United Kingdom V: Son of a beach

[Blobcat]

It was pretty disgusting actually, people pushing past, groups of people taking over the entire width of a road/ path/ walkway.
It was like a normal day but most places were shut. There was some social distancing in some queues but most were less than a metre rather than 2.

No one really gives a **** about anyone but their own selfish needs do they? When we got to the crowds we put on our masks and looked like tits cause no one else was wearing them. As someone who has been wearing a mask pretty much constantly at work, wearing one out and about doesn't bother me, it bothers me that so few do the same. I only wear them going into shops or spaces lots of people are so walking to town was ok but as soon as the masses started I masked up.

I feel that people just dont care if they cause death to others now as long as they can drink, sunbathe and get their hair cut.

[Dogg Thang]

Yep. I don’t go on Facebook much because it’s a toilet but, a while ago, I spotted that my own sister had put up one of those godawful copy/paste things about “you decide for you, I’ll decide for me” except that’s not how a pandemic works. If you’re not careful, you decide for others too and you put them at risk and that takes you past idiot into dangerous.

[prinnysquad]

Did you tell her that she was a complete FamMydoDd?

My teaching assistant is lovely, but she’s a sucker for those idiot copy and paste things. She doesn’t look at the provenance of things, or think things out. She seemingly got whipped along in the anti-China hysteria that was peddled in some quarters, and posted yet another image about boycotting Chinese goods and buying British-made goods instead. Posted via an iPhone, naturally.

[fallenangle]

I've said this before here and been poo-pooed - the use of masks is little more than a public gesture of compliance to a set of rules with little or no scientific or test support. Health care professionals know this and have known it for decades.

Outside of an already sterile environment the cloth and any home-made ones are more likely to be a source of infection. They're little better than holding a cloth handkerchief over your face. All three will mitigate sneezing and coughing but of course only until the wearer/user pulls the mask down or puts the handkerchief back in their pocket and in doing so contaminates their hands with everything the mask/handkerchief or tissue collected.

Just like wearing rubber gloves outside a sterile environment it gives a false sense of security which a minority have bought into. Its almost like carrying around a government approved comfort blanket and like that a disgusting, festering, dirty, snot and spittle soaked source of contamination.

Which is more important partially catching the occasional cough or sneeze or keeping your hands and anything you touch disinfected? Just think how many things you touch during the day compared to how many times you sneeze or cough: it is probably hundreds to one. We'd be better off carrying personal disinfectant sprays and/or packs of surgical wipes and using them regularly on our hands and any surfaces we have to touch.

I've been doing the latter since this C19 'threat' started.

[Dogg Thang]

Our local doctor won’t let you in the door without a proper face mask. I’m obviously no scientist or medical worker myself so I can’t vouch for research or be certain through any of my own knowledge but, right now, going to go with my doctor over guy I know on a gaming board. But then even as you describe it, it sounds like you are arguing that they do no good when used incorrectly rather than actually doing no good. Which makes sense.

[Cassius_Smoke]

I'm going to walk around like Psycho Mantis

[cutmymilk]

Whilst everything is opening and no one being arsed to police this is what happens. A few stickers on the floor don't matter when customers arrive.

The "you do me" thing is somewhat apt at this stage. This is what town looks like. If you aren't comfortable, stay in and order online. I certainly will.

[CMcK]

I’m going to view a house on Tuesday evening and will be expected to wear a mask and gloves. I do have a mask with a filter but I wonder if the occupants will do likewise? To be frank I think some of the estate agents have jumped the gun up here. I can, apparently, go into a strangers house for a nosey round but can’t pop into my Mum’s for a cuppa?

[Cassius_Smoke]

Corruption...

https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/dark-money-investigations/exclusive-egyptian-billionaires-firms-15m-export-deal-unveiled-days-after-tory-donation/

More corruption...

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jun/21/uk-accused-of-selling-arms-to-saudi-arabia-a-year-after-court-ban?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_rif_is_fun

[kryss]

When simply talking projects droplets containing the virus, it's not just about sneezing and coughing.

Reuters' fact-checking says it's partly false that masks reduce transmission by 98.5%
But really they don't have enough evidence either way.

Research is tending to show that wearing masks is a better idea though: https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/10...aff.2020.00818

CONCLUSION
The study provides evidence that states in the US mandating use of face masks in public had a greater decline in daily COVID-19 growth rates after issuing these mandates compared to states that did not issue mandates. These effects are observed conditional on other existing social distancing measures and are independent of the CDC recommendation to wear facial covers issued on April 3. As countries worldwide and states begin to relax social distancing restrictions and considering the high likelihood of a second COVID-19 wave in the fall/winter,30 requiring use of face masks in public might help in reducing COVID-19 spread.

"I'm not going to wear a condom because there's a chance I won't get an STI" vs "I'm going to wear a condom to reduce the chance of getting an STI"

[Blobcat]

TBH I wouldn't be wearing a mask if people were socially distancing but when they are not and I am in busier areas I am.

It would be just easier if everyone just washed their hands properly more often and maybe not be out and about when coughing. People were told just to stay at home and wash their hands at first and it still caused people to complain and not comply. Wearing a mask is not too bad once you find a good one that fits well, its those who have trouble breathing anyway that can't wear them I worry about hence why I wear one to protect those potentially who can't, if that makes any sense at all.

Oh well back to work for another week tomorrow. I hear now Wales is going to allow weddings to some capacity soon so hoping this is the case for ours on September if a second wave or spike comes along when we will just have to delay it all.

[Neon Ignition]

I'm of little doubt that wearing a face mask helps but I'm doubtful it's by much. It's use probably increases as social distancing is removed but broadly those with face masks are so horrendous at keeping their distance or wearing gloves etc that the masks benefits seem more than wiped away. Gloves etc measures clearly help though, America is all the evidence needed now of ignoring the measures.

[kryss]

I saw a poster someone had to made for themselves and their condition that prevents them wearing a mask.
Basically: "**** you if you want me to wear a mask as I have a condition. This is how much you'll be fined if you refuse to let me in." and citing the laws that back that up. I'm pretty sure any challenge to that law would be thrown out in the current situation, provided the shop/whatever had some provision for those who can't wear masks. A few weeks back there was a video of a woman confronting a security guard at a shop about it, and her refusing any help from the shop to get items for her (a reasonable alternative). Florida requires mask for anyone entering a shop. If you can't wear a mask, **** off.

Alberta has seen a rise in cases in the 20-29 age group. Because they are all ****ing idiots who have no idea how to stay apart.

[fallenangle]

I was not coming up with that stuff in my earlier post - those views are merely me repeating what a consultant in an ITC unit and two other long term health professionals told me 20 years ago. I've seen exactly the same views expressed by other health care professionals during the current crisis.

There has clearly been some pressure to tow the party line going on because one talking head on TV doctor who had previously confirmed everything I said at least a couple of times over the past 12 weeks has subtly modified her expressed views by saying the hard masks might be more effective.

But she then went onto say that the public should not all rush out and buy them because what they'll be doing is reducing the supply to the people who really need such PPE ie. health care and other hospital workers. Yet now I'm seeing more selfish people queuing up at my local supermarket wearing hard masks than ever before.

The reason I'm getting animated on this subject again at this point is because I'm pretty sure that this week the UK government is going to relax the utterly unenforceable 2m rule, widely ignored and impossible to maintain even for the most compliant citizen drones. But they're threatening to include "mitigation" legislation too and I can guess what that will mean.

Just as fatuous as my local council who after 12 weeks have decided that certain car parking bays outside local shops will now be coned off to give pedestrians more room to observe the 2m rule until September. So those shops can open now but the council has put another nail in their coffin by denying them much of the passing trade which most of them rely on.

The irony is that those same parking bays have been open and well used over the whole lock-down period because they're near a smaller supermarket, green grocers and chemist all of which have continued trading throughout.

This is the same council that 25 years ago decided without consultation to pedestrianize our high street and took 10 years, numerous failed businesses, a rise in crime and other social misconduct like increased public drunkenness and vandalism before deciding to roll it back.

Dumb legislation at the local level, dumb legislation at the national level made by dumb people who we, the dumb asses, voted into power.

[Dogg Thang]

Yeah, I'm not saying you're wrong on any of that. But your 'tow the party line' thing falls away for me when it comes to masks because I'm not in the UK and I'm hardly looking to the UK as an example of things done correctly. None of that is my country's baggage and in no way affects what I'm picking up here from healthcare professionals on masks.