The EBU has imposed a travel ban on staff until March 13.
Announced by the EBU on March 3, the restrictions are a precautionary move against the spread of coronavirus.
The ban has been introduced after an EBU employee in Switzerland was confirmed to have contracted the virus. Eurovision delegations were informed on Tuesday morning.
That news was not earlier reported in the Swedish press coverage of Sweden’s withdrawal from the Heads of Delegation meeting. However, wiwibloggs has now obtained — from multiple sources — a copy of the letter sent from the EBU to delegations:
“As some of you may already be aware, the EBU in Geneva has had one person test positive for coronavirus amongst its staff.”
As a result of that, the EBU’s general director “in the interests of health and safety of staff and Members, has imposed travel restrictions on all staff until at least Friday 13 March.”
Staff affected include Eurovision Executive Supervisor Jon Ola Sand. The letter goes on to say that Sand will not attend the HoD meeting, but will join it remotely.
Israel pulls out of Heads of Delegation Meeting
First it was Sweden. And now Israel. Last year’s Eurovision host nation will not be at the Heads of Delegation either, as the coronavirus continues to spread.
Like Swedish broadcaster SVT, Israel’s KAN has decided not to attend the meeting next Monday in Rotterdam. This is due to advice from Israel’s Health Ministry to avoid unnecessary travel.
The Ministry of Health has advised Israelis against travel abroad except in “urgent” cases. Sources within the Israeli broadcaster confirmed the Ministry’s directive as the reason for cancellation to Ynet. wiwibloggs has confirmed the news independently with sources at the broadcaster.
That does not mean Israel won’t be at Eurovision: KAN still intends to compete in Rotterdam in May. Indeed the final stage of The Next Star for Eurovision took place tonight. The delegation will attend remotely.
While the news may seem alarming, Dutch Eurovision organisers monitor the situation daily and these precautions are in line with advice from governments.
Photo Credit: EBU
[…] et les Israéliens ont annoncé qu’ils ne feraient pas le déplacement aux Pays-Bas, comme le note le site Wiwibloggs. Le Norvégien Jon Ola Sand, superviseur exécutif de l’Eurovision ne participera pas non plus à […]
Jon Ola Sand, leave us alone! Quit and go!
ESC 2020 had to be cancelled.
no, it is a too huge event to just cancel, also unfair to all delegations, all chosen artists/songs
so you need to look at other possible options to go along with the contest
– separate tv studio’s would be not be a too bad idea
– no live audience would be a nice last resort option
My money is that they will cancel every non-essential Eurovision event, a.k.a. Euro village, euro club, pre parties, stuff like that. Let’s see how this progresses.
Oh please! People escaped bombs and granades during war just to compete in ESC. You think a little virus, no more dangerous than the common flu virus will stop people?
People risked lives in wars yet competed and now youre telling me people fear a virus with 3 % mortality?
They impose complete army quarantines on cities of 10-20 million because it’s “no more dangerous than the common flu virus”, sure.
No, war is worse. Because people actually die in wars. People actually risked their lives in order to get to ESC. Are you saying that the same broadcasters that did all that is suddenly now getting causious over something that’s not happening? It’s far from pandemic and it’s likely not being one either..
“Because people actually die in wars” more than 3000 have died of coronavirus already
swine flu in 2009 had over 27 million infected, that was a pandemic, and back then ESC just went on as normal
If the heads of delegations won’t travel to be with one another, then it looks unlikely that entire delegations will be in a position to do the same in just a few weeks. Unless the situation eases. I’m being realistic, sadly.
Eurovision 2020 will not be cancelled, although it may not be an audience in the arena… or… it will be pre-recorded performances and a full on-line event without live music. Too much money have been already invested to cancel it permanently… EBU can’t afford to cancel.
I agree – they’ll definitely try to minimize any extra costs (and postponing the contest or any changes would be costly), but cancelation is most likely out of question.
They can do a Eurovision 1963 style – all performers in a modern tv studio. At the time, it was really cool actually, the artists could explore different possibilities.
live music in the ESC ???????????
there’s no live music at all just live performers on tapes
The panic caused by the spread of this virus is much more dangerous than the virus itself. So guys, stop panicking and just take care of yourself! Wash your hands and don’t cough or sneeze without covering your nose and mouth!
I hope the virus is gone by May. At this point, I just want to believe that viruses die in heat. Otherwise it would be really sad to cancel Eurovision for the whole year. Keeping fingers crossed.
It definitely will become less of a problem during the warm months. So everyone needs to calm down, especially regarding Eurovision. It’s months away and even now during the outbreak not every event gets cancelled. For example not a single football game has been cancelled in here in Germany so far and those are often in even bigger arenas than Eurovision.
And even IF a mass gathering would be too dangerous in May, it could still be done as a broadcast without live audience. That would be kind of sad, but better than nothing. No need to cancel it completely.
Well, there are 15 cases in Israel and the temperatures there are already 19-20C. I guess we will see if it spreads or not in heat very soon.
At this point, going to Italy is suicide.
You’re just another typical gullible tv viewer.
I work in the hospital across the Ahoy, Ikazia Hospital.. Just been informed through email that the first Corona patient has been admitted on sunday.. After tests this older man was told he has the virus.. Having just had stemceltransplant to fight Multiple Sclerosis, my immune system is much weaker than another person atm.. Scary! Now that I finally have tickets…… It’s getting so close, hope 1, every person affected by it will be fine and of course 2, big events we love will proceed.. Fingers crossed
The 2019-Corona (Covid-19) virus outbreak is a serious issue. Now it’s pandemic and both death and seriously ill cases are risen around the Globe. And it effects all ages, not only the immune compromised or too old or too young persons. We could learn from what’s happened with the pandemic of the Spanish flu. So I suggest at the end of the day, if the situation gets worsen, the ESC 2020 should be postponed, same as the 2020 Tokyo Olympic games. And if you were at risk or sick, please do not attend the event even you had already booked… Read more »
It’s a matter of fact that it doesn’t affect healthy, young people the way it affects older, less healthy people. Stop spreading unnecessary panic.
Stop with the fake news, it’s not even close to be pandemic.
Stop spreading more panic! Youre part of the problem
I nearly had a heart attack I thought Israel was fully withdrawing for a moment there
yea the headline is poorly written – it does sound like what you suggested
Public health is paramount. If the competition has to be curtailed to prevent the spread of the disease then so be it. Mass gatherings of people and travel should be prevented right now.
Phh. I know if I was sick and lying in hospital I know I would love to be able to see ESC. Isn’t that precisely what you need ESC for, to forget about your trouble?
I agree…but these are extraordinary circumstances. If gathering large groups of people together and travel risks life then it shouldn’t happen. There are alot of vulnerable people out there
We already have a winner. Let everyone be safe and welcome #Moscow2021 or #SaintPetersburg2021
If Verka, who was miles better than Little Big, couldn’t win, your Russian clowns will fail as well. And we don’t need Eurovision in a homophobic country. I an surprised why this country even wants to win this that much.
Marriage equality is only legal in sixteen of the 41 competing countries, so it’s not like homophobia is exclusive to Russia, sadly.
So tell me, how many countries among the 41 ESC participants have laws targeting the LGBT community specifically? Imagine ESC where you get a fine or worse for coming to the venue with the rainbow flag. THOSE ARE FORBIDDEN IN THERE. I’m not even starting to get into all the killings that happened in Chechnia (which is under Russian control). Like seriously, ESC might be the biggest worldwide event that is so closely connected with the LGBT community. Why shall we give it to an openly homophobic country? Wasn’t it enough that they bribed their way to host the Olympics… Read more »
lol go back to your tv watching CNN :)))))))
Ukraine is as much homophobic as Russia but Europeans are forgetting this so often. I guess because Ukraine isn’t a global superpower with strong criticism towards the European Union and generally controversial in many aspects. I love me some double standards. And you can’t even imagine how many more ESC countries are homophobic. Even Greece (my country) is kinda homophobic. At least we don’t punish or kill them. But it’s considered a “flaw” or a “sin” by many. I can name every Eastern European country and find many people with homophobic ideas in them. So don’t be picky on issues… Read more »
How is Ukraine “much more homophobic” if it doesn’t have anti LGBT laws and actually has gay parades in Kiev protected by the police? Where in Russia do you have those? Huh? It sounds like you don’t know much but have to say something anyways.
You are talking about “anti LGBT laws ” but do you know what’s written in this law (there is only 1)?
I know. I am a native Russian speaker, so I can also read it in the original language.
Since when Russia is safe ?!
russophobes’ a**es will blow up then:)) nah juries wont let them win seriously. +the song seems weak.
In 65 years, countries were participating even while they were even having war back home, and now many people are afraid that broadcasters will pull off. For heavens shake, get your s*it together and stop freaking out for no reason.
They are overdoing it all. Coronavirus isn’t that dangerous to most of the people.
but it is dangerous to certain groups of people, I’m sure everybody knows at least one person in one of those groups.
Those groups should not be going to events like this anyways. Old people and people with immune conditions shouldn’t travel like at all during this pandemic
They don’t even need to travel, young and healthy people can get Corona and then transmit the virus to them.
Yes. Even in Vietnam all people who infected totally well right now
Yes. Not dangerous to most people. But 2% die.
Let’s assume all of earths population gets infected. And we say there are 7 billion. Now 140 million people die. Yes, not dangerous to most people. But not safe.
So we all want to reduce transmissions. Because we don’t want 140 million deaths. Or we can swap and only think about our healthy selves. We won’t be one of those 140 million. So why risk cancelling entertaining event? So let’s do this anyway
What a mess. It’s actually impossible to cancel the contest without thousands of people getting stuck with plane tickets and non refundable hotels. Who’s going to compensate them? If Rotterdam doesn’t have the virus it could be possible to fill the arena with only locals. But what will be with all those who was planning to come from abroad?
Nobody’s going to compensate them, because it’s nobody’s fault.
There is a case in the hospital across Ahoy even, I work there and just been informed
I think you just pointed out the most important thing: money. It’s not only people who invested into visiting Netherlands in May as guests. It’s also the participating countries and host country as well – they all invested money into this and by canceling ESC all this money (or the large part of it) would be lost. I can see them postponing the contest to minimize the lost, but not cancelation.
Skype conference FTW!
They will surely solve this.
Let’s get some things straight here: – Coronavirus can only seriously affect you if you’re really young, really old, or have a poor immune system. Your chances of getting it otherwise are slim, and if you do, it’ll mostly just feel like a bad flu. It won’t kill you. – We already knew Switzerland had been affected. Rotterdam isn’t. – Eurovision is in May. Plenty of time to get it under control. – No, Israel didn’t withdraw from the whole thing. They’re just not attending the meeting. – It would take a LOT to cancel Eurovision outright. The EBU are… Read more »
It won’t kill you? Don’t underestimate the disease! It already killed thousands worldwide and people should protect themselves no matter what. Some people just got it for being in an elevator with the patient for less than 1 minute and people got pulmonary fibrosis after they recovered from the disease. The damage to your lungs will be everlasting so it’s not just a simple flu and people are not overreacting. Wearing medical masks are important now.
People are being hysterical because it’s a new virus, while forgetting that many people die each year because of the flu. Of course it’s worrying, but it’s not like contracting the virus means a certain death.
I live in Asia and since masks are basically out of stock now in my country because of an earlier volcanic eruption that took place last January (as inhaling volcanic ash is much more damaging to the lungs than COVID-19 could), not everyone wears one.
And 3 months into the new year, we only have 3 confirmed cases so far.
I wish you were more like Asia. I live in Thailand, and I would say that 4 out of 5 people wear face masks on public transport. There is free hand disinfectant on every street corner. It is only thanks to measures like these that not a single new corona case has emerged in Thailand for more than a week (while the country was heavily impacted during the early stages of the virus due to its proximity to China). Compare that to Europe where everyone happily goes skiing in the Italian Alps, and the virus is spreading like crazy!
Just one tiny correction: one person in Rotterdam does have corona. She was hospitalized for a week before they even found out, but the hospital is closed right now and as far as I know, she’s the only person from Rotterdam te be infected (so far). There’s also a case in Delft, a city pretty close to Rotterdam. Other cases are farther away.
Of course we understand that, but what would you do yourself? Go and risk bringing back the virus (on your hands or clothes) and then say shake hands/hug/kiss to your old mom ,dad, or maybe new born baby or your child with asthma…just because you might not get infected you still might spread the virus and make other people around you sick.
It is the spread of the virus that is the problem, the less it spreads the easier it will be to control the situation.
I am concerned that the esc will fail completely….
Me too. I am not afraid of the virus, but I’m really worried that Eurovision 2020 might be cancelled.
Health is MUCH more important than a music contest.
Of course it is, but this virus is slightly more dangerous than a seasonal flu, this is just media hysteria.
The virus isn’t that bad but the difference is that there’s no vaccine yet. Most old people in the Netherlands are vaccinated against the flu.
Oh no no no NO you didn’t have say that. Don’t!!
Football games? The freaking summer olympics are a couple of months away. I feel sorry for those countries that prepared for those events and now they rather be canceled or spoiled by all of this in another way.