Coronavirus General Discussion

Unfortunately it's difficult for me to boycott somewhere I never went in the first place.

(I don't drink, so I rarely go to pubs.)

I haven't noticed much change where I am. The only real change has been that the large town-centre Sainsbury's used to be NHS-only until 08:00 on Saturday morning and everyone else had to queue round the car park but since a week or so ago they let anyone in. (They're still restricting the number of people in the store but at the time I get there the flow rate is low enough that you don't need to wait.) There are still in-store "keep two metres apart" announcements, tape on the floor and perspex partitions all over the place.

Elsewhere there's no change. We still have a one-way system in the small undercover shopping arcade. People still step off pavements when passing each other to avoid getting too close. People still use hand sanitiser where it's provided. When I went to get my car repaired a few days ago I still had to leave my keys in an envelope on the windowsill. I didn't see any pubs open this morning. Nobody seems to be under the impression that it's all over and the risk has gone.

But of course that doesn't make the news.

Maybe he was on his way home, Dawnstar, after spending the night 'badger watching'?

Masks in all the hairdressers I walked past. Some proper PPE on most of the staff.

The pubs that were open seemed to have sensible restrictions in place with one way systems where possible and mainly table service only. Hand sanitizer everywhere as well.

Where I live there are 5 barbers nearby and all were wearing visors as required by the guidelines. There is no requirement for customers to wear face coverings or masks according to the guidance. I assume also it would interfere with the cutting or washing of hair.

Guidance is copied below:

In workplaces such as hairdressers and barbers, beauty salons and tattoo and photoshoot studios, it is likely to be difficult to maintain social distancing, as employees need to work in close proximity to their clients, usually for an extended period of time,” states the document.
“The person providing a service should therefore wear further protection in addition to any that they might usually wear. This should take the form of a clear visor that covers the face and provides a barrier between the wearer and the client from respiratory droplets caused by sneezing, coughing or speaking. Visors must fit the user and be worn properly. It should cover the forehead, extend below the chin, and wrap around the side of the face.”

Both disposable and re-usable visors are available. A re-usable visor must be cleaned and sanitised regularly using normal cleaning products

There is no requirement for the client to wear any additional protection such as a mask or face covering, when the practitioner is wearing a visor

It will be interesting to see how things pan out we need to get the economy moving but not to risk a second wave. In the winter a lot of people with seasonal illnesses will be having to self isolate as a matter of caution.

After thinking back how we handled the crisis I now think we were a few days late going into lockdown, It should have surely happened no later than 20th March when all schools closed. It was only 3 days but that early quarantining could have taken the cases down a fair bit.

I would certainly be taking his details x

So much I'd like to say, but I won't...

Absolute idiocy.

If there is a second lockdown then any Arts funding announced this week will be the first thing cut sadly.

(Second will be university funding where not only Covid-19 is causing massive but a total ban on Chinese students being allowed to study in the uk is where the Tory party, rightly or wrongly, are heading.)