10 minutes ago, williamweb said:

We don’t live in Communist China.Vaccination is the only way out of this to stop people dying.Masks are a waste of time unless they’ve medical grade.

Communism has nothing to do with it, the Japanese have also worn masks for many many years, You would see them also wearing masks in Manchester on occasion over the last decade or so. So not some sort of commie rule, but a personal choice.

 

44 minutes ago, Mark-UK said:

Masks are to help to stop the person wearing it spreading the virus, not to stop the wearer catching it.

With the ones in general use, that's the current situation. 

Problem is, I get the impression that an awful lot of people do think they protect the wearer. This is why, as mentioned earlier in the thread, I have been in correspondence with my MP about proper guidance being issued to the vulnerable and/or plain nervous, on the best masks to use to give them optimum protection. Doesn't seem to have happened though, but I know from copy emails my MP has pursued it, so credit where it's due.

A lot of the mask wearing in other countries, particularly cities in Asia, is of course to protect the wearer, in many cases, from environmental pollution. In newsreels, you can often see that they are using what appear to be FFP3 type masks. Cultural thing as well of course. Chinese or Japanese people are very into personal hygiene and consider westerners very unclean for bathing rather than showering, for instance.

As with crossing the road, I would prefer to rely on my own measures rather than trust others to do it for me. It does seem though, that they are now considering amending the Highway Code to put the onus on drivers, so if you just step in front of a bus, it's the bus drivers fault, not yours. Whole new thread there, I think!😃

 

2 hours ago, williamweb said:

Anyone hear thinks some will be wearing a mask in shops this time next year😀

Yes.

6 hours ago, Mark-UK said:

Communism has nothing to do with it, the Japanese have also worn masks for many many years, You would see them also wearing masks in Manchester on occasion over the last decade or so. So not some sort of commie rule, but a personal choice.

 

If you live in China, one of the cultural examples you gave and were told to wear a mask, you would have to wear one, simple.Its because we don’t live in a communist state we have the freedom of choice.

I’ve always been happy for people to wear masks, it’s their choice as said but by using a word like “selfish,”not to wear one, isn’t freedom of choice.

59 minutes ago, Eric Bloodaxe said:

Chinese or Japanese people are very into personal hygiene

They might think it but it’s definitely a myth, I can assure you.

7 minutes ago, williamweb said:

They might think it but it’s definitely a myth, I can assure you.

Lol, I won't ask how you found out!😃

1 minute ago, Eric Bloodaxe said:

Lol, I won't ask how you found out!😃

It's OK, that cream he got cleared that right up! 🤣

1 hour ago, williamweb said:

I’ve always been happy for people to wear masks, it’s their choice as said but by using a word like “selfish,”not to wear one, isn’t freedom of choice.

That's freedom of expression...  We can say what we like in the UK because we live in a democracy.  We don't all have to agree.

People will always use provocative language when they feel so strongly about their opinion being the correct one...just have to try not to take it to heart when it's against your opinion.  Easier said than done of course.

2 hours ago, StephenFord said:

Maybe the vaccine is a huge con and doesn't work after all??

Do you really believe that or was it a joke?  You cant tell on forums 🤣

Looking on worldometers it does show that in highly vaccinated countries there are less deaths per number of new cases than in lower vaccinated places.

I guess I would see it as a little selfish yes, because I just don't see what the problem is with sticking one on to bob round Sainsbury's.

 

On 8/15/2021 at 12:29 PM, TomsFocus said:

That's freedom of expression...  We can say what we like in the UK because we live in a democracy.  We don't all have to agree.

People will always use provocative language when they feel so strongly about their opinion being the correct one...just have to try not to take it to heart when it's against your opinion.  Easier said than done of course.

That’s Symantec’s in my opinion on this thread. Oh and by-the-way we can’t say anything we want without consequences  😀

1 minute ago, Guy Heaton said:

Do you really believe that or was it a joke?  You cant tell on forums 🤣

 

Of course I believe the vaccine works!! It's just a shame our government doesn't have the same conviction...

Just now, StephenFord said:

Of course I believe the vaccine works!! It's just a shame our government doesn't have the same conviction...

I would maintain masks and distancing but remove the need for isolation for the vaccinated.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-58190189

This is interesting and the sort of thing we might need to do to let life move forward.

 But like anything it needs control testing to show wether it's worth it or not.

24 minutes ago, williamweb said:

That’s Symantec’s in my opinion on this thread,you know what I mean.Oh and by-the-way we can’t say anything we want without consequences  😀

And you're entitled to that opinion!  

Freedom of expression doesn't mean freedom from consequences.  But there are specific laws surrounding that which is why the subject and wording are so important there.

I don't really know what you mean tbh.  I don't know why you'd take offence at someone having and sharing an alternative opinion.  You really don't have to agree with them, and they don't have to agree with you.  We shouldn't all be walking around on eggshells for fear of someone else getting offended.  And that's my opinion, which I'm entitled to.  

12 minutes ago, TomsFocus said:

I don't know why you'd take offence at someone having and sharing an alternative opinion.  You really don't have to agree with them, and they don't have to agree with you.  We shouldn't all be walking around on eggshells for fear of someone else getting offended.  And that's my opinion, which I'm entitled to.  

You most certainly are! Our group of friends was pretty much split 50/50 on the subject of a certain referendum a few years back, but we all understood and respected each others views and we're all still friends.

How does it go: "I disagree with what you say, but I'll defend to the death your right to say it"

Unfortunately when you look at the reaction to J K Rowling's comments on what defines a woman, for example, or the case of the teacher in hiding in Batley, it doesn't always seem to work like that any more.

55 minutes ago, StephenFord said:

Of course I believe the vaccine works!! It's just a shame our government doesn't have the same conviction...

Our government is alone in going for herd immunity by infection, that was their policy at the start and it's not fundamentally changed, there are many  things they could have done better (we can see this by looking at death rates around the world) They are still very reluctant to give the vaccine to the young who are now the main spreader.

I believe our government has only ever seen Covid as an opportunity to make money for friends and family and to obscure Brexit effects.

I wonder that too.   Not sure how much the Conservatives really care about the average person.

2 hours ago, TomsFocus said:

Freedom of expression doesn't mean freedom from consequences.  But there are specific laws 

So now you’re agreeing with me, ha ha.Also point to any of my comments where I said I’m offended?

2 hours ago, Mark-UK said:

Our government is alone in going for herd immunity by infection, that was their policy at the start and it's not fundamentally changed, there are many  things they could have done better (we can see this by looking at death rates around the world) They are still very reluctant to give the vaccine to the young who are now the main spreader.

I believe our government has only ever seen Covid as an opportunity to make money for friends and family and to obscure Brexit effects.

Righty or wrongly,I think the group of advisers set up by the Government are calling most of the shots.Blame China only, for all the Covid deaths around the world.

2 hours ago, Mark-UK said:

Our government is alone in going for herd immunity by infection, that was their policy at the start and it's not fundamentally changed, there are many  things they could have done better (we can see this by looking at death rates around the world) They are still very reluctant to give the vaccine to the young who are now the main spreader.

I believe our government has only ever seen Covid as an opportunity to make money for friends and family and to obscure Brexit effects.

3 weeks ago there were 238 registered deaths in Northern Ireland - 3 were attributed to Covid. Yet, we are still mandated to wear masks, follow social distancing, and much other cr*p. Government policy has simply lost all reason and perspective. They keep saying we need to learn to live with Covid, nothing more than empty worthless words...

Personally, I don't think masks will return as mandatory.
I've had covid, I've also had both jabs since then so as far as I'm concerned, I'm done with it all.

Most people are waking up a bit now and realising it's one rule for one, and one rule for another. Just look at the ex-health secretary getting it on with his assistant.
Then you've the G7 summit where not a single person wore a mask or obeyed social distancing (this was almost at the peak of a wave too).
I stopped caring during the first lockdown when that moron drove half way across the country to visit a castle, "test his eye sight", and drop the kids off.

I found it quite funny how cases suddenly dropped off when social distancing and mask wearing was abandoned and night clubs could re-open.

2 hours ago, williamweb said:

Righty or wrongly,I think the group of advisers set up by the Government are calling most of the shots.Blame China only, for all the Covid deaths around the world.

I think we maybe jumping the gun to solely blame China, we all call it Spanish Flu, but that's is because it was first identified in Spain, it took years of research to eventually discover is started in the USA, and their soldiers brought it to Europe during WW1.

I know a work college who had time off with flu and a loss of smell and taste in the spring of 2019.  It could be a very long time before we defiantly  know where the outbreak started.

21 minutes ago, Luke4efc said:

Personally, I don't think masks will return as mandatory.
I've had covid, I've also had both jabs since then so as far as I'm concerned, I'm done with it all.

Most people are waking up a bit now and realising it's one rule for one, and one rule for another. Just look at the ex-health secretary getting it on with his assistant.
Then you've the G7 summit where not a single person wore a mask or obeyed social distancing (this was almost at the peak of a wave too).
I stopped caring during the first lockdown when that moron drove half way across the country to visit a castle, "test his eye sight", and drop the kids off.

I found it quite funny how cases suddenly dropped off when social distancing and mask wearing was abandoned and night clubs could re-open.

There is definitely one rule for them and one for us, all that I total agree with, as for the drop in cases, the relaxing of all the rules coincided with the end of school and a massive reduction in the number of tests. There were millions of test done at schools, now there is none being done.

No, schools are still testing, well at least they are meant to be.