
Google cancels physical I/O 2020 conference - Aissen
https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/3/21163553/google-io-2020-cancelled-coronavirus-tech-developer-conference
======
sequoia
Kudos to Google for taking this responsible step. There's no way to categorize
these sorts of conferences as anything other than "extremely non-essential,
optional gathering." Postponing such gatherings is an obvious first step in
reducing the spread of an epidemic that we cannot prevent, but _can_ mitigate.

~~~
mgleason_3
It’s interesting on so many levels. On the one hand, it seems like the right
thing to do. Air-travel and gatherings are like Petri dishes. On the other,
all these adjustments are going to have an economic impact.

There’s a part of me that wonders if this “crisis” has been created by news
coverage. The flu kills thousands every year. The early articles seemed to say
that Corona virus was no worse that the flu.
[https://www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-death-age-
older-...](https://www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-death-age-older-people-
higher-risk-2020-2) This businessinsider article says that 15% of people
80yrs+ die.

[https://time.com/5610878/2018-2019-flu-
season/](https://time.com/5610878/2018-2019-flu-season/) But Time say 61,200
died a year ago from the flu.

Course then I wonder when the US will get serious about doing some basic
things to limit the spread of disease like: \- require airlines to allow
passengers to change their flight plans without penalty so sick passengers
don’t have to fly \- educate people to cough into their shirts instead of
their hands \- require public bathrooms provide paper towels instead of those
damn hearing-wrecking air blowers. \- step up vaccination efforts \- for those
of us forced to travel: don’t tell us what doesn’t work, tell us what does. If
masks don’t work, should I wear a full hazmat suit? I’m willing to avoid
getting another flu like I had last year...

~~~
d1zzy
> There’s a part of me that wonders if this “crisis” has been created by news
> coverage. The flu kills thousands every year. The early articles seemed to
> say that Corona virus was no worse that the flu.
> [https://www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-death-age-
> older-...](https://www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-death-age-older-..).
> This businessinsider article says that 15% of people 80yrs+ die.

I was thinking like that but I don't think so anymore. There is one important
difference between COVID-19 and the regular flu: COVID-19 seems to infect a
lot more people than the flu. Even if COVID-19 has an overall fatality rate
that is much lower than regular flu, the fact that it spreads fast means it
can overwhelm health services so that those few severe cases can't get the
health they need, when with regular flu they would get that help. That can
make it much more dangerous in practice even if, in theory, it's not.

Now with containment having failed the only course of action is to do
everything we can to slow its progression to avoid overwhelming services.

------
khrekwr
Meanwhile Miami Ultra Music Festival is still on:

> _Amid growing concerns of the virus and large crowds, Miami Mayor Francis
> Suarez said Monday the upcoming Ultra Music Festival and Calle Ocho Festival
> will go on as scheduled._

> _More than 100,000 electronic music fans from more than 100 countries will
> descend on Miami in two weeks for the festival, March 20-22 at Bayfront
> Park._

Just look at this picture: [https://weraveyou.com/wp-
content/uploads/2019/12/Ultra-Music...](https://weraveyou.com/wp-
content/uploads/2019/12/Ultra-Music-Festival-2019.jpg)

Well, that's one way to test the virus transmission/warm weather theory.

------
spectramax
In addition to "safety of the people", there is a business reason for
cancelling these massive events at a huge loss - they're avoiding a PR
shitstorm that would explode if 8,000 people caught Coronavirus at their
conference.

After working in many fortune 500 companies (manufacturing), I've become so
intensely jaded and cynical of any "safety" things most of these companies do.
If you peel the layers, its a glorified CYA. For e.g., no company _really_
gives a shit if you develop a carpel tunnel syndrome. They are covering their
ass to make sure there is enough documentation that employees were properly
trained in the event of a lawsuit. That Ergonomics training you did or any
safety web-training was forced upon you - sure it improves safety but that's a
side benefit.

~~~
orblivion
I think "do the right thing" and "make it look like you're doing the right
thing" will always go hand in hand. I'll take it.

------
rmason
As someone headed to SF later this spring, is there a single case of
coronavirus in the Valley at this exact moment? With all the companies
announcing conferences and employee travel cancelled you'd think that Silicon
Valley was the epicenter.

~~~
vatueil
There have been several confirmed cases, and more are expected as testing
ramps up: [https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/03/02/coronavirus-case-
coun...](https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/03/02/coronavirus-case-counts-rise-
as-testing-expands/amp/)

Not too many yet, but the writing is on the wall.

~~~
rmason
Thanks, maybe I need to look into travel insurance which is something I've
never remotely ever considered purchasing. We have zero cases in Michigan at
present.

[https://www.michigan.gov/mdhhs/0,5885,7-339-71550_5104_97675...](https://www.michigan.gov/mdhhs/0,5885,7-339-71550_5104_97675---,00.html)

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haunter
I wonder about the professional sport leagues, NBA and NHL for example
currently. 10-20k people every night in closed stadiums. In multiple major US
cities. They gotta do something. MLS also started this week and the new MLB
season also upon us

~~~
toyg
In Italy they suspended the football season last week, as it was legally
impossible to host games in the most-affected Northern areas. Sure enough,
they are already talking about resuming next Monday, less than a day after the
current ban on gatherings will expire.

It's screwed up, and hugely unpopular, but I think we should just give up all
these large events until April-May and then reassess. Zero chances it will
happen though, too much money rides on sports these days. So people will die
so that someone else can watch 22 overpaid athletes kick a ball.

------
technics256
And yet, HIMSS is going forward while pretending nothing is wrong...

~~~
jshevek
For anyone previously unfamiliar, as I was: HIMSS = _Healthcare Information
and Management Systems Society_

------
ulfw
And people laughed at me a few weeks ago when I suggested WWDC and i/o might
not happen this year (when MWC got cancelled).

So... is Apple's WWDC next?

~~~
LeoNatan25
It’s the responsible thing to do. We are nowhere near taking control of this
virus.

------
Aissen
It shouldn't be a surprise, after the Facebook F8 cancellation, Google Cloud
Next, Microsoft MVP Summit, dotPy, dotGo, the MWC, etc.

------
BillinghamJ
It'd be nice if this ended up turning into it being more common for tech
conferences to be attended remotely, would be a good step for environmental
friendliness to reduce all the flying around the world for tech events

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orblivion
FWIW I'm wondering about LibrePlanet in a couple weeks. I likely won't go
regardless at this point.

~~~
orblivion
They just posted about it:

[https://www.fsf.org/blogs/community/update-on-
covid-19-and-l...](https://www.fsf.org/blogs/community/update-on-covid-19-and-
libreplanet-2020)

~~~
orblivion
And now all in-person events are canceled:
[https://www.fsf.org/blogs/community/libreplanet-2020-in-
pers...](https://www.fsf.org/blogs/community/libreplanet-2020-in-person-
component-canceled-but-well-see-you-online)

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bilal4hmed
Microsoft BUILD has to be next, its scheduled for a week after IO

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purplezooey
It was at Shoreline? that place is a dump...

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eptgrant
I wonder when ngConf will be cancelled

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wombatpm
So do we think the NCAA March Madness is still a good idea?

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blahneverdies
Don't forget to cancel the supermarket, post office, Chipotle, gym,
planes/trains/buses, movies/theater/sporting events, the sidewalk, etc.

~~~
T3OU-736
I disagree with your analogy.

Conferences, by their very nature, and ones with large well-known companies
sponsoring them strongly implies international guests, and that translates to
higher risks.

