Test and Trace ?

[Observer II]

Whilst I can see the point of screening folk from entry into risk areas,  I have to ask why there is no assured compliance if tests are positive ?  IE. school kids are having regular tests, and are sent home for 10 days if they are positive. So does that mean the family are also told to isolate in the home, and who checks that those who test positive actually comply with the advice ?     😷

[Bill]

Probably nobody.

I think a lot of the isolation relies on people having some common sense so it’s never going to be perfect.

I assume that any kid testing positive will be given instructions that the family should follow.

It's only a better than nothing solution.

 

Bill 😊

[Observer II]

Thanks Mr Mannering;   I've just visited the butchers, only to find customers not wearing masks inside, the butcher told me loads are doing it.   Labour politicians keep waxing on about areas of deprivation suffering more from this pandemic, and now I think I know why; because deprived areas carry a higher percentage with low IQ, who just can't be bothered complying with any rules. So I'm now convinced it will go on and on and on.     😷

[asperity]

So you went to the butchers and found loads of people in there not wearing masks. This worried you so much that you still went in? Weird 🙄.

[Observer II]

ERRm nope,   the shop is limited to 2 persons inside, at any one time, the rest queue outside.  The loads attended throughout the day, without masks, according to the butcher.    😷

[Bill]

Surely, it’s up to the butcher, after all it’s his shop rather than a public place. In my opinion he should refuse to serve anyone without a mask or at the very least ask them to put one on. I assume the butcher wore a mask?

I reckon there’s a lot of people that think masks are not only a waste of time but more concerningly, they believe that wearing one is in some way agreeing with the government policies. The whole of society seems split these days where some are prepared to follow advice while others do everything in their powers to dismiss it, and this problem isn’t entirely limited to the more deprived areas. I think also as the number of cases drop, we’re going to seeing more of this sort of thing as people become less concerned.

 

Bill 😊

[asperity]

As the government infomercials playing every day say that if you have someone from outside (a plumber, electrician say) then you should open all your windows to "blow all the covid particles away", then the butcher should have had all his windows open shouldn't he?  For what it's worth I don't believe that masks are effective but I'm willing to wear one when necessary to stop the Obs of this world getting fits of the vapours.

[Observer II]

I think the wearing of masks in shops is a legal requirement and common sense to those that have any.   These idiots will keep this thing going ad infinity.   😷

[Evil Sid]

**"There are some places where you must wear a face covering by law, unless you are exempt or have a reasonable excuse"**

So that makes it clear, as mud.

"Unless you are exempt" due to some underlying medical condition, either mental or physical. Download and print your own exemption card with no questions asked or need of any medical certification from a health professional. no mask needed. Actually no card needed either believe it or not.

"Or have a reasonable excuse" That is the best get out of goal free card ever. Just what is classed as a "reasonable" excuse? answers on a post card please.

Bit of a pointless law given those two opt out options and almost impossible to enforce because of them.

**referenced from the government website**.....https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/face-coverings-when-to-wear-one-and-how-to-make-your-own/face-coverings-when-to-wear-one-and-how-to-make-your-own

[Davy51]

11 hours ago, asperity said:

As the government infomercials playing every day say that if you have someone from outside (a plumber, electrician say) then you should open all your windows to "blow all the covid particles away", then the butcher should have had all his windows open shouldn't he?  For what it's worth I don't believe that masks are effective but I'm willing to wear one when necessary to stop the Obs of this world getting fits of the vapours.

You see, is there any proof that opening windows will not actually blow covid germs towards someone ? Who knows ?

[asperity]

At various times in the last year we have been told by the experts (quite often the same experts giving opposite advice depending on the phases of the moon) that masks are ineffective, that masks may be effective, that masks are ineffective but may give the wearer some mental assurance, that masks are vital to save your life and the lives of the rest of humanity and the NHS, that one mask isn't enough and we should all be wearing 2, 3 or even more. Many people, even people in positions of authority, don't wear masks properly and can't resist the temptation to constantly adjust them risking spreading viral particles with their hands. My personal opinion is that mask wearing has become "the done thing" and virtue signalling, none mask wearing being something done solely to annoy Obs.

[Observer II]

Non-mask wearing is a clear indication that they are Neanderthals and need to be given a wide berth.    😷

[Bill]

The mask question isn’t exactly rocket science. Masks do work but only in so much as in reducing the amount of aerosol particles breathed in or out. Do they completely stop the virus? No, certainly not the flimsy little things that most of us wear. And before anyone starts on the line if they don’t stop it then what’s the point, remember, even outside your going to breath in a certain amount of covid particles but the real danger comes from the higher quantities indoors and that’s where the mask helps.

When the virus first hit, the advisors couldn’t mandate wearing masks simply because of the shortage and to this day, there are still those who argue this as being conflicting expert advice. It amazes me how something as simple as our own breath can be so misunderstood by so many people which leads me to believe that it’s not just understanding but more not wanting to understand.

 

Bill 😊

[asperity]

Mandating mask wearing didn't stop the spread of the virus so it's perfectly legitimate to question their efficacy. As for "even outside you're going to breathe in a certain amount of Covid particles", well that's a claim I've never heard before. If Covid is so prevelant in the atmosphere we should all be infected, masks or no masks.

[asperity]

38 minutes ago, Observer II said:

Non-mask wearing is a clear indication that they are Neanderthals and need to be given a wide berth.    😷

If you're so scared of everyone else Obs, I suggest you lock yourself away until it all goes away.

[Observer II]

Still have to eat Asp - otherwise I do.  😷😷   The mask is intended to block the wearer from infecting others, but I've noticed it can block roadside particulates from cars, so perhaps a bonus.    😷

[Bill]

A fart is worse indoors than outside, would you say that’s a claim that you’ve never heard before or is it just common sense? And the virus doesn’t magically disappear outside, it just gets so diluted that it’s less likely to be enough to cause a serious problem but yes, you will always get some.

As for the mask only being intended to protect others, that’s another thing that has been taken the wrong way. Yes by wearing a mask you are protecting others but it’s just a piece of material designed to catch microscopic particles and given there’s no one way mechanism, you protect yourself at the same time. It’s a two way thing but always remember that PPE is short for personal protective equipment, not personnel.

 

Bill 😊

 

[asperity]

No I've never heard that claim about farts Bill. In fact farts aren't something that have come up in conversation very often in my life. And now you're claiming that the air outside is diluted Coronavirus, so why are the government telling us to open our windows? To let all this diluted Coronavirus inside an enclosed space so that it can become concentrated? Are you an advisor to SAGE? That would explain where they are getting all their weird notions from 🤣

[Bill]

Well I’ve actually been a government advisor in my time Asp but on medical issues I’m probably just as thick as the next man. But as I said, stuff like this isn’t exactly rocket science.

 

Bill 😊

[Davy51]

I've noticed that masks are very useful in the cold weather too to keep your chins warm.

Incidentally ,i went on a bus this morning ,signs everywhere about keeping windows open to allow fresh air in to blow the virus towards the back seat dwellers. Not one window was open ,passengers preferred to be warm.

[asperity]

The mask I use is a Snood which also keeps my nose, ears and neck warm. I very much doubt it keeps viral particles from passing to and fro though despite all the hype.

[Bill]

Well that’s better than none I suppose Asp but as you say it does at least keep your face warm.

At my visit to the dentist the other day, I noticed that the staff had changed from the standard surgical grade masks to the type worn by the forensic detectives dealing with the Novichok poisoning. Do you seriously think they’d go to this level of personal protection if it was just based on someone’s weird notion as you put it?

I’ll tell you what is weird though, their new masks had a little purple lights on each of the filters, now what do you think that may be all about?

 

Bill 😊

[Confused52]

9 hours ago, asperity said:

Mandating mask wearing didn't stop the spread of the virus so it's perfectly legitimate to question their efficacy. As for "even outside you're going to breathe in a certain amount of Covid particles", well that's a claim I've never heard before. If Covid is so prevelant in the atmosphere we should all be infected, masks or no masks.

But it did slow it down. If you were right about masks they would not be wearing them in hospitals because they are inconvenient.

[asperity]

2 hours ago, Bill said:

Well that’s better than none I suppose Asp but as you say it does at least keep your face warm.

At my visit to the dentist the other day, I noticed that the staff had changed from the standard surgical grade masks to the type worn by the forensic detectives dealing with the Novichok poisoning. Do you seriously think they’d go to this level of personal protection if it was just based on someone’s weird notion as you put it?

I’ll tell you what is weird though, their new masks had a little purple lights on each of the filters, now what do you think that may be all about?

 

Bill 😊

It's more than "better than none" Bill, check it out:

https://www.virustaticshield.com/

The masks worn by medical staff are obviously of better standards than the badly fitted, and badly worn, scraps of dirty cloth worn by most members of the public.

[asperity]

1 hour ago, Confused52 said:

But it did slow it down. If you were right about masks they would not be wearing them in hospitals because they are inconvenient.

So it was all in everyone's imagination that cases and deaths rose inexorably after the introduction of mandatory mask wearing and lockdown then. And all the cases of Covid being contracted by patients after being admitted to hospital didn't happen either. And as I said to Bill the masks worn by medical staff are obviously of better standard than the dirty scraps of cloth most members of the public wear.