Wonderful News - No more face masks

I'm utterly convinced that it is too soon. I shall still wear mine when in shops etc.

I will continue to wear a mask and think they should remain mandatory on public transport. DH and I continued to wear masks, kept our distance and washed/sanitised our hands since the start. First football match he was able to attend he took his mask off and came home with covid, which he passed on to me. He thinks it’s likely to have been someone sitting behind him who was shouting and cheering.
Husband in his 70s recovered within 10 days. Me in my late 50s, healthy and fit, 4 months later I have long covid despite being double jabbed and although not life threatening, I can’t taste, smell or hear, am short of breath and have brain fog.

rosie1959

GrannyGravy13

Seeing the figures soar in Germany and France which have some of the strictest restrictions, mandatory masks, vaccine passports and no jab no entry is food for thought as to whether restrictions do indeed work?

Tend to agree with you on this one sometimes doing the same things and expecting different results seems a bit futile
Might have more to do with them not rolling out boosters as quick as the uk

Good point rosie1959. Must have some impact you’d think?

I think by ‘learning to live with it’ now it’s waning and Omicron isn’t as deadly as first feared, we treat it like we did when it was the ‘flu. An annual jab. And no mandatory wearing of masks.

It’s the beginning of the end I feel.

I do hope so Urmstongran

Urmstongran

rosie1959

GrannyGravy13

Seeing the figures soar in Germany and France which have some of the strictest restrictions, mandatory masks, vaccine passports and no jab no entry is food for thought as to whether restrictions do indeed work?

Tend to agree with you on this one sometimes doing the same things and expecting different results seems a bit futile
Might have more to do with them not rolling out boosters as quick as the uk

Good point rosie1959. Must have some impact you’d think?

Just what I have discussed with my family who live there. Also said that they are talking about charging for hospital care if admitted with Covid, and no vaccinations. Do not agree with that stance for sure.

growstuff

ayse

I’ve just scan read this article. The conclusion suggests that there is neither enough evidence to support the use of face masks nor to abandon the use of face masks.

There have not been any recent clinical studies and it’s suggested that it’s a ‘just in case they work’ scenario.

For anyone who’s interested www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4480558/

That was written in 2015!!!

There's plenty of evidence that masks work in reducing transmission of an airborne virus. That article is about bacterial infection, which is completely different.

Of course there can't be a clinical trial. It would be completely unethical to put people in a room with infected people to see how many became infected. Nevertheless, there have been numerous modelling exercises on particles and empirical evidence from (for example) super spreader events.

Perhaps you could send me a link to more up to date information?

Linclasss to charge folks who are unvaccinated is appalling and so divisive.

^ there have been numerous modelling exercises^

And we all know the howlers that have spewed out of the mouths of Sage "experts" with their 'modelling' exercises. Stoking fear and hysteria, more like.

In any case I’m just sharing what I found Growstuff. I’m very happy to read more up to date information.

Personally, I may still continue to wear masks on public transport and when shopping. I think it’s a bit too soon to abandon all restrictions.

I think we should consider ourselves very lucky that this Omicron variant came along. We all know the facts now that although it’s very transmissible, it produces much milder symptoms than previously strains.
A win win situation surely?
Recent figures seem to indicate we are over the worst.

Putting aside the parties/work gatherings at no. 10 for a moment, I think we have a lot to be grateful to the PM for.

He has had some incredibly difficult decisions to make with regard to the timings of lifting restrictions, but despite the inevitable opposition he had the courage to stick to his guns and we are now on course to be one of the first European countries to be getting back to some sort of normality.

I think we should consider ourselves very lucky that this Omicron variant came along. We all know the facts now that although it’s very transmissible, it produces much milder symptoms than previously strains.
A win win situation surely?

Until a more lethal mutant strain emerges, of course., JE

And we have no idea what long term damage these supposedly mild infections are causing all the vulnerable, unvaccinated, schoolchildren who are catching it. Because most scientists will tell you that it aint like flu and it can cause significant long term problems.

But you just go on praising a dangerously reckless PM who doesn't give a monkey's for the health and wellbeing of the population of the country he is meant to be caring for and who is willing to subject the people to unknown dangers all for the sake of saving his job.

''Until a more lethal mutant strain emerges, of course., JE''

this exactly- and the reason why no other country is currently lifting restrictions, at least in the EU.

I've never been one for gambling, in any form- but this is the form of gambling that could turn out to be a disaster, a criminal and deliberate disaster, to save some baffoon's skin.

Kali2

''Until a more lethal mutant strain emerges, of course., JE''

this exactly- and the reason why no other country is currently lifting restrictions, at least in the EU.

I've never been one for gambling, in any form- but this is the form of gambling that could turn out to be a disaster, a criminal and deliberate disaster, to save some baffoon's skin.

But there are some Countries in Europe who are lifting the need for a negative PCR for fully vaccinated folks to fly into them, to save the Ski Tourist Industry, Switzerland and Austria.

"If you get a positive lateral flow test result, you do not need to confirm the result with a PCR test. You only need to confirm a positive lateral flow test if: you're applying for a Test and Trace Support Payment. "

www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/testing/test-results/positive-test-result/

What will be the effect of this change to the rules? - A huge under-reporting of the number of infections, undermining our faith in official statistics. The true incidence of covid infection may not be known until the results appear in the death rates, but that means a lag of several weeks, so Johnson can use the falling figures to bolster his chances of survival, at least for a while.

Some of you seem to be avidly looking for pitfalls now. You seem to almost want a “gotcha” moment. Shame you can’t embrace the good news.

Never mind. In the big sea we will all act according to our own assessments. No right or wrong. Just different.

No point dwelling on the ‘what ifs’ really is there?
Yes of course a more deadly, highly transmissible strain might come along, but equally it might not!

I am commenting on the handling of the situation as it stands, and as there is no sign of anything deadly on the horizon, the government’s decision is appropriate.

Maybe it just boils down to those of us with an optimistic view of life versus those of a more negative mindset.

Maybe ‘under reporting’ is a good thing. Focussing on ‘cases’ is terrifying some folk. Let’s concentrate on hospitalisations. We test far too much in the UK. Way more than here in Spain and France too. I’m sure it not good for some people’s mental well being.

Urmstongran

Maybe ‘under reporting’ is a good thing. Focussing on ‘cases’ is terrifying some folk. Let’s concentrate on hospitalisations. We test far too much in the UK. Way more than here in Spain and France too. I’m sure it not good for some people’s mental well being.

Totally agree. Too much media frenzy. Too much fear.
We have to move forward with Optimism.

GrannyGravy13

Kali2

''Until a more lethal mutant strain emerges, of course., JE''

this exactly- and the reason why no other country is currently lifting restrictions, at least in the EU.

I've never been one for gambling, in any form- but this is the form of gambling that could turn out to be a disaster, a criminal and deliberate disaster, to save some baffoon's skin.

But there are some Countries in Europe who are lifting the need for a negative PCR for fully vaccinated folks to fly into them, to save the Ski Tourist Industry, Switzerland and Austria.

Yes, and totally wrong to my mind. However, strict restrictions remain re wearing of masks, wash hands, gel, and Covid passes to enter restaurants, bars, etc.

Waiting for pitfalls? NO. Many scientists agree that it is taking a huge gamble, that the virus could mutate again to a more virulent form and could 'rebound with a vengeance', and that waiting a couple more months to the end of winter would be much more sensible. Why rush now, after all the sacrifices made so far. Just a few more weeks- till the better weather arrives?!?

Another therory of course, and that will truly infuriate those who believe the non-vaccinated should not be discriminated against- is that it is now official policy to 'throw them under a bus' and let them become very sick and worse.

Urmstongran

Maybe ‘under reporting’ is a good thing. Focussing on ‘cases’ is terrifying some folk. Let’s concentrate on hospitalisations. We test far too much in the UK. Way more than here in Spain and France too. I’m sure it not good for some people’s mental well being.

More gaslighting! People are more resilient than you give them credit for. I don't remember you ever being concerned about the cuts to mental health funding before Covid.

Catching Covid isn't very good for people's wellbeing.

Apologies if this has been said but I’d have slightly more confidence in this decision if it had been announced in a briefing with Whitty etc, not just blurted out when Johnson was trying to save face, cover his backside etc after a tricky PMQ

Couldn’t agree more Lucca. I haven’t heard anything at all from Whitty & co. I would have expected at least one of them at yesterday’s 5pm conference.

The new rules on reporting positive lft results worry me. How can anyone assess their risk of catching covid without knowing what the case numbers are doing?

I will still wear a mask when out of my house. I don't think Covid is over, by a long chalk and I will keep my distance from others.

Lucca

Apologies if this has been said but I’d have slightly more confidence in this decision if it had been announced in a briefing with Whitty etc, not just blurted out when Johnson was trying to save face, cover his backside etc after a tricky PMQ

I did wonder where Prof Whitty et al were when these announcements were being made.