit, just in case. I'll await the news over the weekend to see what happens here and there before going "TP crazy" over food and wind up having a year's worth of Top Ramen for nothing if a cure if found the next day.

This stuff WILL get out of hand within 2 weeks

I really hope it doesn't. But on topic of the 14-day incubation period (said in one case to have been up to almost 29 days), this one is like nothing we've ever seen. Because of that, people weren't taking it seriously as someone could be walking around just fine and then all of the sudden it hits them. Meanwhile, they're infecting others, doing the same thing. I don't think reality has struck many, quite yet, about how devastating to humanity (economy aside) this could be if it's not handled correctly.

Food and water will always be there and we can always replace money. One thing we can't do is replace lives, though.

I get that bills need to be paid, but a lot of people and corporations need to step up during these trying times and either assist with financial needs while shutting things down until it blows over or forgive debt through it, obviously working it back into a payment scheme somehow later down the line as I believe it's still owed.

Doing so would ease the psychological burden of this a bit by knowing that you don't have to work in order to get through this. That is, for as long as everyone comes together under some form of amicable agreement, if the Government of Japan doesn't step in and assist like the US just did with $2.2tn in funding, which will only get the US through 3 months with 1/2 our total year's budget. We can only hope that the people in power know where the funds are going and they get to the right places in order to get it under control by then.

(PS: To quote certain sentences, you highlight a portion of text and then a black box will appear with + Quote / Reply; if you hit the quote button, when you make the reply, you'll have an "Insert Quotes" button under the text box where you can reply under each quote.)

 

[island cyclist]

I really hope it doesn't. But on topic of the 14-day incubation period (said in one case to have been up to almost 29 days),

David, it is known to carry up to 42 days and then get sick. The turning point is about 37 days.

We stocked up because of the way the virus works . Its something we are just not aware of what it will do. I've been following this very closely since Feb. 4th.

I don't know what your situation is, but having food and supplies set aside only makes sense at the moment.

 

[David]

I don't know what your situation is, but having food and supplies set aside only makes sense at the moment.

With the most recent situation reports out along with the (delayed) action of the Government of Japan, I tend to agree with you.

As far as how much supplies and to last how long is up in the air, but I'm thinking at least a month.

If Okinawa totally closes, we'd hurt for a bit until relief is sent.

 

[Rob Oechsle]

Hoping to escape the paranoia surrounding the virus that's now swirling around the world, I headed off to a local bar district over in Ishikawa where I could relax, get away from the never-ending news coverage, and walk the back alleys, without anything to remind me of the growing epidemic....

​

 

[David]

Not impacting me as much, but I did choose to buy about $200 worth of non-perishable goods—which once bagged, filled up the entire back of a full-sized wagon's cargo space—just in case. The items will be added later as times (hopefully don't get) worse and after we finish off March's food stock and go into our April food budget too.

I'll see at the beginning of this coming week, after an inventory of it all, about how long these supplies could last us before determining to make a larger purchase or not, based on global, national, and local counts of infection and reconsider getting more. The supplies bought will most likely be donated because I'm hoping to not see a need for while the rest I will add to a disaster stockpile as I'm not only thinking about COVID-19; a natural disaster is also another potential that can cut off supply lines for days, if not weeks, and it's good to have a plan B in such an event.

Overall, with my recent flight cancelled and that money already "invested" in a flight that I won't take, it's almost like I didn't spend anything, so to speak.

 

[island cyclist]

Overall, with my recent flight cancelled and that money already "invested" in a flight that I won't take, it's almost like I didn't spend anything, so to speak.

it would seem that if the flight was canceled not on your behalf, you'd get a refund ?

 

[David]

it would seem that if the flight was canceled not on your behalf, you'd get a refund ?

I've already put the chargeback into my bank. Expedia can dispute the claim with them if they wish as I'm not going to be sold into a credit on a non-refundable ticket which will eventually be canceled (I believe one leg is already severely delayed, which is not the flight I paid for).

It's better to get a $1300 refund now than let interest incur on that in which I'll have to pay than get it rebalanced until the issue is settled where I owe nothing more on top.