O/T. The Government's handling of Covid

[MadAmster]

Don’t get the football analogy...no idea how you’re any less ‘partisan’ than anyone else.

This isn’t a ‘party political’ issue...the Government has a huge majority and is deciding what happens, only all they’re now saying is...’it’s up to you’ and that has nothing to do with any of the opposition parties.
Today I’ve driven about three hundred miles and visited three food and drink ‘outlets’. There is no consistency...some want masks, others don’t...some say cash only, others say card only.
There is no leadership, people need rules...not least the poor sods who have to enforce them...but there aren’t any, just a complete abdication of responsibility.

Consistency in food and drink outlets. The only surprise to me is that you seem surprised by that rA. Here is what I would expect:

1. Consistency at all branches of large chains and franchises
2. Some landlords will be keeping table service only for now, masks except when seated and strict distancing
3. Some landlords will be 100% open
4. Some landlords will go with some table service for customers who so wish

Just like when table service only was the rule,some kept to it, others didn't, looking more for short term profit above customers' health.

I know of one Derby landlord who kept strictly to the rules but was getting "visits" from both the Police and the Council following "anonymous tips" that he was rule breaking. I was such a regular occurrence that the police, on their visits, just poked their head inside with a "morning gaffer, we've had another but there's never owt amiss here, Have a nice day".

[Andy_Faber]

Don’t get the football analogy...no idea how you’re any less ‘partisan’ than anyone else.

This isn’t a ‘party political’ issue...the Government has a huge majority and is deciding what happens, only all they’re now saying is...’it’s up to you’ and that has nothing to do with any of the opposition parties.
Today I’ve driven about three hundred miles and visited three food and drink ‘outlets’. There is no consistency...some want masks, others don’t...some say cash only, others say card only.
There is no leadership, people need rules...not least the poor sods who have to enforce them...but there aren’t any, just a complete abdication of responsibility.

Ok let’s say you’re in charge. What’s your leadership rule on point of sale transactions? I discussed this with a ranting landlord on Saturday and I’ll share his conclusion. Again, not trying to catch you out

[ramAnag]

Okay MA and AF...three examples from yesterday. Morning...petrol station and coffee stop...big, clear ‘please wear a mask’ sign outside...result...about 50% compliance, because of course it happened to be Boris’ ridiculous ‘Freedom Day’, meaning that 50% don’t give a stuff.
Lunch time...cafe bar...very pleasant...everything HAD to be ordered at the bar, was then brought to the table and all sales were cash ONLY...no cash...no food!
Evening...rural riverside pub...everything HAD to be ordered at the table and all sales were CARD only!

Result...confusion. People have no idea what to expect. Why? Because, starting from the very top, there is a complete lack of leadership. That doesn’t matter when you’re dealing with reasonable people, probably like the three of us, but it matters enormously when you’re faced with aggressive and unreasonable people which, unfortunately as we all know, a significant minority are.

We need leadership. We need clear instructions to get through the pandemic. We do not need a hand wringing wimp saying ‘it’s up to common sense and people being cautious and doing the right thing’, because common sense is in short supply and a significant minority, which is all it takes, seldom do the ‘right thing’.

[MadAmster]

Libertarians would furiously disagree with you rA. That's why they vote Boris.

What is going on here is that we both think that consistency would benefit everybody. The problem being BoJo has launched a free for all. Run your business your own way. Great under normal circs but not at present. Confusion does indeed abound.

My own view is that there are outlets which don't have the possibility for card payments. I carry both card and cash when I go out.

If HMG issued a dictat for "card only" payments, there are businesses that would have to shut their doors. Card payments cost a business money. Those running on small margins can't afford to feed the banks.

[swaledale]

Libertarians would furiously disagree with you rA. That's why they vote Boris.

What is going on here is that we both think that consistency would benefit everybody. The problem being BoJo has launched a free for all. Run your business your own way. Great under normal circs but not at present. Confusion does indeed abound.

My own view is that there are outlets which don't have the possibility for card payments. I carry both card and cash when I go out.

If HMG issued a dictat for "card only" payments, there are businesses that would have to shut their doors. Card payments cost a business money. Those running on small margins can't afford to feed the banks.

I'm not in favour of the Government dictating what we should do to the last detail, that way societal control lies and a bad move, but it would have been good to have had a measured approach to relaxing the restrictions with clear rules legally enforceable on things like mask wearing in public places etc.

[ramAnag]

Libertarians would furiously disagree with you rA. That's why they vote Boris.

What is going on here is that we both think that consistency would benefit everybody. The problem being BoJo has launched a free for all. Run your business your own way. Great under normal circs but not at present. Confusion does indeed abound.

My own view is that there are outlets which don't have the possibility for card payments. I carry both card and cash when I go out.

If HMG issued a dictat for "card only" payments, there are businesses that would have to shut their doors. Card payments cost a business money. Those running on small margins can't afford to feed the banks.

The fury of libertarians bothers me not one jot MA...’freedom’s just another word for nothing left to lose’...never been more true.

Your second paragraph is exactly what I’ve been saying.

I ‘get’ your card v cash thoughts but yesterday’s extreme ‘either/or’ scenario was ludicrous and just adds to the general confusion.

P.S. I’m not advocating Government deciding things to the last detail, Swale...not in normal times anyway, but these are extreme times and Government needs to govern not ‘suggest’ especially, as you say, where mask wearing is concerned. Khan and other UK nations have the guts to say that...Johnson and Co. apparently do not.

[Andy_Faber]

Okay MA and AF...three examples from yesterday. Morning...petrol station and coffee stop...big, clear ‘please wear a mask’ sign outside...result...about 50% compliance, because of course it happened to be Boris’ ridiculous ‘Freedom Day’, meaning that 50% don’t give a stuff.
Lunch time...cafe bar...very pleasant...everything HAD to be ordered at the bar, was then brought to the table and all sales were cash ONLY...no cash...no food!
Evening...rural riverside pub...everything HAD to be ordered at the table and all sales were CARD only!

Result...confusion. People have no idea what to expect. Why? Because, starting from the very top, there is a complete lack of leadership. That doesn’t matter when you’re dealing with reasonable people, probably like the three of us, but it matters enormously when you’re faced with aggressive and unreasonable people which, unfortunately as we all know, a significant minority are.

We need leadership. We need clear instructions to get through the pandemic. We do not need a hand wringing wimp saying ‘it’s up to common sense and people being cautious and doing the right thing’, because common sense is in short supply and a significant minority, which is all it takes, seldom do the ‘right thing’.

You'd make an excellent politician, 200 words and you got nowhere near answering my question

[ramAnag]

You'd make an excellent politician, 200 words and you got nowhere near answering my question

Okay...sorry, I thought amongst paras two and three there was some sort of answer, but I’ll try again.

Firstly...I do appreciate the difficulties however my experience on Monday, where one provider insisted on cash and another on ‘plastic’, seemed to be the worst of both worlds.

Personally, until Monday, I could not remember the last time I used cash since alarm bells began ringing in March of last year.
It seems to make sense in a world where hand sanitizer rules, and we are told of the repeated need to wash our hands, that cash sales should be kept to a minimum.

I appreciate that not everyone has a Credit or Debit Card however the vast majority do. So, in the same way as we can (if we have the leadership desire to do so) ensure that the vast majority wear masks appropriately, we can similarly introduce clear rules to ensure that the vast majority of ‘point of sales’ transactions are conducted by card...preferably contactless.

Without making any sort of moral point about ‘dirty money’...money is actually dirty. It passes through numerous indiscriminate hands and, while no system will be completely idiot proof, the more we reduce the physical use of coins and notes the more we reduce the possibility of this virus being passed on by unnecessary handling.

Unfortunately our Government lacks either the desire or the imagination to take such steps.

P.S. If you want a perfect example of our two faced Government’s lack of vision, understanding and ability to make sensible decisions think back a few months to the aftermath of Christmas. At that time, in very early January with Covid running rampant, it was only informed medical and public opinion that made Johnson and Williamson complete one of many U turns and introduce last minute school closures. Fast forward to now and they are using a completely opposite argument. ‘Freedom Day’, full stadia and reduced mask wearing are all a good idea apparently, despite the virus figures being at their worst for many months, precisely because schools are breaking up for six months and this will provide a ‘fire break’. You couldn’t make it up.

[swaledale]

Now if what is reported is true, Johnson didn't want to lock down last autumn as Labour were saying he should, on the basis that the only ones dying were over 80! Also it seems he was of the view that the NHS wasn't overwhelmed apparently and didn't see that as a need to lockdown.

So whatever front he puts on it seems the evidence piles up that we have an incompetent, liar with no understanding of the reality of life leading this country. Nothing new there then, that was obvious before he was elected!

[MadAmster]

Here's a conundrum. Covid deaths are reported as being anyone who tested positive within 28 days of their death, even if they had been run over by a 40 ton truck, they still died of Covid.

A recent freedom of information request to the Scottish Health Authority has revealed in excess of 5000 deaths in Scotland within 28 days of having a dose of the Covid vaccine over a 6 month period. Worrying stat? I think so.