I literally can't imagine being stupid enough to say " I've had enough of this virus, it;s time to start living our lives again" in the midst of a deadly pandemic, But it;s now government policy.
This despite the head of the World Health Organisation warning leaders
across the globe that the Covid-19 pandemic is ‘nowhere near over’ and
new variants are likely to emerge.
Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus cautioned against the
assumption that the newly dominant Omicron strain is significantly
milder and has eliminated the threat posed by the virus.
He told a press briefing: ‘Make no mistake, Omicron is
causing hospitalisations and deaths, and even the less severe cases are
inundating health facilities.’
Dr Tedros said that the next few weeks remain critical for
health care systems in some countries, particularly those with low
vaccination rates.
He said that while the current wave of the virus may be past the peak in
some parts of the world, ‘no country is out of the woods yet’ and now
is not the time to ‘give up and wave the white flag’.
"Omicron continues to sweep the world, last week, there were over 18 million reported cases,’ he said.
‘The
number of deaths remains stable for the moment but we are concerned
about the impact Omicron is having on already exhausted health workers
and overburdened health systems
‘In some countries, cases seem to have peaked, which gives
hope that the worst of this latest wave is done with, but no country is
out of the woods yet."
‘I remain particularly concerned about many countries that
have low vaccination rates, as people are many times more at risk of
severe illness and death if they are unvaccinated.
‘Omicron may be less severe, on average, but the narrative
that it is a mild disease is misleading, hurts the overall response and
costs more lives.’
Studies have suggested Omicron is much more contagious than
previous strains but seems to cause less serious disease in patients.
Dr Tedros said: ‘This pandemic is nowhere near over and with
the incredible growth of Omicron globally, new variants are likely to
emerge, which is why tracking and assessment remain critical.
‘We can still significantly reduce the impact of the current
wave by sharing and using health tools effectively and implementing
public health and social measures that we know work.’
Fewer than 10% of people in lower-income countries have received one dose of Covid vaccine.
The global vaccine sharing facility Covax delivered its one
billionth dose of vaccine over the weekend but more still needed to be
done to achieve vaccine equity around the world.
The intervention comes after some European nations saw record new case numbers.
France reported nearly half a million new daily cases lastt
Tuesday, while more than 100,000 new infections were recorded in Germany
within 24 hours on Wednesday for the first time since the start of the
pandemic.
Wearing face masks has been a crucial part of the strategy to contain
COVID-19, alongside the vaccination programme and social distancing.
Wearing face masks can provide both personal protection against COVID-19, and is also a public health measure to prevent the spread of the disease to others, particularly vulnerable people.
Research and personal information continue to show the value of risk
reduction a mask can offer from respiratory pathogens as well as allergens,."
While it might not make sense to wear a mask 24/7 once COVID-19, is contained, masking is easy and may be justifiable in risky settings. It may be logical during cold and flu season, too. Ultimately, each person who chooses to wear a mask would
be doing a little something extra to keep themselves and those around
them healthy in a post COVID future.
Face masks can help curb the spread of COVID-19,
because the virus that causes the disease is primarily transmitted in
the air. This means that people with the virus - especially those who
may be asymptomatic and unaware that they have it - spread it through
respiratory droplets that are exhaled when they cough sneeze or talk. These droplets are then inhaled by somebody else.
In
addition, COVID-19 infection can be spread through much smaller
particles which we breathe out - so-called aerosol spread. Because these
particles are so small and light, they remain suspended in the air, building up in the air surrounding an infected person if ventilation is inadequate.
Multiple studies have shown face masks help to block these droplets and particles from escaping into the air. Another study of people who had flu or the common cold found that wearing a surgical mask significantly reduced the amount of these respiratory viruses emitted in droplets and aerosols.
Epidemiological data also suggest face masks can help curb the spread of disease. Last year, US researchers
compared the COVID-19 growth rate before and after mask mandates in 15
states and the District of Columbia. It found that mask mandates led to a
slowdown in daily COVID-19 growth rate, which became more apparent over
time.
In countries like China, Singapore and Taiwan, mask-wearing was already common before coronavirus. After the outbreak of severe acute respirator syndrome (SARS) 2002, masks became increasingly popular to protect themselves and others during cold and flu season were very much willing to mask up,
It is worth noting that though the use of facemasks in Japan can be traced back to before the 20th century, it was the Spanish influenza pandemic between 1918 and 1920 that signifiicantly altered the status of wearing masks.
This shift was triggered by the search for effective ways to contain the
influenza pandemic. By the autumn of 1918, Japan’s National Public
Health Bureau, learning from cities like San Francisco that successfully
responded to the pandemic through mask orders, took action. Local
authorities across Japan were directed to encourage people to wear masks
in hospitals, on trains and trams, and in crowded areas. A year later, free masks
were provided to those who could not afford them, and theatres, buses
and cinemas were added to the list of public places where wearing masks
was mandatory.
It’s not difficult to see why; wearing face masks can be an effective
measure to reduce transmission. By providing an additional layer of
protection, they can help to prevent the wearer from spreading viral
infections to others, which is particularly useful in high-risk
circumstances where physical distancing proves impossible and the level
of ventilation is either minimal or unknown.
Authorities in Japan began to use public health campaigns in earnest
to encourage the use of masks in the early 2000s. There was a growing
push for people to understand that their individual actions mattered,
not only for their own health but also for the health of their
communities and the country at large.
Gradually, the practice of mask-wearing became less dependent on a
specific pandemic threat and premised more on an individual duty to
protect one’s family, community and country, which demanded sustained
engagement. It was not surprising then that public campaigns
also built upon themes that integrated family and work life. On the one
hand, mask-wearing came to symbolise the love and care in people’s
relations with their family members. At the same time, masks became
embedded in an employee's contribution to the national economy because
it prevented the interruption of work due to sickness.
Children even took masks to school
on a weekly basis and there was little need to impose fines on adults
to get them to wear masks. Most people did it willingly, often at their
own initiative. Millions of masks continued to be manufactured for
personal use in Japan, with demand stoked by an emerging culture of
mask-wearing being linked with being a good family member, neighbour and
citizen.
In
western countries including the UK, however, mask-wearing is a new
phenomenon. While some see it as an important means to halt the virus's
spread and a sign of social consideration, others have politicised masks
- claiming they infringe on individual rights.
At the same time Far right nationalists, anti-vaxxers, libertarians and conspiracy
theorists have come together over COVID, and capitalised on the anger
and uncertainty simmering in some sections of the community, spreading all sorts of misinformation across the internet and social media, These movements thrive on anxiety, anger, a sense of alienation, a distrust in government and institutions.
If you go back two years ago, anti-vaxxers were a tiny minority. They have grown significantly in size and influence online.
Many of these groups share similar ideas: that there is a cabal of
politicians and elites who are oppressing you. That freedom is at risk,
that one must stand up for liberty, that there is a wealthy and
unelected ruling class controlling you.
COVID, with all the fear, uncertainty, lockdowns, policing and
employment impacts it brings, has helped bring these groups together.
A recent study has found that the far-right has extended their reach
through messaging app Telegram and COVID-19 conspiracy theories. The London-based Institute for Strategic Dialogue study has found that the far-right has been using COVID-19 conspiracy theories to recruit people into their extremist views.
It
found that 90% of the most viewed posts from far-right groups contained
misinformation regarding COVID-19 vaccines or the pharmaceutical
companies manufacturing them.
Furthermore, much of the COVID-19
misinformation spread by far-right groups was underpinned by white
supremacist ideologies, including extreme misogyny, anti-Semitism,
Islamophobia, the study found.
Face masks have become a symbol of control to a very vocal minority, and remain a symbol of an increasingly divided society, between those we have restricted too much and those who feel we have not intervened enough during the pandemic.
Not once have I said that wearing masks are 100% protective , but neither is wearing a seat belt, It is about lowering the risk to respiratory pathogens and we still need vaccines and other healthcare and public health mitigation measures to protect ourselves. and each other."I'm done with COVID" is pretty much code for "I'm pretty sure I'll be ok I I get infected, and what happens to other people is of no concern for me," or "I;ve had enough of balcony railings holding me back, I want my freedom, remove them and let us all fall of balconies wherever we want!"
Those that say Covid is over, lets get back to normal, other than being selfish and privileged, it's shortsighted, more case, strains on healthcare and other systems, risk of new variants, etc, It portrays an unimaginably reckless indifference to human life.
I was angrily asked the other day "Why are you still wearing a mask, are you a sheep?" I didn't reply but do wonder why it bothers some so much, but should have said, one being I dislike wearing masks, but I wear one with humility, out of kjndness and respect, It's not hard and not the end of the world and mainly because there is still a global pandemic, that so far has killed over 6 million so I'm wearing a mask because although I have no symptoms, I could still have COVID and therefore infect you..
There's; a lot of anger around currently, I think it started with Brexit and Covid has increased it and unleashed an untapped tribal mentality, but sadly not for the greater good., and I also currently feel like our society is regressing at such a rate to the point of no return.
The Government has said it was now safe to lift Covid restrictions, Cleearly removing COVID 19 restrictions prematurely will mean increased cases and prolong the problem. Face masks are inconvenient but they do help reduce the spread. Only a complete idiot would advocate removing face masks whilst the virus is still prevalent.
But the "It's over" narrative is dangerous. Unfortunately, pandemics don't come with an expiration date so this could still stretch on longer than we'd hoped, even with the development of the vaccines, that some are still refusing to take. As much as we'd all like to hope that the vaccine of which 70% of the population has had means an instant return to normal, it's not. Hopes for the future have been dashed by new, mutated strains of the
virus that have been discovered and spread through the population, such
as the latest dominant strain, Omicron. But I guess we are on the right track.
But please ignore this vile excuse for a Government, these bastards are trying to kill us, They are aiming for survival of the fittest, herd immunity, killing of the weakest so that few live to collect pensions.Classic heartless Tory policy. Remember British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's inept handling of the COVID pandemic led to tens of thousands of unnecessary deaths,
Go about your business and life seems almost normal. Then you read about numbers of deaths and infections, masks not allowed in schools, people deciding between eating or heating, and think what kind of society are we living in. If you want to live, stay safe keep safe, keep wearing masks, social distancing, hand hygiene, and avoid the forces of fascism.
Thank you to everyone who continues to take COVID seriously, who advocate for better masks, ventilation, air filters, who care about high risk people, vulnerable communities, who listen to warnings and advice of disabled people and Long Covid. Keep being kind to one another.we will get through this build a fairer society.
Anyway here's a picture of The Beatles wearing smog masks as a precaution against heavy fog in Mannchester where they played the ABC Cinema, December 1965
