Shall we be able to spend Christmas with our families?

[Pheno]

Not responding for SonofThom but can you not see Viktoria that you are trying to impose your standards on others by bemoaning the fact that some are not wearing face masks or sanitising as you want them to do to keep you safe in theory - when it is not a requirement.  Fine if you want to do that and more.

And a shorter life, not cowering in fear as you put it is more preferable to me than years of doing so.

All I am saying is each to his own but please don't keep trying to make everybody do as some of you would like.  No suggestion here that people will not adhere to governmental requirements or set out to deliberately spread the virus.

I am not as old as some of you which I know makes you more nervous but I am vulnerable but my intention is to make myself as safe as is reasonably possibly without expecting/requiring the rest of the population to do it for me.

Pheno

[Marmalady]

But why is wearing a mask to help others feel safer such an imposition?

Person A refuses to wear a mask.
Person B feels unsafe around Person A so does not go out and about
But if Person A wore a mask, Person B would be happy to go out and meet Person A (whether by accident or design)

Which is more normal?
A situation where everyone is happy to go out whilst wearing a mask or a situation where half the population goes out without a mask and the other half stays home?

[Viktoria]

It was sonofthom who used the words “ cowering in fear” , I have done that, not  recently ,but quite a few times as a three and a half year old ,with houses all around us being bombed ,just the next street actually.
The measures taken were harsh but ensured safety for such children ,and that was evacuation .
Hard but the best there was in dire circumstances.
I have never cowered in fear since!
Marmalady has given you a good explanation ,if you  can’t  see it and still think that a short  life without restrictions is the way for you ,how do you
think  those who wish to live and are prepared to cope with and adhere to restrictions so as many as possible get that right should behave?
Or do your wishes overrule  all those of others with differing opinions which  they too are entitled to hold ?
Your attitude is selfish, you have your head in the sand .
Thank goodness many others such as Health Workers see it differently .
And on a 1%  only  pay rise too!
Viktoria.

[heywood]

I have begun several replies and then decided not to do at various times on this thread.
I have quoted some of your replies in conversations re the sadness I feel reading of family separations  over this time.
In some messages , the fear is is apparent. It is all so difficult.
Victoria Viktoria ** expresses her views strongly but does not seem to accept other viewpoints. No one, I am sure is walking around to deliberately infect others.
I am still quite frightened to go into a supermarket but I wear my mask in the hope that I will be safe. Others choose not to do now because there is no requirement.
I have been out to a couple of lunches, wearing a mask to enter the restaurant but removing it to sit at the table and eat and chat. I don’t see how that helps but equally there is now no requirement anyway.
Some members of my family have worked during the whole pandemic and others have attended school when possible. They have far more experience than I of managing their lives during this time. I have been ‘fortunate’ to be able to stay at home,  order groceries and live as much of a reclusive life as I choose. Others have to get  on with life as best they can.
Again, I am thankful that my family are close so I have much contact but I still miss hugs.
The official line, at the moment is advice - just look to the government and the wearing of masks (or not) in parliament.

** wrong spelling of the name - apologies.

[Viktoria]

The thing is heywood they are NOT just my views but the advice from people in authority who are trying to deal with this pandemic.
I am sticking to the given advice and recommendations in the hope I too may be able to visit relatives and friends eventually .
I am actually quite relieved my granddaughter has cancelled her visit this weekend,she would drive up but might need a break in the five hour journey .

She works for her Mum and the standard of hygiene they maintain is amazing
They have refused to trade ,just doing essential repairs and maintenance
services, but have clear consciences  regarding their staff and customers .
For the Number one outlet in the country to do that is amazing, they won’t be number one this year but people with fewer principles will .
Thst means a terrific drop in bonuses etc.
As my daughter says, “we can look ourselves in the face and not be ashamed.”

If my views coincide with given knowledge how can you say they are mine , I have formed those views because I have taken on board advice from experts.
To ignore such advice is to hold your own views and practice and air them -as two  contributors have done -  is to flout advice given for the safety of all of us.
So I do accept other viewpoints,ie  I heed expert advice given by learned people who
understand more about this than I do .
I think rather those who argue against expert advice and thereby put others at risk by deliberately walking about  with little or no regard for  simple measures put in place for everyone’s benefit are the intolerant ones.

Be careful how you spell my name ,there is another poster whose name is one letter different to mine and they may not want to be associated with this topic.
ViKtoria.
   -

[heywood]

I do apologise about the spelling, Viktoria. It was automatically changed (as just now) and regretfully, I did not check it on my rereading of the post.
I have amended the post.

Whilst I accept what you say about advice, and indeed, I try to live within it, I am pointing out that, at the moment, the official advice (perhaps not the expert advice you refer to) is open to interpretation.

“In England, the legal requirement to wear a face covering ended on 19 July, apart from in healthcare settings and care homes, unless exempt.” (BBC, 20th October 2021).

As the situation changes, this might be amended we are told by the Health Secretary.

In the meantime, I find it difficult to balance the loneliness and mental health issues which have/ are occurring against the restrictions that some would wish all to follow.

[KGarrad]

I caught Covid back in March and, as was the case here on IOM, I self-isolated for 21 days.

Wasn't a problem! I quite like my own company

The strange thing was I tested positive at the beginning, and positive again on day 14.
And then I hear that in England you only have to isolate for 7 days or 10 days? Ridiculous!

On top of that, I have to read the incoherent ramblings of Covid-deniers and Anti-vaxxers
One of my "friends" is included in that. Idiot!

[heywood]

You don’t have to read those items -just stick to the experts and official advice. That’s depressing enough. 

[mazi]

As someone who is in the most vulnerable, over 80 and ongoing treatment, I find the problem is that the scientists, and there are a lot of them, have, with the benefit of handsight, often been proved wrong.

Lockdown didn’t work, second lockdown didn’t wok, merely postponed the inevitable, vaccination is seeming not the complete answer they promised.

The official government’s advice is wear a mask if you want to and carry on as normal.

For what it is worth my thoughts are that it is not as easy as they say it is to catch COVID, I think that you need to be in close contact and the infected person is talking to you, that is breathing in and out through their mouth.

What we need in my view is a simple accurate instant test like the breathalyser, I question why it is necessary to take swabs, surely if this virus is present as you breathe out it should be easily detected in a breath sample.

So I just avoid those compulsive talkers and social distance if I can without seeming to be rude.


Mike