Just on public transport and supermarkets really. Not outsides etc.

And it seems to be rather futile in bar and restaurant scenarios to wear a mask for obvious reason

Once the concept is accepted that infection is going to happen anyway....and it is at some point it will for most......surely what becomes important is that the young and healthy actually catch the virus...not avoid it.

That way the increased transmission reduces viral strength over time quicker. That way when the vulnerable do inevitably catch it then the strength is low enough for them to survive.....which despite the fear mongering has been the case for the vast majority even before vaccines.

Those going around mandating masks....they think they are reducing infections. I think the statistics actually show that not only didn't masks make any practical difference but that even if they did make a difference it wouldn't help long term.

We want to stop the vulnerable and elderly getting infected.
I see social distancing as far more effective for that.

Even if masks actually worked....which I don't believe they do out in the real world..... in practical terms, the reality is that we need the young infected anyway....it's going to happen anyway, we just need to socially distance them from Granny.

I thought this was common sense but I continue to get called stupid for objecting to mandated behaviours when the reality is that all of these forced restrictions don't make a blind bit of difference medically....other than adjusting people to less liberties.

Edited by Stirlingsays (08 Dec 2021 5.57pm)

'Who are you and how did you get in here? I'm a locksmith. And, I'm a locksmith.' (Leslie Nielsen)

Iraq war?

'Who are you and how did you get in here? I'm a locksmith. And, I'm a locksmith.' (Leslie Nielsen)

I agree. I remember when masks first came in. Loads of elderly suddenly came out. But social distancing isn’t as easy as we thought. How do you make sure vulnerable are always socially distanced? Choose the quieter supermarkets, if you can get there I suppose. The busier ones are quite different I can promise you.

Masks in essential places I can accept, even though I want them gone permanently as soon as there isn’t any need. But like others I’m not wearing one in bars or restaurants and alike.

Hopefully there will be enough proof on omicron we can reverse a lot of this.

COYP

have no issues with those restrictions.

if you are selfish enough to not get vaccinated you can live without going to mass attended events…simple really.

‘Football isn’t instant coffee. You have to work at it. You must grow the bean, grind it.’ Ian Holloway

As usual, your "common sense" is neither common, nor sense. Most people accept the need to wear a mask when required, and understand the logic that whilst they don't catch all the virus, they do catch a heavy load being spluttered in your direction, or you spluttering it on others. In case you haven't noticed, or don't care, Granny goes shopping too and isn't just at risk from her grandchildren.

That though is by far not the most appalling error in your approach. Just "accepting the infection is going to happen anyway" completely ignores the most important aspect of all the measures being taken to control and contain the spread. Which is to protect the NHS. Just letting it run loose, as you apparently advocate, would overwhelm the nearly overwhelmed NHS and cause immense extra problems. We need to manage it, not encourage it.

If social distancing on its own was all that was needed to achieve that, that's all that would be done. It isn't, as the first wave proved beyond any doubt. Masks helped, but the vaccines were the turning point. Without them, we would be in a huge mess, much bigger than we already are.

That you argue against mask use, and totally ignore the impact on the NHS and the vital importance of vaccination in your analysis of what we need to do, which appears to be predicated on a desire for personal liberty at the expense of social responsibility, is something I find both disingenuous and distasteful.

I both believe, and hope, this is a very small minority view, for I dread to contemplate the outcome if it were to be followed.

For the avoidance of doubt any comments in response to a previous post are directed to its ideas and not at any, or all, posters personally.