Are you still wearing a face mask?

Rats because we are all protecting you!

Second nature to me now.

Baggs

How high a ceiling does the House of Commons have? Lords too? High ceilings mean there is better ventilation than low ones, or at least more air to share. I'd be interested in the rate of intake of fresh air too.

Yes - and if they'd implemented a UV-C filtration system it would have provided even more protection perhaps.

Our parliamentary facilities are abysmally old - both in process and in their facilities. Fancy not having the ability to cast a vote in a debate by simply pressing a button.

The UK can hardly claim to be 'world leading' in this area.

Urmstongran - "The UK was ahead of the EU with the initial vaccination programme"

I don't think you can draw a direct connection there to suggest Germany's surge is lagging behind the UK. There are other, mitigating factors in many countries that have continued to retain additional actions - mask wearing and social distancing for longer, etc.

In a column in the paper today, Prof. Devi Sridar compared the UK and other states approach as being similar to the old tortoise versus the hare race. You are absolutely right about the need for a 3rd booster does though - it's just a pity it is a bit chaotic in its roll out.

How high a ceiling does the House of Commons have? Lords too? High ceilings mean there is better ventilation than low ones, or at least more air to share. I'd be interested in the rate of intake of fresh air too.

heatherjw

I have continued to wear one to help protect others and hope that it might encourage others to wear masks. Unfortunately few public figures, including our politicians, are wearing them even in enclosed busy spaces such the Houses if Parliament or even at the church service fir Sur David Amiss.

It seems to me that many of our public figures are very poor at showing leadership, or setting examples.

Parky

Well said GrannyRose15. Here barely anyone wears a mask. Does anyone know what the percentage of people are dying from covid as opposed to with covid. So many deaths reported are of people having underlying conditions.

IMHO individuals should protect themselves, not expect others to do so.

Hmm - interesting question Parky.

If a person contracts Covid and it exacerbates their underlying condition, is that a death from Covid, or the worsened underlying condition?

If that person had not contracted Covid then perhaps their condition may not have worsened.

On balance it seems to me that Covid was the indirect cause of death.

Wear one in supermarket, restaurant, train, bus , busy venues! Feel safer wearing one ! Was in Edinburgh a couple of weeks ago and felt much safer there due to mandatory masks !
Partner’s youngest son just dropped in , refuses to get vaccinated , says he is not a follower, no mask in the house despite us both being older 65+ ! So I left the house and disinfected everywhere he could have been when I got home ! Not happy about it and his lack of responsibility ! It is causing issues between us ?‍♀️?
I felt safer with distancing, sanitising and mask wearing ! I fear a hard winter ?

heatherjw

I have continued to wear one to help protect others and hope that it might encourage others to wear masks. Unfortunately few public figures, including our politicians, are wearing them even in enclosed busy spaces such the Houses if Parliament or even at the church service fir Sur David Amiss.

The opposition parties wear masks in parliament. It’s only the government that make a point of not wearing them even though the Health Secretary says masks should be worn in crowded places.

Where I am in Australia we have been very lucky with covid. There have only been two occasions where mask wearing was compulsory, both times I complied with the rules. If it becomes necessary I will do so again, why? Because it’s not about me, it’s about keeping everyone as safe as possible.

TwoWolves: maybe you're still here in spite of your refusal to wear a mask, not because of it! Wearing a mask (unless you're clinically vulnerable) certainly won't do any harm, and may well do some good in helping to protect others. It's a small thing to ask, surely?

I wear N95 facemasks in shops. I tried a disposable surgical mask, but I could still smell car fumes and people's perfume. The N95 facemask cuts these smells out completely for me, and I feel safer.

teresa may and jeremy hunt are almost the only ones still wearing a mask

YES. I live in Scotland and we still have to wear them and I'm glad to be doing so. I still wore mine when I was in England, felt safer. I do think that it was the wrong decision to drop the mask wearing rule.
Don't know if a mask is very protective, but I feel better to at least try to keep Covid at bay along with vaccinations.

I wear a face covering in shops and on the rare occasions that I use public transport. On the tram yesterday, I gauge (cos I didn't do a head count) only about 15% of travellers were wearing masks. I made sure I sat by a door which are opening and closing all the time. Fingers crossed, eh!

I have continued to wear one to help protect others and hope that it might encourage others to wear masks. Unfortunately few public figures, including our politicians, are wearing them even in enclosed busy spaces such the Houses if Parliament or even at the church service fir Sur David Amiss.

i haven't stopped wearing one, inside and outside, i still think it's too much of a risk

I started wearing masks before they became compulsory and will continue to do so. It’s become part of my life now and it seems to work.

Even if you’re not sure that it does any good then I think in the current scenario with the rise in cases then you should wear one to help protect others just in case it does help! I think they are an important piece of the Covid armoury and we continue to wear ours whenever we are inside and in a public space. And test at least twice a week. I don’t want Covid and I certainly don’t want to give it someone else.

covid.joinzoe.com/post/why-still-wear-masks-covid

A Zoe study of more than 300,000 people showing that wearing a face mask reduces transmission

I’ve never stopped wearing a mask in public places. If those that believe masks are totally ineffective, why do surgeons always wear them?

Cases are irrelevant - hospital admissions and death rates are still very, very low compared to last year.

Never stopped wearing a mask and sanitizing it's not to much to ask people to do

Of course Germany's Covid surge will lag behind ours. The UK was ahead of the EU with the initial vaccination programme: the immunity tapers off beyond six months, hence the urgent need for a booster programme.

Much of the media treat this as though it were a football league table; who's winning who's losing. Who should we cheer? Who should we boo this week?

No wonder some people don't take immunisation seriously.

Urmstongran

But it does demonstrate my point.

What point? You haven't got one.