So masks are to become optional, do you think this is a good idea?

I think it's yet another major, crass misjudgement by this crappy government.

I'm going to post this then I'm off.

We need some perspective here. Whilst we're in a pandemic situation, obviously we have to be careful about the health of ourselves and others. But we can't live like this forever, once the threat normalises. And normalise it will.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJrEiWsI4f8

Biscuitmuncher

Everyone is still wearing masks, right? So why is the Delta variant on the rise? Because masks do nothing!!!!!

Not everyone is wearing a mask. Just look at the news of people at large gatherings. That's why the new variant is spreading so quickly.

Mask earing has been made compulsory in Israel again and thy have about 100 new cases a day. I think that in the UK it's over 2,500 per day.

20,000 a day.

I'm at a loss to understand why wearing a mask doesn't protect one from catching a virus as some people suggest. If wearing a mask which covers my mouth and nose protects others from my exhalations, why aren't I protected from theirs?

I personally won’t wear a mask when restrictions are lifted. However I will carry one with me at all times and will wear one if asked to do so.

Athenia

Please do realise that masks do not give any protection, as the molecules concerned are easily able to penetrate them.
The press and media have been told to hype them up and deliberately spread fear and anxiety.
The actual incidence of death from this apparent virus is no more than normal seasonal influenza.
Look at the statistics and you will find that no-one died last winter from flu, as in a normal year. How can that be?
The rates were deliberately managed to intensify fear.
Please don't believe all that you or told, and check my statements too.

Surely the reason no one died from winter flu is at least two fold. There was a greater demand for the flu jab because it was thought that it might offer some protection against Covid. Secondly, we were under lockdown and so the flu virus had little chance to spread.

Yes happyogi that's what we were told at the start of the pandemic. Masks are worn to protect other people and give the wearer only minimal protection, unless they're hospital grade masks like surgeons wear.
I'll continue to wear mine for the foreseeable.

Marthjolly1

My fear is that it will be those very people who refuse to get vaccinated will be the first the ditch the mask, if they have been wearing one at all. They do not understand the reality of covid and just cannot take it on board. Like most people I dislike wearing a mask, however I would hate to think I might have passed it on unwittingly just because I don't like wearing a mask. That would be unforgivable

This is the crux of the matter I feel. I have a brother and sister, and a dear friend, all of whom believe that it is a conspiracy to end everyone's freedom. They have all actively refused to have the vaccine, say that masks don't work etc. etc. They and others with similar views call what they believe 'truth' (the dear friend calls it Truth' and that she is one of the people who are 'rescuing' people from the conspiracy!). They are, as Marthjolly1 says, going to be the first to stop wearing masks, and of course are unvaccinated, and won't distance themselves, not because they are selfish but because they 'know' it's a hoax. I think this is the danger of making masks non-mandatory at this stage. The rest of us will carry on making considerate decisions.

Growstuff - taking personal responsibility doesn't mean that I refuse to wear a mask ever again. It means that I make the decision rather than the Govt. No need to use an exclamation mark in your response. I rarely comment on Gransnet due to this type of behaviour.

Dinahmo

I'm at a loss to understand why wearing a mask doesn't protect one from catching a virus as some people suggest. If wearing a mask which covers my mouth and nose protects others from my exhalations, why aren't I protected from theirs?

They do give some protection, and more than minimal protection, but not everyone knows this. This is an article by a professor of medicine.
theconversation.com/cloth-masks-do-protect-the-wearer-breathing-in-less-coronavirus-means-you-get-less-sick-143726

I think it's a good idea for masks to become optional. However, if some people still feel better and safer wearing a mask then it is up to them to decide what they want to do. We cannot keep hiding ourselves away forever we need to start moving on with life again.

Am I the only one to wonder what other bad news is about to come out that Boris wants to hide from us?

In all honesty ….can we firstly trust a government and in particular a leader who many months ago when all this started told us not to buy masks as they wouldn’t protect us and it would interfere with PPE equipment needed by hospitals.
Do you think you buying a box of masks would affect hospitals who order in thousands if not millions from wholesalers?
How many died then through poor advice?

And secondly can you really trust a leader who forgives so easily, Patel, bullying, said sorry saved her job, Jenrick, broke the lockdown rules and has dubious dealings with planners, says sorry and forgiven, Cummings broke lockdown for the lamest of excuses, said sorry, forgiven and stayed in his job for months….and Hancock, broke all the rules, said sorry, forgiven but forced out by public opinion.
Our glorious leader forgives so easily the actions of his peers where we would be outraged given our sacrifices and losses, so why does he forgive so easily, because to him, it doesn’t matter, it’s nothing because his standards are exactly the same as the ones he’s forgiving.

There is nothing worse than weak leadership and to carry people along on a wing and a prayer through thick and thin, telling them that what they’re doing in their sacrifice is a good thing, encouraging them on and and then when the final fence is in sight, drop them like a stone and say ..‘you’re on your own now kids’….yes, that’s real leadership. …it’s all too haphazard or rather planned stupidity, I don’t know which.
All I do know is…..look to your own self and look after you and yours …let the fools carry on regardless ….you can do no more…Nero…Fiddling …Rome …Burns ….comes to mind.

Dinahmo

Am I the only one to wonder what other bad news is about to come out that Boris wants to hide from us?

NHS reform….(ie privatisation by stealth….) buried by this George Cross stuff and liberation day…..

i am more than happy to wear a mask , so is it the case that washing hands will be optional too?

Personally I think it's ridiculous giving people the choice of wearing them or not when there are so many new variants popping up. I shall continue wearing mine til I feel safe doing otherwise!

twinnytwin

Growstuff - taking personal responsibility doesn't mean that I refuse to wear a mask ever again. It means that I make the decision rather than the Govt. No need to use an exclamation mark in your response. I rarely comment on Gransnet due to this type of behaviour.

Totally agree twinnytwin It was a total pleasure to look around the shops this morning without a ruddy mask. I would have looked out of place if I had been wearing one
Being continuously told on here that they are not a problem is the writers opinion not mine I find them disorientating and generally unpleasant

MayBee70

Dinahmo

Am I the only one to wonder what other bad news is about to come out that Boris wants to hide from us?

NHS reform….(ie privatisation by stealth….) buried by this George Cross stuff and liberation day…..

Here

Joan Bakewell
@JDBakewell
Alert! New health bill is launched… power grab by govt. which threatens future of the NHS! American company given chance to interfere. Efforts to stop it happening start now!!

With the rise in both positive cases and hospitalizations it is only an idiot who would say optional.

I won't be wearing a mask after 19th unless for work.I am very skeptical of the figure's I know someone who had covid and he was rung by 4 diffrent departments to record him having it, so one case turned into four. Also if you listern to the way it's recorded ''if a posative covid test in 28 days'' so someone having a posative test then being killed in a car crash is still covid. My 90 year old mother tested posative and the only way we knew she had it was because she lives in a home and was tested reg.

Well, we know where the blame will be put when the cases rise even more when the restrictions are lifted, firmly at the doors of Joe Public, we were told to be sensible, its been called 'Freedom day' to make it sound like the Govt are giving us a great gift...its not freedom, not when they don't even want people protesting peacefully anymore...this Freedom day rubbish is all for the gullible dolts that voted them in, that think Doris and co have done a good job, and have been lucky enough not to lose anyone to this awful disease.

I shall happily be wearing my mask to protect others still.

I work in a small but busy corner shop / post office with 6 other people and none of us have had COVID so far . We do test twice a week and all wear masks 4 of us are double jabbed and the others have had one . We have worked all the way through this pandemic . Without any screens or masks for the first few months . We provide hand sanitiser for our customers although not many use it even though there is a lot of money being handled due to the post office . I think most of our customers will not be wearing a mask as quite a few don’t bother now

I live in a rural area ( Cumbria ) but as it is a very popular tourist destination I will continue to wear a face mask , and as much as possible keep out of the way of people.

I will continue to wear a mask when shopping, and will consider those with greater protection for the wearer, as I am certain Rates of infection will continue to rise ( these are already thousands per day). The Government are already saying that "booster" injections will be required soon. It may be that fewer people are hospitalised or dying, but more people are suffering from the effects of "Long Covid" and these may last for years! For those who are Vulnerable, or in contact with family members who are - it seems sensible to continue to take precautions.