Why are the Government threatening to make mask wearing in shops compulsory ?

[MOIC]

First, the requirement was to wear masks on public transport. Not sure how many observed this and given the little potential enforcement, it seems this is down to each person's discretion.


Second, the requirement is to wear masks in retail shops/supermarkets. Not sure how many will observe this and how this will be enforced. I can see arguments happening between shoppers.


Third, there is likely to be a requirement to wear masks in offices. Not sure who will be responsible to ensure this happens.


Fun.

 

[Ian J]

This Covid crisis has had many very unfortunate side effects. One is I now know what it's like to live in a country with a censored press. Since the start of this I've stopped watching the news, the unremitting party line of the what the government want us all to think was too much for me,

You must be joking as the exact opposite of what you are claiming is true.

I have also stopped watching the news on the nation's flagship news media outlet as the BBC is so biased against the government that it's sometimes painful to watch and people like Laura K are more interested in making the news rather than reporting it and she will take every opportunity to twist every statistic and comment around to suit the BBC News's left wing agenda

 

[fisicx]

One is I now know what it's like to live in a country with a censored press. Since the start of this I've stopped watching the news, the unremitting party line of the what the government want us all to think was too much for me.

It's not censored. Journalists are just lazy. It's cheaper and quicker to publish a press release than it is to do any investigation.

Read Private Eye if you really want to be dismayed at the state of politics and the press.

 

[Gordon - Commercial Finance]

First, the requirement was to wear masks on public transport. Not sure how many observed this and given the little potential enforcement, it seems this is down to each person's discretion.


Second, the requirement is to wear masks in retail shops/supermarkets. Not sure how many will observe this and how this will be enforced. I can see arguments happening between shoppers.


Third, there is likely to be a requirement to wear masks in offices. Not sure who will be responsible to ensure this happens.


Fun.

We’ve now had a week of compulsory masks in shops up here in Scotland, and I have seen not a sniff of an argument between shoppers. I’ve not seen a single person not complying, and I’m out and about at different shops pretty much every day. My wife works in the co-op and they’ve had no problems at all with people not complying.

And we’re doing pretty good with no new deaths for 6 days in a row I think it is....

 

[RobinBHM]

Again look through the headlines ‘coronavirus related’ deaths.. same as died ‘with’ C19 not ‘of’ big difference.

Please stay with us and don’t believe everything you’re told and shown from MSM

I believe only in the science.

as things stand there is no proof that Covid has mutated to a less dangerous strain.

Unless you have evidence otherwise, the current reality is the Covid virus can come back at any time.
On that basis the media are right and you are wrong.

 

[Deleted member 59730]

Read Private Eye if you really want to be dismayed at the state of politics and the press.

If you don't want anyone to see you reading Private Eye wear a mask.

 

[Forgot password]

I believe only in the science.

as things stand there is no proof that Covid has mutated to a less dangerous strain.

Unless you have evidence otherwise, the current reality is the Covid virus can come back at any time.
On that basis the media are right and you are wrong.

What are you on about? Who said it’s mutated into a less dangerous strain?

This is exactly what I mean - your reading what you want to hear and been told.

I said C19 deaths have been marked down and reported as people dying with the virus not necessarily of the virus.

Where did you get the less dangerous strain from? Then quote me that I said it.

I may be wrong on a few things but unlike you I am not a liar. You should work for the media you’d fit right in.

 

[Mr D]

We’ve now had a week of compulsory masks in shops up here in Scotland, and I have seen not a sniff of an argument between shoppers. I’ve not seen a single person not complying, and I’m out and about at different shops pretty much every day. My wife works in the co-op and they’ve had no problems at all with people not complying.

And we’re doing pretty good with no new deaths for 6 days in a row I think it is....

Some will say it's not linked....

Now if could only close the border to infected people....

 

[Jeff FV]

In the 100 years before the 2008 Beijing Olympics, British cycling had won only one gold medal. In those 2008 games, they won 60% of the gold medals in track and road cycling. Four years later, at the London Olympics, they did even better.

They achieved this not by one single breakthrough, but by looking to improve many facets of the sport by 1%.

In the absence of a silver bullet in the form of a vaccine, we need a similar approach to tackling coronavirus.

Wearing masks when we go shopping is not going to stop the virus in its tracks, but it will probably have a small positive benefit on reducing its spread. Maintaining social distancing, better hand hygiene are also simple steps we can (and are) taking to help return life to normal.

Wearing a mask when you go shopping is not a huge imposition. If you don’t want to wear a mask, no one is forcing you - you have a choice: don’t go to the shops.

 

[RobinBHM]

What are you on about? Who said it’s mutated into a less dangerous strain?

This is exactly what I mean - your reading what you want to hear and been told.

I said C19 deaths have been marked down and reported as people dying with the virus not necessarily of the virus.

Where did you get the less dangerous strain from? Then quote me that I said it.

I may be wrong on a few things but unlike you I am not a liar. You should work for the media you’d fit right in.

You said "having to wear masks gives the impression it is serious, it is not"
Well Covid was serious in March when there was a lockdown, unless you think those pictures of Italian hospitals were media fabrications. Since there is no evidence the virus is less dangerous, the situation is still serious.
If you have proof otherwise, let's hear it. Until such time you are wrong.

Please point out where you think I've lied.

 

[MOIC]

We’ve now had a week of compulsory masks in shops up here in Scotland, and I have seen not a sniff of an argument between shoppers. I’ve not seen a single person not complying, and I’m out and about at different shops pretty much every day. My wife works in the co-op and they’ve had no problems at all with people not complying.

And we’re doing pretty good with no new deaths for 6 days in a row I think it is....

You're disciplined in Scotland!

Some parts of England, not so sure, based on reports.

 

[Forgot password]

You said "having to wear masks gives the impression it is serious, it is not"
Well Covid was serious in March when there was a lockdown, unless you think those pictures of Italian hospitals were media fabrications. Since there is no evidence the virus is less dangerous, the situation is still serious.
If you have proof otherwise, let's hear it. Until such time you are wrong.

Please point out where you think I've lied.

Exactly my point again - you don’t listen or read things properly, you need to get a grip.

Read my first post again and you will see at the bottom I named the person who wrote the article that I quoted ie Sir Dr Michael Pelly. Can you see that ?

So I didn’t say it.. Dr Michael Pelly said it. I merely re posted it. Plus it doesn’t say anything about mutating into a less serious strain. That’s where you have lied, in fact twice.

 

[Deleted member 59730]

Wearing masks when we go shopping is not going to stop the virus in its tracks, but it will probably have a small positive benefit on reducing its spread. Maintaining social distancing, better hand hygiene are also simple steps we can (and are) taking to help return life to normal.

The biggest change we need is absolute transparency and easy access to the numbers and statistics to gauge our risk. At present I have no way of knowing if its a million to one risk or a one in ten risk if I go shopping.

 

[Ian J]

The biggest change we need is absolute transparency and easy access to the numbers and statistics to gauge our risk. At present I have no way of knowing if its a million to one risk or a one in ten risk if I go shopping.

I'm not sure that it's necessarily a case of transparency but the accuracy of the statistics and the arguments being put forward by the various scientists.

Listening to the scientists is a bit like reading some of the threads here about SEO as none of the so called experts agree with each other.

Statistics seem to be available for coronavirus cases per town which should help you decide whether it's safe to go shopping or not

 

[fisicx]

At present I have no way of knowing if its a million to one risk or a one in ten risk if I go shopping.

It depends on the type of shop, the numbers of people, demographics, the temperature, if they have AC and so on.

Wear a mask and gloves, touch as little as possible, don't browse and pay contactless. There may have been the minimal hazard but by taking precautions you reduce the risk.

As an aside: many don't understand the difference between hazard and risk.

 

[Deleted member 59730]

Statistics seem to be available for coronavirus cases per town which should help you decide whether it's safe to go shopping or not

I'm afraid that only applies to large towns with sensible medical officers. In Cornwall our medical officer stated to a council meeting that as he didn't have to disclose cases he wouldn't. That was in the face of several councilors demanding to be told. It makes a big difference here if the cases are in Bude or Penzance many miles apart.

 

[Mr D]

The biggest change we need is absolute transparency and easy access to the numbers and statistics to gauge our risk. At present I have no way of knowing if its a million to one risk or a one in ten risk if I go shopping.

While you may be expert at assessing risks to yourself and those around you, most of the population will not.

 

[Interestedobserver]

Would I be wrong in saying USA has tried to play down the risk of Covid and open up everything as fast as possible and get back to normal and not wear masks and say it's not a serious illness etc etc etc

Aren't all the things that Trump and US have done exactly what some posters in here want us to do?

And look at the results in US now?

If all those things above were working ok why are so many states having to re-inforce lockdowns and close everything down again

Why aren't they carrying on being normal because the illness isn't serious?

Why has Trump started wearing a mask?

What am I missing here?

 

[Mr D]

Would I be wrong in saying USA has tried to play down the risk of Covid and open up everything as fast as possible and get back to normal and not wear masks and say it's not a serious illness etc etc etc

Aren't all the things that Trump and US have done exactly what some posters in here want us to do?

And look at the results in US now?

If all those things above were working ok why are so many states having to re-inforce lockdowns and close everything down again

Why aren't they carrying on being normal because the illness isn't serious?

Why has Trump started wearing a mask?

What am I missing here?

Wanting the way things were is a sign of nostalgia. Even if the way things were was pretty bad.

We have an opportunity now to make things even better but they do not want that because it gives a different result than the one they want.

Places that haven't done lockdown - have they done better for infections and deaths?
Trump is …. just a big child who insists his view is the only one. Regardless of reality.
In other adults we'd suggest he needs professional help.

Saying that, he's an old man. Not uncommon for old people to hear what they want to hear.... and ignore everything else they are told.

 

[simon field]

What am I missing here?

The fact that many Americans are really fat, shouty, self-centred people who believe their country/president/gun laws are the best/biggest/nobody-could-ever-be-as-good-as-us in the world?

It’s why Trumpo’s media releases are the way they are, that’s what appeals to Americans!

 

[Paul Norman]

I am visiting shops at roughly the same frequency as before the virus started, which is very close to never.

On those very infrequent visits, I shall comply with the rules. Just as I tend to comply with the rules of driving, even though some of them may invite debate.

As to the merits of mask wearing, I am probably not going to do any research on the subject, because it would have no bearing on the paragraph above.

 

[Paul Norman]

In the 100 years before the 2008 Beijing Olympics, British cycling had won only one gold medal. In those 2008 games, they won 60% of the gold medals in track and road cycling. Four years later, at the London Olympics, they did even better.

They achieved this not by one single breakthrough, but by looking to improve many facets of the sport by 1%.

In the absence of a silver bullet in the form of a vaccine, we need a similar approach to tackling coronavirus.

Wearing masks when we go shopping is not going to stop the virus in its tracks, but it will probably have a small positive benefit on reducing its spread. Maintaining social distancing, better hand hygiene are also simple steps we can (and are) taking to help return life to normal.

Wearing a mask when you go shopping is not a huge imposition. If you don’t want to wear a mask, no one is forcing you - you have a choice: don’t go to the shops.

This is probably up there in the top 5% of most rational comments on the topic.

 

[RobinBHM]

Exactly my point again - you don’t listen or read things properly, you need to get a grip.

Read my first post again and you will see at the bottom I named the person who wrote the article that I quoted ie Sir Dr Michael Pelly. Can you see that ?

So I didn’t say it.. Dr Michael Pelly said it. I merely re posted it. Plus it doesn’t say anything about mutating into a less serious strain. That’s where you have lied, in fact twice.

I did read it properly: you put Dr Perrys name at the bottom it wasn't clear what it related to since you didnt included quotation marks, therefore I assumed those were your words.

You are only quoting a letter from the Telegraph from a man who is a clinician in stroke medicine.

I did not lie, at no point did I suggest it said anything about mutating.

What I said and what you still wont answer is this: The virus was serious earlier in the year, it caused the Italian and American hospitals to be overloaded. There is no evidence the virus has changed, so please provide the evidence to support your claim the virus is no longer serious and the media are making it up.

 

[Gordon - Commercial Finance]

Those who don't want to wear a mask will easily find evidence to support their reasoning.

Those who don't mind and support mask wearing will just as easily find evidence to back that up.

There are plenty of "experts" on each side of the fence, so confirmation bias has fueled this debate for 10 pages now....time to give it a rest, and either get on board with what the country is trying to do to make a difference, or show your protest by staying away from the shops.

There's one sure fire way to make sure that masks will not be effective, and that's to not wear one.

 

[Alison Moore]

I will wear a mask, however - all through lockdown I could shop in my village shop. They allowed two people in at a time, no one worse masks. Now in order to go to the same village shop, (they are still limiting access to two people), however I will have to wear a mask. These regulations should have come in in the early stages of lockdown, not now.

 

[Bob Morgan]

Can we have the Budgies, Charlie?

 

[menetworkjadaltd]

I think masks look good

 

[Deleted member 59730]

all through lockdown I could shop in my village shop. They allowed two people in at a time, no one worse masks.

The only village shop I've been to everyone has worn masks since the beginning. They have also had informative signs at the entrance to the village to safeguard everyone.

 

[Interestedobserver]

The fact that many Americans are really fat, shouty, self-centred people who believe their country/president/gun laws are the best/biggest/nobody-could-ever-be-as-good-as-us in the world?

It’s why Trumpo’s media releases are the way they are, that’s what appeals to Americans!

Because we aren't like the Americans do we have a gene that makes us more immune to Covid then?

Is that what I'm missing?

All I see in USA is all the same things some posters want to happen here?

Don't take the virus too seriously, don't wear masks and open everything up as fast as possible?

But that policy has clearly failed over there?

 

[Deleted member 59730]

many Americans are really fat, shouty, self-centred people

Like the Brits then? We are the most obese nation in Europe. We are the ones causing problems in bars all over Spain.

 

[Mr D]

I think masks look good

Some do.
I have multiple masks - one is an Anne Stokes wolf design.
Have seen some amusing ones. And of course there are some transparent ones.

 

[Mr D]

Because we aren't like the Americans do we have a gene that makes us more immune to Covid then?

Is that what I'm missing?

All I see in USA is all the same things some posters want to happen here?

Don't take the virus too seriously, don't wear masks and open everything up as fast as possible?

But that policy has clearly failed over there?

Doing the same thing and expecting different outcome? Isn't that the definition of stupidity?

 

[Forgot password]

I did read it properly: you put Dr Perrys name at the bottom it wasn't clear what it related to since you didnt included quotation marks, therefore I assumed those were your words.

You are only quoting a letter from the Telegraph from a man who is a clinician in stroke medicine.

I did not lie, at no point did I suggest it said anything about mutating.

What I said and what you still wont answer is this: The virus was serious earlier in the year, it caused the Italian and American hospitals to be overloaded. There is no evidence the virus has changed, so please provide the evidence to support your claim the virus is no longer serious and the media are making it up.

You ready -

‘as things stand there is no proof that Covid has mutated to a less dangerous strain‘ RobinBHM

 

[Gordon - Commercial Finance]

Doing the same thing and expecting different outcome? Isn't that the definition of stupidity?

Definition of madness I think. Although its also quite stupid.

 

[Karimbo]

Distraction, they slaughtered 20,000 old people in care homes. Almost HALF of all covid deaths. The government need to be tried in a civil equivalenet of a war crimes tribunal.

I noticed when people start chilling out about covid, and we start to see some semblance of normality, people look back and start criticisng the government handling for covid in care homes.

This pointless ban is a fantastic way to distract the public and media from focusing on the real issues.

The death counts are extremely low now.

They even suggesting officeworkers wear facemasks all day. If this isn't a distraction I don't know what is.

 

[alan1302]

I have also stopped watching the news on the nation's flagship news media outlet as the BBC is so biased against the government that it's sometimes painful to watch and people like Laura K are more interested in making the news rather than reporting it and she will take every opportunity to twist every statistic and comment around to suit the BBC News's left wing agenda

This here is the issue the BBC has - some people think it's biased one way and other think it is biased another way - both can't be right.

 

[Mr D]

Distraction, they slaughtered 20,000 old people in care homes. Almost HALF of all covid deaths. The government need to be tried in a civil equivalenet of a war crimes tribunal.

I noticed when people start chilling out about covid, and we start to see some semblance of normality, people look back and start criticisng the government handling for covid in care homes.

This pointless ban is a fantastic way to distract the public and media from focusing on the real issues.

The death counts are extremely low now.

Yes, government run care homes are a particular problem for deaths.

Of course, get into the details and the bosses of the care homes and the staff working there also come under the spotlight. Just following orders isn't an accepted response...

As I recall not all care homes worldwide had deaths. There's at least one where the care home staff appear to have made the difference in keeping Covid out.

 

[UKSBD]

This here is the issue the BBC has - some people think it's biased one way and other think it is biased another way - both can't be right.

Why not?

The BBC is more than one person
Some reporters may be biased one way, some the other

If BBC management allow the reporters to be biased it means the BBC can appear to be biased differently to different people depending on who they watch or listen to.

Edit to add: Unfortunately, some reporters (on both sides) think they are bigger than the BBC and their airtime is there for their opinions rather than being neutral.

 

[alan1302]

Why not?

The BBC is more than one person
Some reporters may be biased one way, some the other

If BBC management allow the reporters to be biased it means the BBC can appear to be biased differently to different people depending on who they watch or listen to.

That's not the issue though...people think it is either pro government ot against the government - don't normally see people that think it varies.

What they mean is that the BBC does not agree with themseslves.

 

[Interestedobserver]

This here is the issue the BBC has - some people think it's biased one way and other think it is biased another way - both can't be right.

I watch CNN news each evening. Their presenters pretty much line up in a row and attack everything Trump does

It's not even subtle