Remaining Effects of Covid

[Howardh]

The one just outside Birmingham New Street station, on the Smallbrook Queensway side.

It was card only last time I visited, but perhaps they have subsequently gone back to accepting cash.

At any rate, they certainly seem to discourage paying in cash.

I wish premises that are cash or card only, or have a minimum card spend, would state so clearly on the entrance! Saves the worry of buying a cup of tea and then being told "cash only" when it's been drunk - and having no change! I have got into the habit now of asking before buying though.

As for covid and large crowds, being retired now I can do my boozing Mon - Thurs (not every day I must add!!) which is great as I avoid large gatherings on a weekend, so kinds protecting myself from covid and all the other lurgies going around. Does make me wonder though, after 60-odd years of mingling with the great washed and unwashed, whether or not that adversely affects my immune system, ie. not being in close contact as often as my body is used to?

And a little rant, the buses on Jersey, whilst not practicing any covid distancing/masks in the slightest, still have signs up showing which seats are to be used and off-limits. How hard is it to take them down or even cover them over with an ad or something?? I find it's just a sad reminder of the bad old days.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I wish premises that are cash or card only, or have a minimum card spend, would state so clearly on the entrance! Saves the worry of buying a cup of tea and then being told "cash only" when it's been drunk - and having no change! I have got into the habit now of asking before buying though.

I find most places with some sort of policy on restricting methods of payment have a sign on the till. If waiter service I'd expect it on the menu or for it to be pointed out before taking an order.

 

[Bikeman78]

The Telegraph are front paging an exclusive "The Lockdown files", which reveal from 100,000 leaed WhatsApp messages, among other things, that Hancock ignored advice from Whitty about testing those going into care homes:

Daily Telegraph Front Page 1st of March 2023 - Tomorrow's Papers Today!

Matt Hancock rejected expert advice on care home testing, according to an analysis of 100,000 leaked texts.

www.tomorrowspapers.co.uk

(Telegraph front page with headline: "Hancock rejected Whitty's advice on care home tests")

What's particularly interesting is Isabel Oakeshott helped write Hancock's "Pandemic Diaries", so it's possible he gave her these messages, and if so now she's absolutely burned him.

Good, he deserves it. Hopefully some of the other liars will be exposed too.

 

[Tracked]

I find most places with some sort of policy on restricting methods of payment have a sign on the till. If waiter service I'd expect it on the menu or for it to be pointed out before taking an order.

One of my regular pubs in town is Cash Only, has signs on the entrance door and inside saying where the nearest cash point is, and still gets people wanting to pay by card

Went to a pub in Leeds the other day, they were card only but the sign was right at the top of bottle shelves behind the bar (probs about twice my height), obviously I missed it by looking straight at the beers on the bar

 

[Cdd89]

There is an interesting section on the Covid Memorial Wall in a policy exchange document:

https://policyexchange.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Tarnished-Jewel.pdf

The wall of St Thomas’s Hospital on the river walk opposite Parliament has been painted with more than 150,000 red hearts, stretching about a quarter of a mile, to commemorate the dead of covid. It is important, moving, aesthetically attractive, and has comforted many of the bereaved. The fact remains, however, that - as its creators admit - this substantial public space was appropriated without anyone’s permission.
Nor, despite its self-proclamation as a “national memorial,” was the nation or any national institution involved. The creators are two left-wing activist groups - Led by Donkeys, which specialises in billboards attacking Brexit and the Tories, and Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice, which is stridently hostile towards the government’s performance during the pandemic. On the wall next to the hearts at the Westminster Bridge end are the prominent words, larger than almost any others, that the “gov[ernment] have failed.”
These are, of course, views held by many people, but are not necessarily representative of all the victims commemorated - or of the nation. Two months after the memorial was unveiled, partly due to the success of the covid vaccine programme, the Tories won the 2021 local elections with an 8 per cent swing. It is seldom right to mix political slogans and monuments to the dead. And however righteous this cause, it establishes a precedent for the seizure of public space which could be used by others. Might, for instance, a far-right group apply the same logic to put a politically-charged “national memorial” in Westminster to the victims of Islamist terror?
We recommend that there should be a prominent national memorial in central London to the victims of covid - maybe even this one, on this site, though shorn of political slogans. But the decision on where it is and what it says should be for a nationally representative body, not partisan and self-appointed campaign groups.

While I don’t agree with all of the above (I think it’s more organic and less cynical than the author gives credit for), it is a clear remaining effect of Covid.

A list of names might have made sense when it was believed (by some) that we would achieve elimination, but given that a Covid death is no longer ‘special’, and it’s impossible to put a lid on the number of deaths given that pandemics don’t end cleanly, I think it ultimately it needs to be brought to an end.

 

[LWB]

Just noticed this thread. Having had a whole series of tests spread over two years I am currently awaiting a final appointment for a cardiac ablation therapy operation. Following my first covid jab my heart developed a wild arrhythmia and is pumping desperately badly. My consultant who is a nationally renowned electrophysiologist confirmed my belief that the vaccine was to blame. “Oh yes…. we have a lot like you these days”. So for me covid is definitely not over.

 

[brad465]

The latest revelation in this Lockdown Files' reporting is that Hancock threatened constituency funding in constituencies of Tory rebels for his tier system. If true I believe this sort of coercion is illegal:

Hancock backed pressuring MP into voting for lockdown, messages reveal

The then-health secretary discussed blocking a disability unit in a MP's town ahead of a vote on Covid tiers.

www.bbc.co.uk

Matt Hancock supported threatening to block a disability centre in a Tory MP's constituency in a bid to get him to vote for the Covid tier system in England, leaked messages suggest.
WhatsApp messages show Mr Hancock agreed to put pressure on James Daly, Conservative MP for Bury North, if he failed to vote with the government.
Mr Hancock's spokesperson said: "What has been accused here never happened."
Mr Daly said he was "very disappointed" to learn about the exchange.
However, speaking to BBC Radio Manchester, he said the threat was not carried out.
Asked how he would have responded if such a conversation had taken place, the MP said: "I would have told him where to go, and reported matters to a higher authority.
"To think somebody would use potential funding that could help someone vulnerable in our community to get votes for the government is just not acceptable."
Ex-Conservative Party chair Sir Jake Berry accused Mr Hancock of "weaponising the provision of care to young disabled people" and said it "crosses a line of what's acceptable in public life".
He said the former health secretary had been "drunk on power".

In messages leaked to the Daily Telegraph, Mr Hancock's political aide Allan Nixon suggested putting pressure on MPs elected in 2019 whose "re-election hinges" on central government funding.
Mr Nixon proposed warning Mr Daly that funding for a new centre for disabled children and adults in his constituency would be "off the table" if he voted against new plans for a stricter tiered lockdown on 1 December 2020.
Mr Hancock replied: "Yes 100%."
Mr Daly told the Telegraph he was unaware the Department for Health and Social Care had plans to give Bury North a disability hub, which would provide specialists with a dedicated centre for co-ordinating local activity.
Under the December 2020 tier scheme, every area of England was put into one of three tiers - medium (one), high (two) and very high (three) - with the vast majority of the population in the higher two tiers.
According to the paper, leaked messages show Mr Daly was more concerned with support for pubs in areas placed in the higher tiers because they were unable to serve food.
Under the system, bars in tier two were only allowed to stay open if they served "substantial meals", while those in tier three could only provide takeaways or deliveries.

 

[duncanp]

The latest revelation in this Lockdown Files' reporting is that Hancock threatened constituency funding in constituencies of Tory rebels for his tier system. If true I believe this sort of coercion is illegal:

Hancock backed pressuring MP into voting for lockdown, messages reveal

The then-health secretary discussed blocking a disability unit in a MP's town ahead of a vote on Covid tiers.

www.bbc.co.uk

TwMatt Hancock has officially denied threatening the MP for Bury North.....

..which of course means that the accusation is true....

Just shows how desperate the locktivists were, that they have to resort to this sort of tactic.

But I am quite sure that all this would have been revealed by the unbiased public enquiry with no hidden agenda to sweep the truth under the carpet, so it was entirely unecessary to leak all those WhatsApp messages.

I am having a problem with the sarcasm filter on my computer, it seems to come on at random times.

 

[ABB125]

I had cause to visit Redditch today by train then bus. At the bus station, the (not working) departure occasionally showed a public information advert from Worcestershire county council saying that Redditch has the highest number of coronavirus cases in the county, and that advice could be found on their website. Then, by bus ticket had the following advert on the back:

Could someone remind me what year it is?!

 

[Bungle73]

For me one of the most annoying hangovers from Covid are hotel check-in times. Where as previously the usual check-in time was 14:00, now it's 15:00. I'm looking at one hotel for a trip this year and their check-in time isn't until 16:00, and they want you to check out by 10:00! Ridiculous!

 

[takno]

For me one of the most annoying hangovers from Covid are hotel check-in times. Where as previously the usual check-in time was 14:00, now it's 15:00. I'm looking at one hotel for a trip this year and their check-in time isn't until 16:00, and they want you to check out by 10:00! Ridiculous!

3pm has been the most common checkin time for as long as I can remember, although usually with an 11 or 12 checkout. If they need longer to clean the rooms it probably owes more to Brexit, given the nationalities of virtually all hotel housekeeping staff prior to 2020

 

[route101]

I was on an Easyjet flight at the weekend and there was an announcement for anyone wearing facemasks and the use of oxygen masks.

 

[VauxhallandI]

I was on an Easyjet flight at the weekend and there was an announcement for anyone wearing facemasks and the use of oxygen masks.

Yes this is the point that always makes me chuckle as I thought they didn’t inhibit your breathing….

 

[kristiang85]

I was on an Easyjet flight at the weekend and there was an announcement for anyone wearing facemasks and the use of oxygen masks.

To be fair to them, I think it's a standard IATA airline announcement now to go with all the other safety wording, as I've flown on three different airlines in the past 2 weeks and all had the same announcement.

Personally I'd let natural selection take care of those who don't realise that it isn't a good idea to keep your mask on in such a situation (I really don't think anybody would actually be that foolish?).

 

[westv]

Am I correct in saying that Spain has no current rules regarding Covid? We're off to Calpe next week.

 

[Howardh]

Am I correct in saying that Spain has no current rules regarding Covid? We're off to Calpe next week.

Almost, I think the last remaining rules relate to still wearing masks in medical institutions such as pharmacies, but I'm not up to date on that. Certainly buses and trains are mask free now, unless you want to wear one.

Take one just in case!!

 

[XAM2175]

Then, by bus ticket had the following advert on the back:

If they need rolls of paper for the printer they're just going to grab rolls of paper for the printer, not carefully examine each one to make sure it hasn't been lying around for a bit longer than expected.

 

[LancasterRed]

I had cause to visit Redditch today by train then bus. At the bus station, the (not working) departure occasionally showed a public information advert from Worcestershire county council saying that Redditch has the highest number of coronavirus cases in the county, and that advice could be found on their website. Then, by bus ticket had the following advert on the back:
View attachment 130828
Could someone remind me what year it is?!

I was on a bus the other week that had a Yellow Buses promo on the back... Yellow Buses does not exist any more, nor is it in Lancashire.

----

I think the way things are now are quite good, I have started to carry cash around me as a number of claw machines have popped up including one I'm saving up a lot of change for. I did get Covid the other month and it was worse this time but for a much shorter period. The lack of free tests being available was annoying but I did get some to monitor how I was and not leave the house if I was very infectious. At this point I'm happy to wear masks in public health settings but other than that I don't see a need and even my local chemist has reverted to a full pre-covid service which is encouraging to see!

 

[westv]

Our local dental group still hasn't brought back online booking of appointments.

 

[Phil56]

I find most places with some sort of policy on restricting methods of payment have a sign on the till. If waiter service I'd expect it on the menu or for it to be pointed out before taking an order.

Most do. Trouble is that people, generally, aren't observant and don't notice such signs (too busy looking at their phone or chatting to who they're with). From my office, I have a view of the village bakery/pie/sandwich shop. It's amazing how many people try the door when there's a huge "closed" sign clearly visible. They're only a small shop, so before covid, they were cash only, and had a very clear sign on the door to that effect, as well as a sign on the till, and it was also written at the top of their menu board. Almost every time I went in, there'd be a customer in front putting a card on the counter and often being grumpy when the owner said it was cash only. Covid changed that and for a while they were card only, with the same effect - "card only" signs and on menu board, but people miffed they wouldn't take cash! At least now, they accept both, so problem avoided for the time being.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 20 Mar 2023 ==

Almost, I think the last remaining rules relate to still wearing masks in medical institutions such as pharmacies, but I'm not up to date on that. Certainly buses and trains are mask free now, unless you want to wear one.

Take one just in case!!

It's a shame masks are still a requirement in pharmacies and other healthcare settings in the UK. They're places where the vulnerable have no choice but to go into, so there should be precautions to help protect them. My OH is ECV and caught covid in a pharmacy when picking up chemo drugs - she even waited outside after asking for them at the counter, but the place was heaving with others waiting for prescriptions, none wearing a mask!

 

[DustyBin]

It's a shame masks are still a requirement in pharmacies and other healthcare settings in the UK. They're places where the vulnerable have no choice but to go into, so there should be precautions to help protect them. My OH is ECV and caught covid in a pharmacy when picking up chemo drugs - she even waited outside after asking for them at the counter, but the place was heaving with others waiting for prescriptions, none wearing a mask!

She could protect herself by wearing a properly fitted FFP3 in settings she deems to be "high risk". Had the other people been wearing face coverings most would have been completely ineffective anyway, as very few people wore the FFP3 or even FFP2 type.

 

[MikeWM]

Most do. Trouble is that people, generally, aren't observant and don't notice such signs (too busy looking at their phone or chatting to who they're with).

I think a large part of the issue here is that there are *far too many* signs, especially over the last few years with all the covid 'instructions'. It was getting to the stage where it felt like you had to read an essay before going into each shop - so I don't blame people for giving up and not reading any of them anymore. (Obviously there is an echo here with the regular debates over too many announcements on trains and stations, so you miss the important ones).

 

[Phil56]

I think a large part of the issue here is that there are *far too many* signs, especially over the last few years with all the covid 'instructions'. It was getting to the stage where it felt like you had to read an essay before going into each shop - so I don't blame people for giving up and not reading any of them anymore. (Obviously there is an echo here with the regular debates over too many announcements on trains and stations, so you miss the important ones).

That's their choice to ignore signs, but they can't then whinge when they miss something that impacts them, like a shop/cafe only accepting cash or card. Not sure what more such places can do to alert their customers.

 

[VauxhallandI]

Most do. Trouble is that people, generally, aren't observant and don't notice such signs (too busy looking at their phone or chatting to who they're with). From my office, I have a view of the village bakery/pie/sandwich shop. It's amazing how many people try the door when there's a huge "closed" sign clearly visible. They're only a small shop, so before covid, they were cash only, and had a very clear sign on the door to that effect, as well as a sign on the till, and it was also written at the top of their menu board. Almost every time I went in, there'd be a customer in front putting a card on the counter and often being grumpy when the owner said it was cash only. Covid changed that and for a while they were card only, with the same effect - "card only" signs and on menu board, but people miffed they wouldn't take cash! At least now, they accept both, so problem avoided for the time being.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 20 Mar 2023 ==


It's a shame masks are still a requirement in pharmacies and other healthcare settings in the UK. They're places where the vulnerable have no choice but to go into, so there should be precautions to help protect them. My OH is ECV and caught covid in a pharmacy when picking up chemo drugs - she even waited outside after asking for them at the counter, but the place was heaving with others waiting for prescriptions, none wearing a mask!

And how are they feeling now?

 

[island]

It's a shame masks are still a requirement in pharmacies and other healthcare settings in the UK.

They aren't, and they should not be.

 

[DustyBin]

They aren't, and they should not be.

I think they meant to say aren’t required, but I agree they absolutely shouldn’t be.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I think they meant to say aren’t required, but I agree they absolutely shouldn’t be.

Agreed. Were I vulnerable I would wear a properly fitted FFP3 in these settings myself, and then what others do doesn't matter.

I think I probably would wear one were I a healthcare worker too, not anything to do with COVID specifically but because the job literally is dealing with sick people all day, and sick people give you stuff.

 

[Broucek]

I think I probably would wear one were I a healthcare worker too, not anything to do with COVID specifically but because the job literally is dealing with sick people all day, and sick people give you stuff.

I had my company medical last week and the Doctor had a mask. I asked if I should wear one too and she said no need but that she always did because she is up close to so many people.

 

[adc82140]

Agreed. Were I vulnerable I would wear a properly fitted FFP3 in these settings myself, and then what others do doesn't matter.

I think I probably would wear one were I a healthcare worker too, not anything to do with COVID specifically but because the job literally is dealing with sick people all day, and sick people give you stuff.

Disagree. I'm a Health care worker, and we communicate so much using facial expressions. We don't want the patients thinking they are seeing some sort of faceless automaton.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Has the Government finally stopped publishing the weekly statistics? For the last couple of weeks or so, the link no longer works...