Coronavirus

[delta79]

Now it comes down to what level of covid hospital admissions are acceptable.

I hope when they do the next lifting of restrictions they keep masks use in hospitals. So we have some way of stopping outpatient / A&E borne covid infections from rising too much.

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[Jonathan]

I hope when they do the next lifting of restrictions they keep masks use in hospitals. So we have some way of stopping outpatient / A&E borne covid infections from rising too much.

But that makes too much sense...

 

[BigT]

It looking like face masks will be optional from July 19th, in that case they will be gone because I can’t believe anyone would choose to wear one.

 

[Islander]

But that makes too much sense...

What does a comment like this actually add to the discussion though?

Of course the current government has curated a whole host of failures, mishaps and scandals, but is that through a genuine desire to base every decision on what is the least sensible, thought-out or logical plan, or, far more likely, due to ineptness, conflicts of interest and the like?

This constant "well of course they won't do x, y or z, because that makes sense" is just childish and a real conversation killer in my own opinion.

 

[Dave]

It looking like face masks will be optional from July 19th, in that case they will be gone because I can’t believe anyone would choose to wear one.

I do think it would be nice if we got into the habit of wearing face masks when we have colds. I would happily wear one if I was feeling under the weather but had to go out.

beyond that I don’t want to wear one

 

[rob666]

It has been suggested that masks will still need to be worn in hospitals for outpatient appointments and visiting...seems reasonable to me.

 

[BigT]

I do think it would be nice if we got into the habit of wearing face masks when we have colds. I would happily wear one if I was feeling under the weather but had to go out.

beyond that I don’t want to wear one

Whilst I sort of agree with the sentiment of that it’s very unlikely, wearing a mask is unpleasant at the best of times let alone when struggling to breathe with a cold.
I would rather people followed the stay at home message if they have a cold rather than struggle on going to work and school and infecting the rest of us.

 

[Craig]

Whilst I sort of agree with the sentiment of that it’s very unlikely, wearing a mask is unpleasant at the best of times let alone when struggling to breathe with a cold.
I would rather people followed the stay at home message if they have a cold rather than struggle on going to work and school and infecting the rest of us.

In an ideal world that'd be great, however most will go to work since they have no choice, as many places won't pay people for the first 3 days of sickness. So it'd be good to educate people that that's an option, as is the case in the likes of Japan. There is of course a bigger conversation to be had about sick pay in the UK within that, but that's got as much chance of happening as zero covid cases...

I'd have no issue with wearing a mask under those circumstances either, but it's a personal choice not mandated by law, so I see no issue with whatever side people take.

 

[Matt.GC]

I would never consider not going to work because I have a cold. If everyone went off every time they had the sniffles, we wouldn't have an economy left.

 

[BigT]

I would never consider not going to work because I have a cold. If everyone went off every time they had the sniffles, we wouldn't have an economy left.

You would be surprised how many do, but as Craig said the issue is not getting paid for it so people go in.
Many moons ago I worked for a company that paid 6 weeks sick pay per year no questions asked, guess what? Half the workforce thought this was 6 weeks extra holiday and called in sick every time the sun came out.
That’s the problem in the UK, too many takers.

 

[Rob]

I support the easing of restrictions on July 19th, but do think it is wrong (and possibly foolish) to change policy on face masks in enclosed spaces. Cases are rising very quickly, and it is accepted that they are likely to rise even faster once restrictions are eased on July 19th. The NHS say they are going to be able to cope, and hospitalisations are not rising at the same rate as they were in previous waves so that is great!

But I don't see the benefit of chaning policy on masks whereas there is a clear benefit of allowing hospitality and leisure businesses to operate at full capacity. Maybe it is easy for me to say this as I don't actually mind wearing them, but I do not think it is much of an inconvenience to wear one when in a shop. I do accept that it is more difficult for those who wear glasses, and especially those who are hard of hearing and rely on some degree of lip reading to understand what is being said to them.

I also wonder if we are going to see businesses impose their own restrictions on things such as masks. Of course these will not be enforceable by law but every time you enter private property you are meant to oblige by whatever their T&Cs are and technically you could be removed by security for not doing so (clearly not actually going to happen mind).

I'll probably stick to wearing a mask in shops until I have been fully vaccinated at least.

One area where I would support a change in the mask policy is when you are moving around a restaurant/bar etc. That just makes very little sense to me!

 

[Dave]

I support the easing of restrictions on July 19th, but do think it is wrong (and possibly foolish) to change policy on face masks in enclosed spaces. Cases are rising very quickly, and it is accepted that they are likely to rise even faster once restrictions are eased on July 19th. The NHS say they are going to be able to cope, and hospitalisations are not rising at the same rate as they were in previous waves so that is great!

But I don't see the benefit of chaning policy on masks whereas there is a clear benefit of allowing hospitality and leisure businesses to operate at full capacity. Maybe it is easy for me to say this as I don't actually mind wearing them, but I do not think it is much of an inconvenience to wear one when in a shop. I do accept that it is more difficult for those who wear glasses, and especially those who are hard of hearing and rely on some degree of lip reading to understand what is being said to them.

I also wonder if we are going to see businesses impose their own restrictions on things such as masks. Of course these will not be enforceable by law but every time you enter private property you are meant to oblige by whatever their T&Cs are and technically you could be removed by security for not doing so (clearly not actually going to happen mind).

I'll probably stick to wearing a mask in shops until I have been fully vaccinated at least.

One area where I would support a change in the mask policy is when you are moving around a restaurant/bar etc. That just makes very little sense to me!

Certainly if there is no +1m distancing rule then any mask wearing in bars becomes pointless.

 

[imanautie]

Here's some stats from today's YouGovs daily questions survey.

 

[Skyscraper]

A heads up, Boris's announcement is at 16:45 tonight.

 

[Craig]

A heads up, Boris's announcement is at 16:45 tonight.

Where did you see 16:45? BBC are saying 5pm?

Not that it matters when it's all been leaked to the press last night mind...

 

[Skyscraper]

Where did you see 16:45? BBC are saying 5pm?

Not that it matters when it's all been leaked to the press last night mind...

A friend told me, but we'll find out later.

 

[AT86]

A friend told me.

You mates with Laura Kuenssberg or something?

 

[Skyscraper]

Anyway, knowing Boris it won't start til 6pm

 

[imanautie]

Anyway, knowing Boris it won't start til 6pm

they are early for once

 

[Matt.GC]

So social distancing is to go by the 19th. No surprise there since we all knew this info last night anyway. This effectively means businesses can operate normally as virtually no social distancing is happening anywhere any more anyway so I don't think this will have much of an impact on case number's at all but will mean we can get the economy back on track. Finally some common sense prevails.

More controversially, as expected, face mask requirements are also being scrapped from the 19th. Good ol' Chris Whitty has said he'll still be wearing one after this date regardless. Most UK adults apparently say they should still be mandatory, although I suspect most UK adults aren't forced to wear the damn things for nearly all day at work. I can't wait to banish mine to the bin, but I see why this is controversial. Amongst all the pointless so called "restrictions" being binned off, mask wearing was the least damaging and easiest one to enforce and comply with on the whole so there seems to be only small benefits from binning them off as well.

It seems like a message of "personal responsibility" is being adopted. So that'll be a free for all then as it pretty much has been for months anyway.