China coronavirus spread is accelerating, Xi Jinping warns.

I am going to the Phils soon as I've already mentioned elsewhere Mike, I'll only go if the restrictions on entry from Taiwan are lifted otherwise I suspect KLM will not let me fly.

I'm not concerned about Covid-19 Mike, it's happened its out there, I expect the number of cases in all countries is significantly higher than the reported cases in those countries so we won't know the real lethality of it for quite a long time, daily cases reported seem to be dropping worldwide just now but really no one knows for sure.

It's in the UK, it's in the Philippines, if someone wants to travel and chooses to do so then that's their choice, I've already said that I will take my chances with it unless I am explicitly told I can't travel.

All I am talking about is the science of this and the reality of what could happen, all you need is something fairly lethal with a long incuabtion period that can be transmitted easily from person to person even when the infected person has no symptoms, one day something like that will happen and a lot of people will die, it's happened before and it will happen again.

If we had better anti viral technology and if we understood exactly how to work out exactly how any particular virus worked then we might be able to do something about it but until that day it's all a matter of luck.

My flight is MAN->CDG->TPE->MNL then the reverse, booked with KLM but they are only doing the TPE->MNL legs, the rest is with Air France.

They just notified me last night of a schedule change on my return flight as a result of a 20 minute difference in departure time.

Not sure I want to go changing the route at my own expense, they won't board someone that they know will not be allowed entry at their destination, so I am rather hoping that they will have to do something about it rather than me.

Also the flight was already a heavily discounted ticket and its still 2 months away so I don't want to pre-empt things, plus I have a chance this year of gaining Silver Flying Blue status again, I've got 17 points from my return flight on the 1st of Jan, this next one gives me 44 points and Christmas could give me the other 39 I need to move back up a level.

Air France long haul seems to give 22 points each way but KLM only give you 17 each way (longest leg seems to earn the points).

I like KLM and the large carry on weight allowance is the main factor for me plus with Silver I would get an extra 23kg bag in the hold.

edit: I found their rebooking policy regards Covid-19 https://www.klm.com/travel/nl_nl/prepare_for_travel/up_to_date/flight_update/index.htm

Five years from now at the earliest Mike, recent news regards the upcoming budget could scupper that completely.

I can only retire if I reach a certain 25% lump sum pension target and the removal of the higher tax rate pension relief benefit will seriously damage that goal for me.

I currently contribute to my pension entirely through salary sacrifice, right now I pay 24% of my salary into my pension my employer provides an additional 6% of salary as part of my contract and then matches the first 4% that I voluntarily put in so employer contributes 10% and I contribute 24% for a total of 34% of my salary, this year my intention was to increase my salary sacrifice to 30% for a total of 40% contribution.

My original intention to increase my personal contribution to 33% next year then 36%, 37% and 39% in following the coming years would have worked even though my total annual contribution (employer + employee) would be more than the contribution limit £40,000 per annum in the final couple of years, this would have worked because of the carry forward rules and I might have met my goal.

However it looks like the higher rate pension tax relief is going to be scrapped completely, it depends on the exact wording of any new law but a tax charge could arise even in a salary sacrifice situation.

Currently I still pay tax at 40% on a portion of my salary even though I am using salary sacrifice, and because I have kept my take home pay at exactly the same cash level for the last three years the portion of my salary that is taxed at 40% has gradually dropped at the same time as the tax thresholds have risen.

I still paid £4000, £2500 and £1200 in tax charged at 40% in each of the last three years (and a lot more at 20%), but was planning on sacrificing myself out of the higher tax band for the next 5 years.

I expect any new tax rules will apply to salary sacrifice as well.

All I want is to live at least 2 years in relative financial comfort without fear when I finally get to retire anything more would be a bonus but I have to plan for at least 10 years of reasonable comfort.

But something like Covid-19 could put a spanner in anyone's future plans.

My best friend died aged 49 of pneumonia, his lungs were compromised by decades of smoking and a common seasonal cold or flu put an end to him 14 years ago, me I've always seemed to be prone to lung infections and sometimes I've had fluid on my lungs, so I have reason to fear respiratory infections, I don't always shake these infections off all that easily but I will still take my chances in the Philippines one day even though air quality and respiratory disease is a massive issue in cities like Manila.

Latest.

Mass weddings in the Phils and you can't even kiss the bride properly.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-asia-51604625/coronavirus-mass-masked-wedding-in-the-philippines

Venice Closes Carnival.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-51602007

Getting bad in South Korea, bet Ana regrets moving there now, the kids are worried about her.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-as...news/world&link_location=live-reporting-story

How long have they been doing this and how many deadly diseases have emerged from this practice in China.

My guess is they've been doing this for hundreds of years and so far we have this Covid-19 outbreak and what else, probably SARS.

Yeah it's not a great practice and we in the west might find it repulsive and yes they are now reacting in a way a totalitarian state can.

But before you start feeling safe from future viruses jumping species just think about the hygiene and living conditions of battery farmed chicken in the UK, the picture below might not be representative of all battery farmed chicken in the UK or elsewhere but it does show some of the overcrowding and monoculture of a creature that we eat.

This is the planet of the Chickens, there are more than three times the number of chickens on this planet than there are people, some 23 billion or so at any one time, Avian viruses do jump species, Chickens do get sick and viruses do mutate.

Anyone who imagines our western food chain is any safer or cleaner or somehow intrinsically safer than anyone else's is deluding themselves in my opinion.