BLOG: Coronavirus in Estonia - Estonian World

Posted: 12 Mar 2020 02:27 PM PDT

As the coronavirus hits Estonia and the Estonian government has declared an emergency situation and, as of 17 March, closed its borders, Estonian World informs you on the latest developments in the country and brings you some of the local as well as international opinions on the matter.

30 March 2020 – 715 coronavirus cases in Estonia

As of today, there are 715 confirmed cases of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Estonia, according to the country's Health Board; 56 people have been hospitalised, ten are in intensive care and in a critical condition; three people have died. Twenty previously hospitalised patients have recovered. The Estonian government declared an emergency situation on 12 March and closed its borders on 17 March.

The virus is transmitted from person to person through droplet spread. The incubation period of the virus is about two to 14 days, with an average of five days. It is not yet known exactly how effectively the virus spreads and how long the contagious period lasts. The symptoms are flu-like: fever 38°C (100.4°F), cough, difficulty breathing.

30 March 2020 – University of Tartu is offering help, the government fails to respond

The University of Tartu has intellectual resources and infrastructure that it is ready to offer to help solve the coronavirus crisis in Estonia; however, so far, the state hasn't accepted it, the Estonian Public Broadcasting's science portal, Novaator, reports. The acting rector, Aune Valk, sent a letter to prime minister Jüri Ratas on 19 March, offering its resources and infrastructure directly to the service of the state. The science portal on Tuesday asked the government whether it is going to respond to the offer, by 27 March, they hadn't received a reply. The university could test 1,500 coronavirus kits a day, in two shifts up to 3,000 kits.

The University of Tartu is the oldest and largest university in Estonia. According to the QS World University Rankings, it is among the 350 best universities in the world.

30 March 2020 – A woman infected with the coronavirus gives birth in Estonia

A woman infected with the novel coronavirus has given birth in Estonia at the Pelgulinna maternity hospital in Tallinn. The woman and the child are together at the hospital, but isolated from other patients. They're both in a good medical condition and under observation. The hospital is testing everyone who're coming in to give birth for the virus; the ones who test positive are isolated from other patients and the staff dealing with the infected patient does not come into contact with the healthy ones.

30 March 2020 – No departing or arriving flights at Tallinn Airport

According to the real-time flight information, posted on the Tallinn Airport website, there are no departing or arriving flights in the foreseeable future.

29 March 2020 – Three people have now died of the coronavirus in Estonia

Two more people have died of the novel coronavirus in Estonia – a 90-year-old man in Saaremaa and an 83-year-old man at the West Central Hospital in Tallinn. The first person died on 25 March: an 83-year-old woman from Hiiumaa island who was hospitalised at the West Tallinn Central Hospital on 20 March; the patient had a prior chronic cardiovascular problem.

29 March 2020 – The Estonian Defence League will assist the police in Saaremaa and Muhu islands

The Estonian government decided that up to 40 members of the country's Defence League will assist the police to check the implementation of the strict restrictions in Saaremaa and Muhu islands. Due to the rapid spread of the virus in Saaremaa – the island is the hardest hit region in Estonia – the government has tightened local bans and restrictions of movement. People can go to the grocery store, the doctor and the pharmacy. It's only allowed to go to work if home working is impossible. Kids can be taken to and from the kindergarten. If need be, people can take care of those in need, provided they use protective gear. When moving outside, everyone must carry an ID, and follow the 2+2 rule – maximum party of two and two metres apart from other parties.

The Estonian Defence League is a voluntary national defence organisation. Its main mission is to enhance the readiness of Estonia to defend its independence and its constitutional order, including in the event of military threat. The paramilitary organisation has over 15,000 active members.

29 March 2020 – Russia closes its borders tomorrow, Estonian residents temporarily in the country should return today

The Russian Federation will close its borders from tomorrow 30 March. Therefore, the Estonian foreign ministry urges all Estonian citizens and residents who are temporarily staying in Russia to return to Estonia today. Starting from tomorrow, crossing the border from Russia may become very complicated. The decision of the Russian government applies to all border crossing points for vehicles, trains and pedestrians, including passing through the Narva (Estonia) – Ivangorod (Russia) border crossing point by foot.

Starting from tomorrow, entry to and exit from Russia is allowed only in special cases. Exceptions include:

Staff of diplomatic and consular representations accredited by the Russian Federation, representatives of international organisations and their family members
Those providing international transport services
Family members (spouses, parents, children, adopted children) of citizens of the Russian Federation who can present documents proving their status (the exception applies only on entering Russia, not exiting)
Entering or leaving the country due to the death of a relative.

As of now, the Russian authorities have not clarified whether and on which grounds would Estonian citizens and residents be able to leave the country starting from 30 March.

29 March 2020 – Why the coronavirus crisis is a wicked problem and how to govern it

Benjamin Klasche, a PhD candidate in government and politics at Tallinn University, writes that the coronavirus crisis is a wicked problem and we need to govern it as such.

Coronavirus spread around the world (Unsplash).

29 March 2020 – The Estonian interior minister downplays the coronavirus risk

The Estonian interior minister, the leader of the far-right, populist Conservative People's Party, is shown on this video, downplaying the risk of the novel coronavirus at the government's weekly press conference on 27 February, much like many of the populist leaders have done elsewhere in the world (some still doing it, most notably the US president, Donald Trump, and the president of Brazil, Jair Bolsanaro).

Here's the translation: "I'm calling for a very responsible discussion concerning this so-called coronavirus. I just ran across the courtyard here and thought to myself that a common cold has now been renamed coronavirus. Because, really, the symptoms are very similar to what in my youth no one would have diagnosed a corona or any other virus; it was a cold. Warm socks, goose fat on the chest, mustard plasters, all other such nice stuff, and it went away in a few days, a week. There was no coronavirus."

28 March 2020 – Stricter restrictions in Saaremaa and Muhumaa

The Estonian prime minister, Jüri Ratas, signed an order today that forces most stores and service providers in Saaremaa and Muhumaa to close and imposes stricter restrictions on people's movement. Only grocery stores, pharmacies, telecom sales points, banks, parcel lockers, post offices, and medical and optical supply stores will remain open. Building supply stores can only remain open for curbside pickup and storage sales, the main shopping area must be closed. Also gardening stores will remain open. All other stores and markets will be closed.

All dine-in restaurants will also be closed, take-away and delivery will be operational. All plastic surgery, beauty services (barbers and hairdressers, manicure, pedicure, beauticians, tattoo parlours and tanning salons), massage parlours and rehabilitation services will have to close. The order also shuts down all libraries.

The islands' inhabitants will be forced to stay home. People can go to the grocery store, the doctor and the pharmacy. It's only allowed to go to work if home working is impossible. Kids can be taken to and from the kindergarten. If need be, people can take care of those in need, provided they use protective gear. When moving outside, everyone must carry an ID, and follow the 2+2 rule – maximum party of two and two metres apart from other parties.

Kuressaare Episcopal Castle in Kuressaare, Saaremaa. Photo by Sten Hankewitz.

28 March 2020 – In Kuressaare, eight out of ten ER patients positive with the coronavirus

In Kuressaare, the largest town in the island of Saaremaa, eight out of ten people who are seeking help at the emergency room are testing positive for the novel coronavirus, the Estonian government's chief of emergency medicine, dr Arkadi Popov, told the public broadcasting's evening news. According to Popov, this means the contagion in the island is seriously broad. He promised not to leave the doctors in Kuressaare alone and support them with transport and hospital beds.

28 March 2020 – Over 2,000 people have died in the US, double from Thursday

Over 2,000 people have died from the novel coronavirus in the United States as of 7:45 PM EST today. This is double from the 1,000 deaths only two days ago, on Thursday. Altogether, 117,688 people in the US have been infected with the virus.

28 March 2020 – Estonia activates Article 15 of the European Human Rights Convention

Estonia, along with some Eastern European countries, has activated Article 15 of the European Human Rights Convention that says, "In time of war or other public emergency threatening the life of the nation any High Contracting Party may take measures derogating from its obligations under [the] Convention to the extent strictly required by the exigencies of the situation, provided that such measures are not inconsistent with its other obligations under international law." This means that when a member state of the European Council informs the council's secretary general of activating the article, the state has the right to partially limit the freedoms of religion, speech and others.

This has drawn criticism from others. The Estonian MEP, Urmas Paet, says the activation of the article is surprising because Estonia doesn't have a reason to take such unproportioned steps. "The second clause of Article 11 says that people's right to gather can be limited when it's necessary to protect the people's health in a democratic society," Paet says. "Therefore, for Estonia to reason the activation of Article 15 by saying that it needs to restrict the freedom of gathering is not applicable, because the convention has a separate clause for the protection of people's health. Activating Article 15 is only necessary when a member state plans to take steps that the convention does not cover."

28 March 2020 – Chicago sends positive messages on windows and sidewalks

Even when the people of Chicago are forced to stay home, the Midwestern nice hasn't gone anywhere. If people can't go out and spread the joy, they come up with new ways to at least try and cheer others up in these unprecedented times. In Chicago, people are hanging motivational or just positive messages on their windows for their neighbours to see. Children have also written messages with crayons on the sidewalks. Photos by Ingrid Hankewitz.

The new ID NOW coronavirus test can deliver positive results in as little as five minutes. Photo: Abbott Laboratories.

Live From Virgin Voyages' Scarlet Lady: First Impressions - Cruise Critic

Posted: 22 Feb 2020 12:00 AM PST

(12:32 p.m. EST) -- Virgin Voyages' much heralded ship, Scarlet Lady, made its debut in a wet and windy Dover, England on Friday.

The U.K. port is the first stop on a "World Tour," which takes in Liverpool before it heads to Miami. A christening is expected to be held in mid-March before the ship embarks on four- and five-day Caribbean itineraries.

Cruise Critic was among the very first onboard to find out whether Scarlet Lady really is ready for its close up.

More Than a Gimmick

Corridor to Pink Agave Scarlet Lady

Scarlet Lady pioneers a number of firsts at sea -- the first tattoo studio at sea, Squid Ink; the first Korean barbeque at sea, Gunbae; drag queen brunches; and "all gender" restrooms. The ship also features some of the most extraordinary theatrical experiences we've ever seen on land or sea.

If you're cynical by nature, you might dismiss all this as gimmickry, designed to grab headlines and look good on Instagram. In some ways it is; the Virgin brand has never been shy about embracing whatever is new, hip or on-trend.

But despite this, and after almost a full day onboard, we're convinced Scarlet Lady is more than just a bunch of gimmicks, and that Virgin Voyages has created something genuinely different.

Scarlet Lady is not a ship for the fainthearted; it's unashamedly showy, loud and look-at me: if it was a person, it would be taking a selfie. Furthermore, the ship has a vibe we haven't experienced at sea before, a unique blend of achingly hip (think W Hotel) and upmarket hostel chic (a la the Generator hostel brand).

If you're not sporting a beard or a tattoo, you're going to stand out.

So who will like Scarlet Lady -- and, perhaps more importantly, who can afford Scarlet Lady? (The almost all-inclusive dining, Wi-Fi, drinks and gratuities do not come cheap.)

Here are a few of our first impressions of the ship, and who, ultimately we think will embrace the brand.

Expansive Dining Choices

gunbae korean barbeque restaurant on scarlet lady

Designed for travelers who don't want to be herded into a single dining venue, Scarlet Lady has no main dining room. Instead, there are 20 eateries, each with its own dining hours, giving cruisers (the line calls them "sailors") more flexibility about when and where they eat.

With that said, the ship does have a buffet, despite Virgin Voyage's claims it doesn't. The Galley, which Virgin refers to as a food hall concept, is exactly the same cruise ship buffet you'll find across the industry.

But even if the Galley is the same-old, there are new-to-the-industry concepts we found intriguing.

First, there's the bizarrely misnamed Razzle Dazzle, an all-vegetarian restaurant that permits diners to meat it up if they want to. Then there's the aforementioned Gunbae, which is the first Korean BBQ at sea. We missed the former, but tried the latter.

Gunbae has a Teppanyaki feel to it, with communal tables (if you're a party of less than six you'll have to sit with strangers) and we predict it will be a big hit, with a fun atmosphere and lots of interaction between diners and the servers.

Day-to-Night Rooms

l-shaped beds in scarlet lady bedrooms
Cabins (or rooms, as Virgin insists they be called) are a mixed bag, with a modern, but sparse look popular with hip hostels and urban boutique hotels. The beds, most of which are actually L-shaped sleeper sofas that transform into beds at night, are narrow; there's limited storage space and the "desk" reminded us of IKEA tables designed for too-tiny city apartments.

(The rooms aren't the only place we questioned the line's aesthetic choices. The ship's exterior is gunmetal gray, which had us in mind of a naval ship when we first saw it. Even with the few splashes of red, we found it too austere and stark.)

On the plus side, we loved the hammocks on the balconies (80 percent of rooms have balconies -- or terraces in Virgin lingo) and the fact the bedroom turns into a living room during the day, with the L-shaped beds becoming sofas, freeing up a lot of space. And, befitting a cruiser who needs to be always Insta-ready, there's plenty of places to charge devices, too.

The bathrooms are small, but we loved the swing-both-ways glass doors and rain showerheads in the showers.

Opulent Suites

Mega Rock Star Suite Guitar Room

By contrast, the suites are over-the-top, with the biggest -- the Massive Rock Star Suite -- boasting a guitar room (or a second bedroom if you'd prefer), a huge living room complete with turntable and vinyl collection; a master bedroom with a king-sized bed; and an ensuite, all marble bathroom with a "peekaboo" shower.

The terrace in the Massive Rock Star Suite has a hot tub and a dining table, complete with stairs should you wish to dance on it (a la Richard Branson). Perks include a roadie at your beck and call, and a rider, if you want just green M&Ms.

Pricing wise, this suite is inaccessible to most cruisers, as you'll need to pay a vast sum for this level of indulgence, with three-night sneak-a-peek sailings going for upwards of $24k per person.

All About the Nightlife

a light show in the manor nightclub

Virgin Voyage's CEO Tom McAlpin describes the ship's nightclub, The Manor as "the best %$@#! nightclub at sea," and we're inclined to agree (though Royal Caribbean's Quantum-class ships' Music Hall, comes in a close second.)

It's a double height space, accessed by a discombobulating, light-filled corridor that leads onto the main dance floor, complete with raised stage. The sound system is booming and the light show is incredible; if Virgin really is able to fill the ship with the cruisers it wants, this space will be packed till the early hours.

The theater is also like nothing we've seen on a ship before, with moveable seats which are like bleachers facing each other with the audience looking down onto a rectangular stage, which can be flattened to blur the divisions between the performers and the audience begins.

It's bold, daring and genuinely different and based on the two shows we saw, genuinely ground-breaking.

Where's the Pool?

the main pool on scarlet lady

The inclement weather in Dover meant we spent little time outside, but we did see the main pool deck, which left us confused and wondering what Virgin was thinking. The main pool, as it is, is little more than a plunge pool, smaller than we'd expect to see on a ship a quarter of the size!

Shallow slopes encircle the pool, presumably for people to lounge on and keep cool, but the pool itself is tiny. Considering how much time and thought went into the rest of the ship, the pool almost seems an afterthought.

Just Right for the "I'll Never Cruise" Crowd

Neon Graffiti Scarlet Lady

Putting aside the silliness of Virgin's refusal to use traditional cruise terminology (sailors vs passengers, voyaging vs cruising, terrace vs balcony), Scarlet Lady is a ship like no other we've seen.

It's not for everyone, but Virgin doesn't care. This is a brand that doesn't do vanilla and Virgin Voyages has made it clear it doesn't want to appeal to everyone.

Yes, Scarlet Lady does try too hard at times, and there will be times you will want to find a quiet spot and relax with a cup of coffee without being assailed by dance music, or sip a beer rather than a hand-crafted cocktail made by a tattooed, bearded mixologist.

But you know what? It works. Virgin Voyages is daring to be different, and perhaps we needed Virgin to do this.

It just may be the perfect ship for a new generation of cruisers.