Remaining Effects of Covid

[yorksrob]

On the topic of screens, I saw this in Japan a couple of months ago. It takes a lot for me to be surprised by a Covid measure so I didn’t predict a new bar would be crossed in 2023!

Image description: Image of a dining table with a screen on it.
View attachment 131487

I suppose you have to choose which of your three chums is less likely to be riddled with contagion and sit next to them

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 24 Mar 2023 ==

This isn’t a joke I really did see it yesterday!

The Victoria Centre Market in Nottingham is sadly in the process of being closed down by the city council. There are a number of traders left and many people are still trying to support them. I walked past yesterday and couldn’t believe what I saw at the stall selling nuts. Customers were being asked to stand quite some distance away from the stall behind a red and white taped barrier where there are numerous signs about keeping your distance. It’s cash only and those serving behind the counter have fishing nets on the end of long poles. They hold the net out to you for you to place your cash in and then do the same again to give you what you have purchased and your change. Sorry I didn’t take a photo!

Well, if you ask me, it went down hill when they got rid of the trains !

 

[rapmastaj]

Many of the measures, such as keeping children from their education or couples apart, or preventing people from seeing dying relatives, were horrendous. Plastic screens were just mildly irritating, to be honest, though I can understand why people don't like the memories they provoke.

Of course, the things you mentioned are far more significant than minor inconveniences like plastic screens. But I wouldn't downplay the pernicious impact of many small, seemingly trivial measures that add together to give the effect of demonising casual social contact and not allowing us to go about our lives in a stress-free manner.

 

[adc82140]

Just walked past a shop that had a very faded sign blu tacked in the window "Queue here, stay 2 metres apart". It would take seconds to remove that.

 

[kristiang85]

Has anybody been to Cyprus recently? Online (FCO and other sites) it says masks are mandated on public transport, but that seems rather out of step with everywhere else. I'd rather not have to pack the infernal things so if anybody has any recent experience that would be great. Thanks.

 

[Bungle73]

I went to the Executions exhibition at the Museum of London Docklands yesterday. I changed onto the Jubilee line at Stratford, to get to Canary Wharf. As the train was waiting to depart I heard an auto station announcement that (can't remember the exact wording) went on about social distancing, and how some people might not be able to. Most odd.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 28 Mar 2023 ==

Just seen on the local rag's website that the NHS Covid-19 app is being shut down as of next month.

 

[317 forever]

SWR have withdrawn all catering permanently. I think that withdrawal happened during Covid, although it had already been progressively reduced over a longer period.

When I asked about a possible free cup of tea with my 1st class ticket on an SWR train in August 2021, the guard said that they did not have catering because the previous contractor had gone out of business.

And in other news, staff at my local opticians still wear masks and have a notice outside insisting that we do too.

 

[Peterthegreat]

I find it amusing that some people still wear masks at half mast. Whilst we can debate until the cows come home whether a properly worn mask offers any protection one worn around the chin is 100% useless.

 

[Cloud Strife]

Has anybody been to Cyprus recently? Online (FCO and other sites) it says masks are mandated on public transport, but that seems rather out of step with everywhere else. I'd rather not have to pack the infernal things so if anybody has any recent experience that would be great. Thanks.

It's still required. Cyprus had very strong rules for a long time, and they still haven't relaxed some of them (including on public transport).

 

[kristiang85]

It's still required. Cyprus had very strong rules for a long time, and they still haven't relaxed some of them (including on public transport).

Ok thanks, that's annoying.

 

[Blindtraveler]

I moved house a month ago and my new housing association still carry a number of references to the pandemic and the backlog in things like repairs and refurbishments thus generated on its automated telephone system and to a lesser extent its website. Give an that this is a relatively small locally based organization I can actually believe this. On another note however, I am increasingly annoyed with the number of politicians particularly in the Scottish parliament who continue to trot out the pandemic excuse every time they are put in an awkward position about why something hasn't happened or is taking too long or costing extra or whatever. Seems that every episode of first ministers questions blames the pandemic for something.
Given that it's over three years since we were fast put under house arrest, I'm running out of patients quite rapidly with companies and organizations and businesses that are still using the classic due to covid excuse

 

[Snow1964]

At Bradford-on-Avon Station car park, the contractors working on A363 Bridge replacement have decided to erect series of signs about social distancing to prevent spread of Covid on the Herras fence. Do we really need these in April 2023 ?

Attaching a photo

 

[island]

And in other news, staff at my local opticians still wear masks and have a notice outside insisting that we do too.

Fortunately there are plenty of other competitors who do not have daft rules.

I was rather happy to see that a bookshop I pass on my way to work had notices in the window saying it was closing down due to ongoing losses. The bookshop had displayed multiple passive-aggressive notices for years demanding the wearing of masks including when they were not a legal requirement, only eventually relenting in late 2022. It also said at the time that it would not recognise exemptions and that those who felt they were exempt should shop online instead. Turns out pissing off your customers has consequences.

 

[TAS]

At Bradford-on-Avon Station car park, the contractors working on A363 Bridge replacement have decided to erect series of signs about social distancing to prevent spread of Covid on the Herras fence. Do we really need these in April 2023 ?

Attaching a photo

The colours look rather faded (I assume the pink was red originally) - even if the fencing is new at that location, I suspect the sign has been attached to it for some time now. Most likely that it hasn't registered with the contractors that it's still attached, or they can't be bothered to take it down.

 

[Snow1964]

The colours look rather faded (I assume the pink was red originally) - even if the fencing is new at that location, I suspect the sign has been attached to it for some time now. Most likely that it hasn't registered with the contractors that it's still attached, or they can't be bothered to take it down.

My thinking exactly, but having seen how some members throw their toys out of the pram at covid signs still being around, I did find it surprising that the railway hasn't made an effort to remove these old signs.

 

[bearhugger]

I find it amusing that some people still wear masks at half mast. Whilst we can debate until the cows come home whether a properly worn mask offers any protection one worn around the chin is 100% useless.

Most of the folks I've seen around the Teesside area that are still wearing masks are wearing them as intended - over the nose. But there are some that wear them under the nose - I just wonder what's the point of putting a mask on if that's how you're going to wear it nowadays.

 

[DelW]

My thinking exactly, but having seen how some members throw their toys out of the pram at covid signs still being around, I did find it surprising that the railway hasn't made an effort to remove these old signs.

Its presence or removal would be the responsibility of the bridge contractor rather than the client (NR presumably). The sign does look quite old, but if it's still denoting a walking route (along with the newer signs in the background) then it would need to be replaced not removed. Separation of pedestrians from vehicles and plant has helped to remove a common source of accidents on construction sites.

 

[MikeWM]

Looks like the USA will *finally* lift the vaccination requirement for international air travellers on May 11th. They've been an outlier for so long I did wonder if it would ever happen while Biden was in office, but finally it seems they've decided to rejoin the rest of the world.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing...start-educators-and-cms-certified-facilities/

Today, we are announcing that the Administration will end the COVID-19 vaccine requirements for Federal employees, Federal contractors, and international air travelers at the end of the day on May 11, the same day that the COVID-19 public health emergency ends.

 

[duncanp]

Looks like the USA will *finally* lift the vaccination requirement for international air travellers on May 11th. They've been an outlier for so long I did wonder if it would ever happen while Biden was in office, but finally it seems they've decided to rejoin the rest of the world.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/05/01/the-biden-administration-will-end-covid-19-vaccination-requirements-for-federal-employees-contractors-international-travelers-head-start-educators-and-cms-certified-facilities/

I am travelling to the US tomorrow, and I have my proof of vaccination with me.

However following this announcement I wonder whether the airline and CBP officers (at Dublin airport) will really bother looking at the vaccination certificate.

 

[Russel]

Lidl have recently opened a new store near me, on Friday afternoon, they played an announcement regarding social distancing and keeping your distance, I can't remember the exact wording but it took me by surprise hearing it, especially considering the store has only been open since the start of March!

 

[route101]

Lidl have recently opened a new store near me, on Friday afternoon, they played an announcement regarding social distancing and keeping your distance, I can't remember the exact wording but it took me by surprise hearing it, especially considering the store has only been open since the start of March!

I have heard that in Lidl too!

 

[Blindtraveler]

Satellite or broadband stream public address relay across multiple locations. Someone clearly hasn't bothered to update the loop

 

[brad465]

Sing hallelujah!!!!!!!!

Covid global health emergency is over, WHO says

Close to 20 million people are likely to have died during the last three years, says the WHO.

www.bbc.co.uk

Covid-19 global health emergency is over, more than three years after being declared - WHO says

 

[Russel]

Sing hallelujah!!!!!!!!

Covid global health emergency is over, WHO says

Close to 20 million people are likely to have died during the last three years, says the WHO.

www.bbc.co.uk

Looks like the WHO have caught up with what has been the reality for at least 12 months then...

 

[Thirteen]

TBF to WHO, they predicted the pandemic would last 2-3 years which turned out to be somewhat accurate.

 

[Dent]

TBF to WHO, they predicted the pandemic would last 2-3 years which turned out to be somewhat accurate.

Based on what? The end point of the pandemic was never a well-defined, objectively verifiable concept. Saying they were accurate based on when they decided to declare it over is basically just saying that they were right because they say so.

 

[Russel]

Based on what? The end point of the pandemic was never a well-defined, objectively verifiable concept. Saying they were accurate based on when they decided to declare it over is basically just saying that they were right because they say so.

Given that over the last couple of week, there has been plenty of talk of a new variant and various 'experts' suggesting we mask up again, what has influenced the WHO to now declare Covid over?

 

[Crossover]

Sing hallelujah!!!!!!!!

Covid global health emergency is over, WHO says

Close to 20 million people are likely to have died during the last three years, says the WHO.

www.bbc.co.uk

Someone should tell my dentist - I have an appointment and one of the bits of paperwork I have just filled out is a Covid questionnaire…

 

[zero]

Just took a Loganair domestic flight and they played an automatic announcement saying face masks must be worn... and there was actually one passenger wearing one.

Also went to Hong Kong a few weeks ago and since all restrictions ended in April, there is basically no evidence that covid was a thing in terms of signage or announcements except for the 50% of people voluntarily wearing masks, in contrast to the UK where signs, stickers and posters are still everywhere (and obviously ignored).

In HK, a TV documentary was aired about the damage masks have done to children's development! Nobody would have dared to produce such a show from 2020-2022, yet all the "experts" were now talking about how it was obvious from the start.

 

[Russel]

Covent Garden underground station on Saturday evening, announcement played reminding passengers to wear face coverings...

 

[Welly]

I was at Winnersh Triangle station last week and there is still a social distancing poster outside but happily the social distancing floor circles have gone from the platforms at Reading station leaving slightly darker circles!