Coronavirus... thoughts ..

[George 1978]

I correctly assumed that there would be more than 1,000 deaths in one day this week.

[amethyst]

Then there's the minority of deniers who still think it's a hoax or a bad cold,wake up this virus is going to be around in 2021 unfortunately even when most of the population have been vaccinated the ones who refuse it will keep on spreading it around

[Mulletino]

Goes to show the differences in how it's being handled in each country. We (Queensland, Australia) had our first transmitted case for months last week, from a cleaner working in a quarantine hotel. Basically our borders are effectively closed but anyone coming back to the country has to spend 14 days in a quarantine hotel at their own expense, so this cleaner worked at one of these and caught the "UK strain" of COVID. As that one is highly contagious our government decided to have a three day lockdown, where we could only travel if absolutely necessary and you HAD to wear a mask outside, even alone in your own car or excercising. This was to allow for contact traccing and to avoid spread. We all did this and there was only one further transmitted case which was the cleaner's partner, who had been in lockdown since the cleaner was found to be infected.
Our "lockdown" has finished but we're required to wear masks for a further 10 days just in case. We had another case, but that was someone who was infected in Victoria, then qurantined and they let her go without testing and then told our government she'd arrived here, so she was tested and found positive! Pretty crappy of them tbh, they'd had months of serious lockdown because they couldn't control their cases, seems they were trying to nobble our efforts here.

Been keeping up with the COVID news in the UK as my family are still there, I can't believe there are still idiotic protestors denying this thing is real. I really hope I get to hug my parents/brother/sister again one day.

[amethyst]

There were crowds out and about on Sunday walking along a beach in Tynemouth the car park was full,come off it they travelled by car for exercise which your not supposed to do.Sainsburys have said only 1 member of the family to shop which is a brilliant idea like back in March 2020.Morrisons have said no face mask no entry.B&Q should be click and collect only to stop customers from browsing I have been told they still take children and babies with them,what's wrong with people stay at home.

[beccabear67]

The English speaking world has been subjected to the most disinformation, both very deliberate and carried further by fringe 'true believers' who somehow think themselves smart while swallowing conspiracies and lies hook line and sinker as they used to say! Alternate realities are best left to science fiction, and one thing it's good for is the cautionary tale (so we don't have to actually live these grand visions).

Just a few weeks ago a friend in the U.S. wrote that masks don't stop the virus, utterly misunderstanding (yet again I might add) the entire principle behind them and why surgeons and the like have worn them for decades during operations. This is after ten months of living with this situation someone can still get in a twist spreading a simplistic talking point from who know where. Well, wearing a mask can't harm anyone, but a lot of people not wearing them absolutely is proven to have. I hate learning things the hard way and more than once!

We stay as safe as we can while doing the things we find necessary and best wishes to all, even the anti-maskers and anti-vaccers!

[Cartimand]

The whole anti-vaxxer thing, along with a stubborn refusal to wear a face covering, is far more prevalent in France than the UK.
My (French) wife is in daily contact with her family over the Channel and several of them have stated they would refuse the vaccination. From what I've read in Ouest France, fewer than 50% of French would accept the vaccination.
Even the French equivalent of the Test and Trace app ("Stopcovid") has had a wretchedly small take-up - far lower than ours.

[beccabear67]

Wow, had no idea France was like that! Sad times. Is something wrong with our educational systems? I would say I was taught a lot about critical thinking from reading older science-fiction and the magazines and fanzines in particular. There appears to be a lot of people who will take and swallow as whole truth something on a website that didn't exist a dozen or so years ago from a reporter who may not even use a real name. I think maybe they think they are being smart or more clued in than others while parroting things word for word uncritically. They 'believe' quickly more than having discerned over time, things sound right to their gut is something often mentioned, like being on a game show and guessing.

Well, I hope we get these vaccines going among the elderly and vulnerable a.s.a.p. I'm seeing a lot of administrative desk job people, not front-line workers in regular contact, getting theirs and it's really bothering my late 70s aged mother! In Canada there have been non front-line doctors caught jumping the queue for their second shot; that's abuse of their position.

If wearing a mask did nothing it wouldn't hurt anyone to wear them, what reason can they be giving other than childish petulance and disregard toward others? Well, I'll answer my own question... there are people with easily irritated skin conditions and a few with real psychological suffocation or binding phobias, but if they can wear clothing, I'm not really even sure about those exemptions. And even so, what about the clear screen that is away from the face.

[amethyst]

Well if the anti maskers refuse to wear one in shops then stay at home,there is no excuse for the ones with so called health issues surely you could put up with wearing one whilst shopping.How about hospital staff that have to wear them for long hours.Pure selfishness no respect for other people,they are the ones that make this virus stay around for longer.

[George 1978]

I am going to write to Tesco and Asda's Head Offices explaining that I have Asperger Syndrome, anxiety, and panic attacks (including photocopied evidence) and ask them if that is proof that I am unable to wear a face mask in a supermarket - it will be interesting what their replies will be.

[beccabear67]

Well, nothing is worth being an absolutist over. If someone is not wearing a mask somewhere, even if it's required, the worst that should happen is they are politely barred entry or to leave equally politely if they have entered. If they aren't carrying a sign promoting not wearing masks or any of that. If someone has authoritative documents it would be the discretion of the business or space operators to accommodate them, but social distancing should be obeyed. There have been, usually young males, who have gone the wrong ways in aisles and not distanced, and worst of all coughed on items... that's more like someone throwing petrol on a fire in the blitz! I feel a lot better about churches protesting their need for fellowship if they are wearing masks and distancing, limiting contact, and some have. There is a definite distinction between the truly wreckless or aggressive and people just wanting to get on with things understandably. Seniors care homes have had to be ultra cautious and as absolutist as anyone but I think there should be cases for people who need contact. You do the best you can is all that should be asked and expected, nobody but the insane or malicious should be wanting anything else.

[amethyst]

Spotted 3 young people 2 females 1 Male wandering round morrisons at 9.30pm no distancing bet the security didn't challenge them,another bored night let's go browsing round the store think not.I had already paid and out my stuff in the bags and they were just entering self serve with 1 item.I told the member of staff he said they not supposed to be browsing the store,and that nothing will ever get through to that student age group

[George 1978]

I heavily rely on online grocery shopping at the moment like I have done for the past few months, but I think that there will be a time when I will have to go back into a supermarket again - it will be interesting what the supermarkets say about it.

[George 1978]

Today (16th March) marks one year since the first Downing Street press briefing on the pandemic - I wonder if there will be one again today?

[tex]

Because a family of 9 met up in a house on mother's day in Newport all have tested positive,it spread to the school also infected a local business,

IDIOTS!

[Cartimand]

Department stores like John Lewis have been teetering on the brink of collapse for many years. Covid was just a final nail in the coffin.
So many things have changed, some of which are very welcome - like working from home instead of a horrible rail commute to an office.