Are you still wearing a face mask?

[BoldonLad]

Son's partner is Primary Teacher in Liverpool and has seen a reasonable number of both staff and kids either sick or self isolating. Fact he had Covid himself didn't help.

There are also other virulent respiratory/ENT infections doing the rounds spread in a large part by kids.

Ping pong of relatives, acquaintances etc who have/have not had Covid is interesting, but, not getting us anywhere.

Son No1 works in oil industry and has been jetting about the world, throughout pandemic, Covid tests, quarantines, etc, etc. For some, life goes on, so that we can have all of our “essential” goodies.

 

[Beebo]

Always on public transport.
Rarely in shops, but still keeping a good distance between people where possible and not hugging or shaking hands.

 

[Bromptonaut]

Ping pong of relatives, acquaintances etc who have/have not had Covid is interesting, but, not getting us anywhere.

Doesn't get us any further on whether folks wear masks. The differing experiences of @Julia9054 and others in, specifically, education probably tells us that infections are subject to regional variation and patchiness within those regions.

I work in the voluntary sector and we're getting edgy about local infection rates and how they affect us moving back from a telephone/email pandemic mode to face to face. Talk today of closing the office and moving back to home working.

 

[icowden]

Well, I do have teenage (and younger) grandchildren, as do my friends and acquaintances. Even among that wider circle, no positive tests. Yes, they have been sent home from school because class mates have allegedly tested positive.

There is no "allegedly". The schools don't make stuff up. If your child is off sick with Covid, you are required to provide full details to the School as they in turn have to report to Public Health England to determine whether they are at "outbreak" stage.

 

[icowden]

I have school age grandchildren here (Tyne-Wear), and Berkshire. None of them have been off since they restarted school in September. Daughter No2' s school is functioning, it is not something I quiz her about, but, she has not commented on any staff absence, other than the regulars.

I have children at secondary. They have not been off since they restarted school either. They are aware of lots of their colleagues who have had Covid however. And parents. Not so much the teachers ( teachers (generally) try to be *really* careful and avoid getting too close to their little plague bearers) although some staff have had to go off sick. Certainly in my wife's school (Primary) they have had both staff and TAs off sick with Covid, or taking leave as their children are off sick with Covid.

Not only that but it depends on your school. If your kids have Covid and you don't, you can still come into school and work. The question is, does your school want you to? And do you have childcare?

 

[Archie_tect]

I wear a mask inside public spaces and shops but not outside.

My [teacher] daughter's primary school in Sheffield has not had a single day since re-starting when all staff have been in school and pupils are off regularly. The absence rate is as high as before the summer break.

 

[slowmotion]

We rented a remote hovel in Hereford three weeks ago. A couple of friends came for the last four nights. When we got back to London, all four of us went down with Covid. We had all been double vaccinated a long time ago. It was quite sobering.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

I have a frail mother who needs a little support from me so I've been very careful not to unwittingly transmit it so, yes, always when in indoor public spaces. However, since June last year I've been taking part in an ONS infection survey. This means monthly PCR tests. For the first time, the guy who handed me the swabs today was not wearing a mask. I'm not at all happy about this. You can't go from house to house conducting an infection survey with no protection from cross-infecting people.

 

[mjr]

There should be summary stats from https://yougov.co.uk/covid-19 that might be interesting but I can only see that only 39% of UK people are avoiding crowded spaces now (Germany 49%, Australia 57%). The mask stats does not load for me.

Another page on there says that 81% of UK people think masks should be compulsory again on mass transport, 76% in shops. 59% think the 2m rule should return, rising to 67% who want social distancing back in hospitality venues. No other measures have majority support yet, but closing nightclubs comes closest (49%).

 

[Archie_tect]

There should be summary stats from https://yougov.co.uk/covid-19 that might be interesting but I can only see that only 39% of UK people are avoiding crowded spaces now (Germany 49%, Australia 57%). The mask stats does not load for me.

Another page on there says that 81% of UK people think masks should be compulsory again on mass transport, 76% in shops. 59% think the 2m rule should return, rising to 67% who want social distancing back in hospitality venues. No other measures have majority support yet, but closing nightclubs comes closest (49%).

It boggles me that those 81% of people that think masks are a good idea aren't wearing them all the time now.... are they so institutionalised that they only do something sensible when they are compulsorily instructed to. Sigh.

 

[BoldonLad]

It boggles me that those 81% of people that think masks are a good idea aren't wearing them all the time now.... are they so institutionalised that they only do something sensible when they are compulsorily instructed to. Sigh.

It is quite simple. When people say "yes, masks are a good idea" what they really mean is "yes, masks are a good idea for other people, but, the rules don't actually apply to me".

 

[newfhouse]

It is quite simple. When people say "yes, masks are a good idea" what they really mean is "yes, masks are a good idea for other people, but, the rules don't actually apply to me".

See also “Well-off people should pay more tax but I’m just below the threshold” and probably many other examples.

 

[BoldonLad]

See also “Well-off people should pay more tax but I’m just below the threshold” and probably many other examples.

Exactly. I was going to cite that example too, but, thought I would leave it to someone else.

 

[The Crofted Crest]

Over here in clogland, word is the government is going to reimpose face masks in public indoor spaces, extend use of corona passes and socially distance everyone again as from tomorrow evening. Lockdown just in time for Chrimbo here we come!

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

Over here in clogland, word is the government is going to reimpose face masks in public indoor spaces, extend use of corona passes and socially distance everyone again as from tomorrow evening. Lockdown just in time for Chrimbo here we come!

Haven't the horses already bolted? It's been made virtually unenforceable.