COVID-19 infection numbers nearly 100k daily

Both actually, IMHO.

daisy mae wrote:The guy next door to us will not have the vaccinations says it is poison, or wear a face mask. needless to say we keep away, I know it is his choice but I consider it selfish, jmho.

He would be VERY next door if mine Margaret!
There is no cure for stupid as has been proven since time immemorial!

Though the people testing positive for coronavirus increases, the numbers being admitted to hospital and numbers of deaths within 28 days of a positive test continue to fall.
The BBC mostly report on the increases not the decreases that happen, more the bad news than the good.

https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/

If you follow John Campbell on YouTube you may have already listened to his recent coverage of the Omicron variant. I found it reassuring, as usual you do need to be fully vaccinated.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdkCVeWc1pQ

Yes RV - the BBC get right on my whotsits too!!

When interviewing an expert, their attitude is invariably, "How worried are you about . . .?" rather than "Should we be worried about . . .?"

Agreed about John Campbell too.

bikeralw wrote:Well, I made a bonfire of my masks weeks ago and I refuse to buy anymore. 
Triple jabbed now so I'll take my chances maskless. I've never been convinced they do any good anyway.
In fact I've almost had accidents wearing them when my glasses steam up!
Al.

You won't be going into any shops from tomorrow then?

I wish when they give out all the statistics re who’s in hospital, how many deaths etc they would break it down into those not vaccinated and those who are as I think that would paint a very much more positive outlook.

I still cannot work out why the figures are higher in Scotland and Wales.
They have been wearing face masks for many weeks/months.??

Micky

Devolved?
Hard hat now nearby!!

Paulmold wrote:

bikeralw wrote:Well, I made a bonfire of my masks weeks ago and I refuse to buy anymore. 
Triple jabbed now so I'll take my chances maskless. I've never been convinced they do any good anyway.
In fact I've almost had accidents wearing them when my glasses steam up!
Al.

You won't be going into any shops from tomorrow then?

I certainly will!
If I can spend a few hours drinking and chatting in a crowded bar with no mask requirement, why should I wear one when I briefly go into the shop next door for a loaf of bread?
The whole thing is a farce and ill thought out.
Al.

bikeralw wrote:

Paulmold wrote:

bikeralw wrote:Well, I made a bonfire of my masks weeks ago and I refuse to buy anymore. 
Triple jabbed now so I'll take my chances maskless. I've never been convinced they do any good anyway.
In fact I've almost had accidents wearing them when my glasses steam up!
Al.

You won't be going into any shops from tomorrow then?

I certainly will!
If I can spend a few hours drinking and chatting in a crowded bar with no mask requirement, why should I wear one when I briefly go into the shop next door for a loaf of bread?
The whole thing is a farce and ill thought out.
Al.

Why should you wear one? Much the same reason as you should wear a seat belt, insure your vehicle and shouldn't steal, speed, assault someone, cause a nuisance etc etc - it's the law whether any of us like it or not.

We've worn face masks since last year, especially when going out into the community,carn't see any reason to stop now, better be safe than sorry.
No point laying in ICU, with a ventilator on wishing I'd worn one .  
Stay warm and dry.
Boaby

Its COMPULSORY Al!
Even before this, anyone inside 2m of me without one gets a hard time.
Covid, for me (Liver disease) is lethal.

mikethebike wrote:I still cannot work out why the figures are higher in Scotland and Wales.
They have been wearing face masks for many weeks/months.??

Micky

What figures are you using Micky? The ones on BBC are showing Scotland at an r number consistently at or just below that of England.

bikeralw wrote:

Paulmold wrote:

bikeralw wrote:Well, I made a bonfire of my masks weeks ago and I refuse to buy anymore. 
Triple jabbed now so I'll take my chances maskless. I've never been convinced they do any good anyway.
In fact I've almost had accidents wearing them when my glasses steam up!
Al.

You won't be going into any shops from tomorrow then?

I certainly will!
If I can spend a few hours drinking and chatting in a crowded bar with no mask requirement, why should I wear one when I briefly go into the shop next door for a loaf of bread?
The whole thing is a farce and ill thought out.
Al.

Let's face it (no pun intended), wearing a mask is a pain. I resisted until it became mandatory and the evidence of how effective they are is rather inconsistent. Having said that, we play the game and stick to the rules. Your description of sitting in a bar drinking is exactly why we've not been in a bar since this all started. We've eaten in restaurants but only by ourselves, never with company unless outdoors.

Is it all working for us, no idea but we can only try our best until someone comes up with definitive answers.

Askit wrote:

mikethebike wrote:I still cannot work out why the figures are higher in Scotland and Wales.
They have been wearing face masks for many weeks/months.??

Micky

What figures are you using Micky? The ones on BBC are showing Scotland at an r number consistently at or just below that of England.

Scotland are testing at a much smaller rate than England, and their +ve rate is currently 10.1% daily (England 3.8%), and 5.8% total during pandemic (England 2.7%)

If Scotland tested at same rate as England their cases would be through the roof.

The law is the law and I will abide by it.

For anyone with impaired hearing, trying to communicate with someone who has a face covering is a stress loaded nightmare. Fortunately many people recognise this and remove their mask without being asked and all but one has removed theirs when asked. Apparently the less I can hear the louder my voice becomes according to a frequent witness.

I don't believe the scrappy dirty pieces of cloth that many of my contemporary's choose to move between pocket and face as required are healthy for them or me.

If airborne transmission was really a threat we would be required to wear surgical masks. This current farce is just a SOP to the BBC reporters who run the country.

mikethebike wrote:I still cannot work out why the figures are higher in Scotland and Wales.
They have been wearing face masks for many weeks/months.??

Micky

Wales has continued with masks in shops but a certain amount of ignoring the rules happens in most stores. Despite the mask wearing, figures continue to rise and fall. This is our county's graph from the Zoe Covid research app....

Askit wrote:

bikeralw wrote:

Paulmold wrote:

You won't be going into any shops from tomorrow then?

I certainly will!
If I can spend a few hours drinking and chatting in a crowded bar with no mask requirement, why should I wear one when I briefly go into the shop next door for a loaf of bread?
The whole thing is a farce and ill thought out.
Al.

Let's face it (no pun intended), wearing a mask is a pain. I resisted until it became mandatory and the evidence of how effective they are is rather inconsistent. Having said that, we play the game and stick to the rules. Your description of sitting in a bar drinking is exactly why we've not been in a bar since this all started. We've eaten in restaurants but only by ourselves, never with company unless outdoors.

Is it all working for us, no idea but we can only try our best until someone comes up with definitive answers.

I have great issue with people who object to wearing masks just to go in a shop. They can't wear a simple paper mask or an uncertified fancy fabric mask for a few minutes to an hour two yet medical staff will be wearing a far more obstructive FFP2 or even FFP3 for a 12 hour shift with perhaps a break for lunch.

I have done full barrier nursing for an entire shift and that was an absolute pain and at the time it was only 8 hour shifts.

As I've stressed, I'm no anti vaxxer, and like everyone here, have abided by every rule thrown at us over the last 20 months.
But it's the inconsistency of the new mask rules that grate. I only mentioned the hours at a bar as a for instance, I don't do pubs at all.
In the above laws that are mentioned, stealing, speeding etc, they apply to all. 
I could understand if we were required to wear masks in ALL indoor places.
Can anyone tell me why the places where the virus is most likely to spread are exempt?
Al.

I don’t disagree that the rules are very inconsistent. When you consider that the greatest benefit is that it reduces the risk of a CARRIER passing on the virus it is a fact that EVERYONE should wear masks. 

Where choice is allowed I suspect that those who opt not to wear one are the very ones that should wear a mask. Mask wearers are less likely to be mixing in groups in general so are a low risk of passing it on to others whereas the refuseniks are more likely to socialise and be carriers. 

Those that do wear masks are the true supporters of the NHS by making sure they don’t pass on the virus.

And why just indoors:

I think it is arrogant and selfish to have that attitude, don`t like wearing them etc. who does, NHS workers do not, and they work very long shifts to help us,
My two young Granddaughters are dental nurses, and from day one had to wear full pps and masks, not at all pleasant in a surgery, one fainted the first day because of how hot they were,  and some moan to wearing one or a few minutes,

Also don`t think it has gone far enough, crowded dance halls etc, also think borders should be closed .it is just letting the virus in , I know it will probably always be with us in some form or other, , but surely we have to do our best to protect ourselves and others.

I don`t like them who does, and I wear glasses that steam up, I do not go into  pubs or restaurants haven`t since it all started, cannot afford to get it neither  of us here can , health issues, that is why I told our neighbour not come round .  

I am beginning to wonder where has decency and common sense gone ,oh I know, a lot of folk are selfish and only think of them selves. blow everyone else, I feel the better times have long gone where respect, manners and considerations were the norm.

If I come across as angry yes I am. At the rate it is going there will be another lockdown, then folks will be jumping up and down whose fault will it be.?

Had to visit TK Maxx and M and S Food this morning. I was surprised that the overwhelming majority were wearing masks, just the odd one without.
I had expected new, large notices on entrances but that wasn't to be.
Most staff in TK Maxx were not wearing masks whereas staff in M and S were.

We went in our local Home Bargains last week , remember we are still supposed to wear masks in Wales. Only one or two staff out of the dozen or so I saw, were actually wearing masks and about half of customers. Cashiers are behind screens so can understand them not wearing them but floor staff should be wearing them. I was so angry I emailed head office quoting the Welsh rules just in case they were unaware. Received an almost instant reply. My complaint has been forwarded to Area Manager and Regional Manager who will undertake an investigation. Having worked in retail management for 26 years, you don't want visits from bosses . Regional managers kick the District managers who in turn kick the store managers , so there will be some sore bums. The reply did say that the staff have been advised to offer masks but not to insist to avoid abuse but how could staff advise customers when they weren't wearing masks themselves. Any staff medically exempt are apparently supposed to wear a badge. In complete contrast, our local Tesco staff all wear masks and only the odd customer doesn't.

Relaxez-Vous wrote:Though the people testing positive for coronavirus increases, the numbers being admitted to hospital and numbers of deaths within 28 days of a positive test continue to fall.
The BBC mostly report on the increases not the decreases that happen, more the bad news than the good.

https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/

If you follow John Campbell on YouTube you may have already listened to his recent coverage of the Omicron variant. I found it reassuring, as usual you do need to be fully vaccinated.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdkCVeWc1pQ

Thanks so much for the link to John Campbell, at last a good (By definition therefore) non BBC person who actually knows ( I think) what he's talking about and puts it over well.