Masks

Are you still wearing a mask in shops?

Poll ended at Mon 18 Oct, 2021 17.13

Yes
17
63%
No
10
37%
 
Total votes: 27
thegeek
Posts: 858
Joined: Sat 04 Jun, 2005 12.35

Laura-1 wrote: Wed 24 Nov, 2021 06.31 Masks do have more chance of stopping the spread than vaccines and for me, masks should never have been dropped because we knew the vaccines didn't stop the spread before the mask wearing was dropped
Do you have any science to back up your claims about vaccine efficacy, or is this just your reckon?
bilky asko
Posts: 1400
Joined: Sat 08 Nov, 2008 19.48

There's so much nonsense in this post that it's tempting just to pretend it didn't happen, but there's one bit I thought would be easy to check...
Laura-1 wrote: Wed 24 Nov, 2021 06.31Ask them why the numbers are 20k less [than "when vaccines didn't exist"] and they say that the vaccine is cutting the spread

Which is not true

The reason the numbers are 20k less is because less people are getting tested - because they are vaccinated and not getting ill so they don't have a reason to test
Luckily we have the figures to check.

The peak of the 7-day rolling average before the first vaccine was approved on 2nd December 2020 was 331,995.7 tests a day. The current average 887,588.3 tests a day (as of the data available as of this post).

The current average is above that of the end of July and the entirety of August, as well as the start of June and the start of April, and of course any time at all before 5th March 2021.
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all new Phil
Posts: 1965
Joined: Sun 13 Feb, 2005 00.04
Location: Next door to Hell

Previously we had no vaccine and lots of restrictions, and we were hitting a thousand deaths a day. Now we have the vaccine and what seems to me like minimal restrictions, and we’re keeping the deaths right down. But sure, it’s something to do with the numbers being tested…
JAS84
Posts: 585
Joined: Fri 12 Aug, 2011 10.23
Location: Hull, UK

Masks mandatory again as of tomorrow.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/explainers-52530518
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Pete
Posts: 7589
Joined: Fri 15 Aug, 2003 13.36
Location: Dundee

JAS84 wrote: Mon 29 Nov, 2021 10.56 Masks mandatory again as of tomorrow.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/explainers-52530518
It'll be interesting to see if the stricter rules in England result in stricter compliance in Scotland. Despite the masks remaining mandatory up here the whole time there's been fewer people wearing them.

Perhaps if the whole "exemptions" thing had been specified (GP note required) rather than being done on trust it might have prevented the abuse of the sunflower lanyards by the self important.
"He has to be larger than bacon"
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WillPS
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Location: Carlton
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Pete wrote: Mon 29 Nov, 2021 11.00
JAS84 wrote: Mon 29 Nov, 2021 10.56 Masks mandatory again as of tomorrow.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/explainers-52530518
It'll be interesting to see if the stricter rules in England result in stricter compliance in Scotland. Despite the masks remaining mandatory up here the whole time there's been fewer people wearing them.

Perhaps if the whole "exemptions" thing had been specified (GP note required) rather than being done on trust it might have prevented the abuse of the sunflower lanyards by the self important.
Genius idea there. GPs famously haven't had much on in the last couple of years. Good to give them a bit of admin.
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james2001
Posts: 718
Joined: Sat 04 Jun, 2005 23.10

My cousin couldn't get to see a GP when he was suffering from what turned out to be prostate cancer (sadly, he died from it at the start of October, maybe he'd have lived if it didn't take him 3 months to actually see a doctor in person and get a diagnosis rather than be fobbed off with phone and e-consultations), GPs aren't going to see people for something like signing off mask exemptions when they're reluctant to see people like my cousin who actually have worrying symptoms.

Not that it matters even if people do have a genuine exemption, I've come across far too many people who think there shouldn't be exemptions at all and will harrass people regardless. Not to mention having a lanyard and having to advertise your disability can be distressing enough for many people even ignoring the risk of being harrassed for it or accused of trying it on. As someone in that boat myself, I've actually had to cancel plans for this week, and lose a fair chunk of non-refundable money, because I'm too scared to get on a train out of fear of getting abuse. After getting something retweeted into my timeline today from someone counting how many people were getting on their train at each station not wearing masks (before the mandate's even come into force, so these people aren't even doing anything wrong), it just re-inforces my feeling on this issue. The feelings on the subject are too hostile for me to feel safe trying to use my exemption.

In my opinion, both the pro and anti mask side have become as extreme and unreasonable as each other.
bilky asko
Posts: 1400
Joined: Sat 08 Nov, 2008 19.48

Your summary at the end is the perfect summation of the negative effects of Twitter. Perhaps it's a good idea to use the tools at your disposal to stop fringe die-hards being amplified into your Twitter timeline - because that's exactly what they are: fringe die-hards. It's not at all representative of the vast majority of people or the actual situation in general.
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cdd
Posts: 2607
Joined: Fri 15 Aug, 2003 14.05

WillPS wrote: Mon 29 Nov, 2021 21.27 Genius idea there. GPs famously haven't had much on in the last couple of years. Good to give them a bit of admin.
I think there could probably be a middle ground between "GP note" and "say you're exempt". An online declaration perhaps. This might actually help those with exemptions, as people would know that some hoops had been jumped through.

However all this assumes masks are a worthwhile intervention. I'm fine with wearing one near people who are anxious. But mandating them is different, and if controlling the spread is considered important, then I don't understand why bars/cafés/restaurants are open at all.
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WillPS
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cdd wrote: Tue 30 Nov, 2021 17.36
WillPS wrote: Mon 29 Nov, 2021 21.27 Genius idea there. GPs famously haven't had much on in the last couple of years. Good to give them a bit of admin.
I think there could probably be a middle ground between "GP note" and "say you're exempt". An online declaration perhaps. This might actually help those with exemptions, as people would know that some hoops had been jumped through.
What would be the point? What problem would such a register solve?
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cwathen
Posts: 1309
Joined: Fri 15 Aug, 2003 17.28

james2001 wrote: Mon 29 Nov, 2021 23.33 As someone in that boat myself, I've actually had to cancel plans for this week, and lose a fair chunk of non-refundable money, because I'm too scared to get on a train out of fear of getting abuse. After getting something retweeted into my timeline today from someone counting how many people were getting on their train at each station not wearing masks (before the mandate's even come into force, so these people aren't even doing anything wrong), it just re-inforces my feeling on this issue. The feelings on the subject are too hostile for me to feel safe trying to use my exemption.
Personally, I wouldn't cancel your plans. Masks are a divisive subject for a lot of people in both directions, but there are also a lot who don't have particularly strong views either way.

Of the pro-mask side, it will only be a subset who go about finger wagging and counting the unmasked on trains to moan about it on social media, and a subset of that subset who would actually challenge an individual in person (especially if wearing an exemption lanyard - should of course you wish to which you don't have to). And of that subset, only a subset of those will be using public transport anyway lest it 'not be safe'.

And crucially, those people were still around last week and you still may have bumped into them. Mask wearing on trains may have jumped up from a sizeable minority (where I live anyway) to being almost universal this week, but that will never be due to people re-evaluating their position and becoming hardline mask supporters over the weekend, it will simply be that they are complying with the law.

I think you'll be fine.
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