In all probability, the Covid-19 Pandemic will be a crisis the like of which this country hasn’t seen for eighty years.  It is estimated that Covid-19 is fatal in around 1-3% of cases;  if 50% of the world population get the disease, around 1% of the seven billion people on this planet will die.  That’s a lot of people, seventy million in fact—roughly the population of the UK.  To put it in perspective, around twenty million people died as a result of  the First World War, that’s approximately 1% of the world population at the start of the conflict (around two billion).  The death toll in World War I occurred over four years, but it is likely the impact of Covid-19 will take place over a period of months.

– Image from bioworld.com

So, Covid-19 is likely to be devastating, but not necessarily in ways people expect.  Yes, loved ones will die and every loss is a tragedy to those affected.  It may be the society changes that are longer lasting though.  For example, more and more people are working from home, this is better for the environment, but not necessarily good for mental health unless managed properly.  The recent Government advice to “Avoid pubs … and other such social venues” has emptied local pubs and coffee shops, and decimated the takings in businesses that already run on tight margins.  Board game cafés like The Ludoquist and Thirsty Meeples have closed and The Dice Cup, while still open, is clearly struggling.

– Image from squaremeal.co.uk

All over the UK Games Clubs have been suspended or and conventions have been postponed, including Ellesmere Port and Chester Centurions, the Epsom Games Day, SpringCON, Salute 2020, Hemel Games Club, STAG, TringCon, Oxford Meeples and boardGOATS, while others like Variable Mages are considering their options.  Z-man Games have also announced the cancellation of their Carcassonne and (ironically) Pandemic tournaments.  All these use local amenities, pubs, halls and cafés that rely on the support of regular custom.  If these close, it is unlikely they will reopen, and, as Joni Mitchell once said, we won’t know what we’ve lost ’til it’s gone.

– Image from ukgamesexpo.co.uk

If people work together though, we will get through this.  A shining example is that of the UK Games Expo which was originally scheduled for the last weekend in May.  The organisers have just announced that it has been rescheduled for Friday 21st to Sunday 23rd August.  Sadly, this clashes with Tabletop Scotland, but they have very graciously agreed to postpone the Perth event to allow the UKGE to take place.  It is with such understanding, cooperation and consideration that we will beat this thing.  And beat it we will, as long as we work together.