Hi All just wondering how you will feel when mask wearing no longer compulsory next Thursday and I presume as in the summer will decline in practice significantly over the next few days/weeks. Personally I think this is a move to save the PM’s job more than following scientific advice I wonder if Scotland and Wales will follow suit re masks. Back bench labour MP can’t remember name said at PM’s questions this move will mean that infections hospitalisations and deaths which could have been avoided will occur not well received by either front bench because after all the pandemic is almost over I just had not noticed - possibly the c 400 deaths today confused me.
8 Likes
Hi @Ismo I sort of saw this coming and I cannot control others but me and my mask will not be parted any time soon and I will continue to socially distance from others.
6 Likes
Hi @Ismo , I completely agree with the points which you have made. This decision isn’t based on the science but on the PM acting to save his own neck from his own backbenchers! Very disappointing to see that the labour front bench go along with it. It seems as if they are all more interested in popularity from the general public than in protecting public health. From what I understand they are keeping some measures in both Scotland and Wales and their Covid rates are already quite a bit lower than England’s.
5 Likes
I’m so dubious of it all…
Super high positive tests results? solution… Stop testing or make it tough to get a test…
Now they are considering stopping self isolating if you have covid in march. I’ve feel I’m so lucky and done so well not to have caught covid but it’s proper raising the bar in keeping myself safe and well…
4 Likes
Hi all
Yes, I agree with you all - this isn’t about public health, and my mask stays on. I’ve become so angry with the revelations, the lying and these attempts to buy back public favour, I’ll also be needing a gag under my mask, to muffle the expletives.
The end of safety measures also makes any attempt to return to work by me and many others in our position, much, much more difficult. No masks, no self-isolating, no testing - that’s a guaranteed covid infection, isn’t it?
And yes, my glasses are fogged up, but not by my mask - that’s steam from my ears!
7 Likes
I’m glad I’m not the only one who is sceptical thanks for the responses, of course I agree with Erica we cannot control the actions of others but it is easier if you are not working. I see the teaching unions are not thrilled with the decision to drop masks. I was particularly intrigued by the idea floated at the press conference that the death rate is so high because some (implication being many) of the Covid deaths were actually people dying of other illnesses who also happened to test positive with Covid. It occurred to me that if this is so now then it was probably always so and does not affect increase in nos and the thought that whatever you are ill or dying with, having Covid cannot help! Also the implication that the death numbers are entirely composed of the unvaccinated and people already dying again underlying implication these deaths are not as important or at least not the same as the “ordinary people” whose deaths we took so seriously earlier in the pandemic. Real Deja vue for me statistic juggling was a constant feature of life in the DDR.
4 Likes
I feel today’s announcement was totally political to try and save Johnson (so his right wingers will support him in any vote of no confidence). I felt sick when some Tories cheered at the announcement of masks being dispensed with. Not one mention of CEV. We knew the restrictions would end sometime but I think a gentler exit would have been much more preferable - when case numbers are much lower and prophylactic antibody treatment (Evusheld) available for immunocompromised etc, . Feeling really really angry with our Government
5 Likes
I could not agree more, it’s not about the safety of the people but another ploy to curry favor with their voters. Not a thought is given to the elderly and the clinically vulnerable.
6 Likes
@Ismo yes, I really agree with you the edict to go back to work just when restrictions are being lifted must be so , so scary.
Please let us know how you are affected, thinking of you and stay as safe as you can
1 Like
I want to be positive and hope for a better 2022 but I also want to keep safe which in turn will keep my OH safe as he continues his chemo.
I also work as a commissioner for our local authority and most of my usual work has come to a halt as we gather data and prepare for how we can support the most vulnerable in our community. Stills are from where I sit.
1 Like
Thanks Erica, I’m lucky being semi retired and able to say no but I do worry for younger vulnerable colleagues who are being pushed into more risky situations as we move away from on line teaching and into the uni’s attempt to prove that the fees are value for money. For me I have modelled my approach albeit more diplomatically on the owner of the local Chinese takeaway who put up a notice NO mask no food. my hero!
2 Likes
I have been expecting this for a while, It has to happen, it was always going to be when it would happen, rather then if.
It won’t be other peoples behaviour we can do anything about, we just have to make sure we have our own protection sorted the best we can, and have things in place, in case we become ill.
I am not saying this is easy, I had quite a few hurdles to get over, and it’s taken time, before this was all in place, some times I even doubted I could make it happen, but I have.
so. my own preparations include…
I have lateral flow tests, which I do twice a week,
I have a PCR test kit at home already, to do if the lateral flows are +ve, or I feel ill
The system should kick in automatically for getting me anti-virals, if the pcr test is +ve, but as it wasn’t automatic for me to get it, I also have a hospital number to phone, if I do not get an e-mail back within 24 hours of submitting the test.
My doctor surgery has also said, that if any of the above does not work, to contact them, and they will make sure I get the treatment I need.
I’ve had my 4th jab, and will continue to ensure I get whatever is available.
I have also purchased ffp3 masks, in case I have to go somewhere, where I think it would be more crowded , like the theatre.
I don’t think there is any point in me wearing ordinary masks, they are only designed to protect others from me, rather than protect myself from others. Normal masks only work for the general population, if everyone wears them.
Things I have not yet done, which I may do…
I signed up for the antibody test program, but nothing happened, this time I signed up with my friends mobile number, maybe I’ll get on the program this time, but I’m not sure, whatever the results are, it will make a difference to what I do, so it’s down the bottom of my list.
I am debating getting a smartphone, so I can link it to my wi-fi (I have no mobile phone coverage and have an old 2g pay-as-you go phone, that costs me about £2 a year) but it seems mobiles are the key to everything to do with covid.
It’s just a big expense, to plug the NHS stupid systems, that lets you do tons of stuff online from a laptop - until at the end, it wants to confirm things through mobile, instead of e-mail.
119 will go away at some time, and that’s the only route around the mobile phone fiasco at the moment. (I also think the lateral flow tests will stop too - unless you pay privately)
This is the long haul, I will be immune suppressed for ever, (I don’t expect a fix in my lifetime, I was diagnosed in the early 90’s and the treatment I have now, is still the same as it was then, when they did not even know how it was caused, or that it was a cancer) I have to learn to live with it, and expect to adapt as I go.
and I will live my life, not hide away.
3 Likes
update,
My friend received a text with my code to order the antibody test, and I have ordered it online,
The only difference between being accepted this time, and not being accepted last time, is that this time I put in a mobile phone number, as well as my e-mail address.
So it is looking like like getting an expensive smartphone, that I can link to my wifi, might have to be an option for me in future … not sure the phone companies will be persuaded to give me a mobile phone signal where I live, so I can use my current phone.
2 Likes
Good for you @heatherthomas, as Rod Stewart sang Love the you live and live the life you love.
1 Like
In the one sense it worries me a lot as we’re far from out of the woods yet, but on the other hand a lot of people have been ignoring the rules for a while so it might not be any worse than it’s been. I know we’ve got to learn to live with Covid at some point though and I’m anxious to get on with my life as I feel I’ve missed too much over the last few years. It’s all a calculated risk and deciding what level of risk you’re prepared to take. If my condition is going to deteriorate again, I’d rather that I’d done more with the time in between treatment than have regrets.
4 Likes
I expect everyone’s response and attitude to risk varies and the last thing we should get into is a comparison of attitudes to risk if person a feels they just have to get on with it and have everything in place to deal with all eventualities then i am happy for them but also happy for some else to be more cautious if that suits them .
No one can control another persons behaviour but they can control their reaction to it. Until things get somewhat better and clearer my students will wear masks if they want me to teach them ditto those meeting me for supervision of theses dissertations etc. I am paid by the hour so if they object to my request the uni will find someone else but in actual fact the mask wearing was their solution as I was happy to stick to online and hand the in person teaching to younger fitter colleagues. I wear a mask to protect others also, just because I am vulnerable does not mean I might not catch Covid and pass it on. I wish I could be like one of the people up thread who can wear FFP3s but I find them stifling and no one can hear what I say so have settled for well fitting FFP2s which my consultant recommended. I suppose it is all about priorities really, I agree with everyone about wanting the things which have been missing from our lives for too long but even above my students my priority is my family and I will do whatever I consider necessary to stay fit enough to travel to visit my grandchildren and be of some help to my daughters when I get there - roll on summer and travel to family I wish!
2 Likes
Yes, it’s all totally political, “saving big dog” and barely taking any note of the science, unless it happens to be stuff from one of the outliers who will always want to make their career go ahead by getting political support and getting noticed by the press because of contrarian views. I’m lucky in several ways; retired, so no compulsory workplace and live in Scotland where things seem a bit more sensible. I have ET, treated with hydroxycarbamide, which possibly does not hit my immune system too hard and live in a fairly remote area, so can avoid people most of the time, so have not been too obsessional about shielding up till now. However, I also have prostate cancer and am awaiting a rather unpleasant sounding by possibly urgent procedure, so suddenly being MUCH more careful. Fortunately daughter brought a supply of N95 masks with her from the US at Christmas, so have taken to wearing those if there’s no way of keeping distances.
3 Likes
@DickM keep wearing those N95 masks.
I, and I am sure we, will be here for you through your ‘rather unpleasant sounding and possibly urgent procedure’.
Please keep posting what is going on for you, it sounds scary for you, and all the practical issues you will have.
It sounds as if you will need time to recuperate afterwards and really be kind and look after yourself.
1 Like
Look after yourself buddy
1 Like
Thanks for good wishes. Having two cancers is really a bit greedy; I think my experience with the MPN was so easy, I got complacent! But don’t get me started on the contrast between different hospital departments. Haematology have been brilliant; it’s taken four or five years to train Urology/Oncology, to a much lower standard!
3 Likes