Please wear masks - Covid is still with us

[AylwardS]

A plea please could people wear masks on public transport and in shops.

We are in a much better position than we were two years ago and I hope we don?t go back there but Covid is still with us. Earlier this week my father-in-law and his girlfriend came down with Covid. They both appear to be on the mend now though an ambulance was called and she was taken to hospital despite been vaccinated. She had to go to hospital on her own - my father-in-law couldn?t go as he is Covid positive, his son who lives with him couldn?t go as he was negative.

Despite testing negative his son who lives with him is now feeling ill.

Go about your life but can you wear a mask in shops (it?s a courtesy to those working there) and on buses and trains. A few minutes is a minimum inconvenience. A small thing we can all do to bring numbers down further so we can have holidays and those who catching Covid could be more serious for might feel able to leave the house. I can?t imagine how those who were shielding feel if they have to go up Lordship Lane on a Saturday.

[muffins78]

So agree and I?m sorry to hear this. My father just came out of an induced coma/intubation because of it. Almost passed over three times. Mum wasn?t allowed visit as she was positive?. It was awful. Mum was only allowed in to say ?goodbye?, I was allowed 15 mins a day before that, but he didn?t know I was there.

Totally empathise with your post? Masks are such a minor inconvenience and Covid (for some) can have massive side effects:(

Oddly I shielded and I don?t know how I escaped it in ICU, that said I isolated afterwards and I began to get chest pains etc., but hadn?t tested positive before I isolated.. Wore full PPE, made some mistakes taking it off though!!

[Bic Basher]

I'm still wearing masks in shops and on public transport while most people seem to have forgotten that Covid ever happened.

A friend of mine got Covid after going to the Queen concert at the O2 last week, so it's still around even if for most people, the symptoms have lessened.

[yorksgirl]

Thank you for raising AylwardS, it is taking off again as people are acting as though there is no longer a threat. A lot of Clinically Extremely Vulnerable people have had to go back to work on site, and very often they will not be mildly ill if they get the current COVID variants, even after vaccination.

Lot of people whose funds are low after COVID already and wouldn't financially survive weeks of being off their feet, not to say long COVID.

Maybe Khan could bring back 'Coughs and sneezes spread diseases' on the tube, together with some decent-sized fines, it is not fun to be sprayed with snot and phlegm every morning by the lovely hankie-less travelling public.

[Spartacus]

Infection rates for 4 and 5 are starting to sky rocket and there is evidence that you are not immune post infection yet there is still no common sense over mask wearing either from up high or by the population at large.

Despite the premise that we should learn to live with Covid, more can be done to reduce its spread.

I was fascinated by the images from Japan over the past few days following the assignation of their former PM. Almost everyone is wearing a mask, yet here the numbers are rising and the mentality is "I don't need to wear a mask"

Common sense we just don't have as a nation

[Penguin68]

I was fascinated by the images from Japan over the past few days following the assignation of their former PM. Almost everyone is wearing a mask, yet here the numbers are rising and the mentality is "I don't need to wear a mask"

Before Covid many Japanese (perhaps 50% of the population) regularly wore masks anyway, mask wearing is not a 'Covid' thing there. Half the population is allergic to red cedar pollen - red cedars are an iconic Japanese tree. Many Japanese (and Koreans) wear masks when suffering from any sort of cold, as well. So I'm not surprised to see mask wearing - it's effectively culturally endemic and shows no particular special response to Covid.

[Spartacus]

Before Covid many Japanese (perhaps 50% of the population) regularly wore masks anyway, mask wearing is not a 'Covid' thing there. Half the population is allergic to red cedar pollen - red cedars are an iconic Japanese tree. Many Japanese (and Koreans) wear masks when suffering from any sort of cold, as well. So I'm not surprised to see mask wearing - it's effectively culturally endemic and shows no particular special response to Covid.

Interesting response

49% of the UK population suffers hay or pollen fever (https://www.allergyuk.org/about-allergy/statistics-and-figures/#:~:text=Allergic%20rhinitis%20is%20the%20most,%2F%20Kleenex%C2%AE%2C%202020). )

Yet we don't see them wearing masks

The reality is that side of the world went through SARs and the learnt the lesson that masks help stop the spread whereas we have gotten through the first two waves and think we are indestructible (Only Captain Scarlet truly is)

Our memories are collectively very short and people see wearing masks as an inconvenience not a social responsibility

[Penguin68]

I'm sorry, I was in Japan well before Covid (and SARS) - then people (about 50%) were wearing masks and reasons given were pollen allergies and colds - just because the Japanese choose to wear masks for perfectly valid, non-Covid, reasons (and are culturally attuned to do so) doesn't mean they won't also when Covid is about - but equally the fact that mask wearing is culturally a norm is SE Asian countries and isn't in the West doesn't mean we can't learn from them. I bought masks after being in Japan (well pre-Covid) because I am a hay-fever sufferer. And wore them in the UK during the season.

SARS - and then Covid - both occurred after my Japanese visit. The mask wearing preceded the diseases in question. But Japanese think passing on the common cold isn't something they should do.

[Spartacus]

Todays figures

3.5 million cases were recorded in the week to 6 July, up from 2.7 million the week before

Yet mask wearing is still not mandated on public transport, in shops or in all areas in hospitals ... sheer madness and its adding a massive strain to the NHS where staff are off sick with it and a heatwave is adding to admissions...

Is there anyone in charge looking at this ?

[Sue]

Todays figures

3.5 million cases were recorded in the week to 6 July, up from 2.7 million the week before

Yet mask wearing is still not mandated on public transport, in shops or in all areas in hospitals ... sheer madness and its adding a massive strain to the NHS where staff are off sick with it and a heatwave is adding to admissions...

Is there anyone in charge looking at this ?

 

Yes it's bonkers.

Usually I am the only person on a bus wearing a mask (apart from my partner if he is with me).

I went to Kings a while back and a security man on the Jubilee Wing door wasn't wearing one - at least, it was round his neck 🙄

But - "anyone in charge" ?? Like who? It's as if Covid has been erased from people's memories, yet I know loads of people who have had it over the last month or so 🙄