What about the flu? Can we site the flu if it takes down our whole team and we can’t fulfill orders?

Historically, Amazon barely moves the needle on snow storms, hurricanes, power outages, etc. I would not count on much forgiveness for impacted metrics.

Sellers are running a business and should have backup plans which may include putting the account in vacation mode.

This is very in-time remindings and considerate actions for sellers who import from China.
There will be probablly late shipment by China manufacturers due to insufficient production capacity.

Just read scientists have now projected that the virus can live on surfaces up to nine days, double that of a run of the mill virus. If the conditions are right, low temperature and humidity, it can be a lot longer. If the situation gets more serious with the disease spreading more, they’re having trouble containing it, there could possibly be more embargoes of things coming out of China, not just quarantined people slowing down business.

The estimation was based on studies of other known coronaviruses and the activity of this virus. They haven’t fully tested this specific virus, it’s “new,” the purpose of the study seems to be primarily for hospitals so they could develop a protocol to prevent spreading the disease within facilities. Keep in mind (offspring of a Ph.D. in microbiology here) that conditions on surfaces have to support the survival of the virus for any length of time. So, no one has or can make a blanket statement about picking up the virus from a surface such as a shipment, nor can it be fully ruled out however small the possibility. It is something to keep in mind - if this situation continues, and grows as it has been, it might only take one instance of someone contracting the disease from a surface to put other restrictions in place.

I didn’t mean this as a scare tactic, just something to keep in mind. Even if the chances of contracting the disease from a package coming from China are possibly very slim, being careful is always the best protection. And it is a situation to watch, especially those who count on deliveries from China for their business, not just in terms of packages carrying disease, but also continued quarantines in China. It’s certainly not hair on fire, but information is the best means for prevention. Just keep it in mind.

journalofhospitalinfection: Persistence of coronaviruses on inanimate surfaces and its inactivation with biocidal agents

Moderator Edit (James_Amazon): External URL Removed

I learned something novel (new).

There was a Coronavirus, The Wuhan version is new–hence Novel Coronavirus.

Thank you @Amazon_News

Amazon_News, I had a notification yesterday, stating that one of my dust mask the SAS 8610 respirator was being taken off a listing on account of the coronavirus. They said it was a notification of a restricted product removal. I haven’t sold these masks in quite some time as its been inactive for a bit. I suspect the listing was altered by someone which added the words coronavirus in there. Notwithstanding, I have since complied and removed the listing immediately following the notification, and within 48 hours of receiving the notification. I would not intentionally list any product that was deemed otherwise restricted by Amazon. I’m very prudent about keeping in line with policies and hope this will not ding my metrics or violate any standards Amazon has put in place. That is how I’ve been affected personally regarding the impact of the Novel Coronavirus.

I import a few items from China and have talked to both my suppliers ( neither have gotten sick ).

One told me he was advised to stay home until the 17th and the other was told the 23rd.

So it doesn’t sound like much will be shipping out of China anytime soon ( at least for me ).

I hope they get the virus under control soon.

Why don’t they just butt out. Let the business owners worry about their accounts

just sayin’