Gedling borough residents have reacted to the news that masks are now compulsory for the first time since ‘Freedom Day’ in July 2021.
Omicron, the latest virus mutation was first identified by researchers in South Africa last week.
It is expected to replace Delta as the dominant variant.
Scientists are confident the vaccines protect against all variations but there are concerns regarding their effectiveness in fighting Omicron, especially with re-infection and transmission.
Several countries have been added to the UK’s red list and the vaccine approval body has extended the Covid booster to everyone who is eligible by the end of January.
The government have decided to make it a legal requirement to wear a face covering in all shops and public transports unless individuals are exempt.
Boris Johnson has also confirmed the measures are only “temporary and precautionary” and insisted Christmas will not be cancelled by a lockdown this year.
On social media, opinions are divided.
Most users said they welcome the new restrictions if that means protecting other people.
Councillor Meredith Lawrence said: “I have been wearing a mask in shops and on public transport since they were first made compulsory and will continue to do so.”
Dee Evans said: “A mask is no real hardship is it.
“Why people can’t just wear them and move on with their otherwise unrestricted day.”
Wayne Purchase also added: “For me, I have not stopped wearing masks, and think they need to be made mandatory.
“If they help 10% that’s lives saved! What the anti and that brigade don’t realise is this virus is like playing Russian roulette, you might be lucky, but you also might not!”
Similarly, Helen Auld said: “Never took it off. I struggle with them but am also an NHS employee, so it is ingrained.
“I don’t understand why some without medical exemption have an issue with it.
“Defiance for the sake of defiance is different to those who simply can’t for medical reasons.
“Medically I’m exempt, but I manage for prolonged periods and will continued to do so.”
Some think the restrictions should have never been removed in the first place.
Tracy Hatcher-Atkinson said: “They shouldn’t have changed the guidelines in the first place and should have brough them in sooner.”
Stan Coupland said: “They should have been maintained.
“There were still 120 deaths per day when Boris said you can leave them off.
“Scotland did not stop wearing them.”
But, some people were sceptical about these new measures and thought people should try to cohabit with the virus.
Emma Haywood said: “This was always going to happen. If masks were working why is the virus so high still in Melbourne.
“And their vaccination rate is 90% in Melbourne with over 1000 cases a day.
“Most people have had COVID by now. Or been jabbed and boosted. Let life carry on and stop living in fear.”
Nicola Rose said: “So you need to wear a mask in a hairdresser but not a pub? It’s ridiculous all or nothing or no one is going to adhere to it.”
Also, Abbie Jade thinks the government have not been consistent with their Coronavirus measures.
She said: “If the government actually followed its own poor guidance, I don’t think so many would be frustrated.”
I’ve never read so much claptrap in my whole life. 1,500 people unfortunately die every day in the UK anyway before Covid was even around.
Sweden & Florida don’t wear masks & they have the lowest cases in the World!! The blue masks have been proven to be 80-90% ineffective. You need N95 or higher if you really want to stop getting it. There was a poll done on the Alex Belfield show & 1 person out of 30 wanted to wear a mask again, that’s it. So 29 didn’t & 1 did.
Dean, you are partly right. N95 masks will stop the wearer getting it. The blue masks for the public are to reduce the risk of the wearer spreading it to others and do work at that level as they reduce the aerosols exhaled by the wearer. Therefore they do work if we all wear them but the benefit of wearing them is not for the wearer. By wearing one, you are helping everyone around you if you are an asymptomatic carrier/spreader.
Saying ‘there’s no real harm in it’, misses two obvious points. Firstly, 10% of us have asthma and it makes breathing harder. I could wear one of those lanyards, but leave those to people who have bigger health issues. The vigilante brigade don’t believe in exceptions anyway.
Second and this is for everyione, wearing a mask is not normal. It is an imposition on our freedom to have to wear one. Cut the claptrap about people dying if I don’t wear one, there is no objective evidence they actually work. They are a magic feather and make people over confident.
https://www.pnas.org/content/pnas/118/4/e2014564118.full.pdf
The article attached explains why masks reduce the spread by reducing the aerosol particles exhaled by breathing, coughing etc. I understand that for people like you Kevin, with an underlying condition, masks may not be appropriate. However, if healthy people wear masks, they reduce the chance of those with health problems, and are therefore at higher risk of complications, contracting covid, or other airborne infections such as flu. The people wearing masks are trying to help you! Don’t insult them and check your facts first please.
Who appointied you as Gelding’s health tsar, Andrew? My wife works in healthcare and despairs at seeing the public wearing masks badly, fiddling with them and touching their faces all the time. In her role, masks are single use and taken off using a special asecptic technique. In everyday use, with masks that are not fit for purpose and largely worn repeatedly with no cleaning, masks may be worse than wearing nothing at all.
Hi Kevin, I do not wish to be health tzar. Secondly, you stated there was no objective evidence which is in accurate. Thirdly, like you wife, I also work in health care and would like to see less people having covid so anything that reduces numbers is good. There are some issues over mask wearing, but worn correctly they help, and if people are trying, they should be encouraged.