Coronavirus

[M17TT C]

Well now the government have scrapped the red list for foreign travel, it will just act as a further sign to the hard of thinking that covid is all over now.

Even if mask wearing was to be mandated again, the compliance would be really low.

Obviously we need to try and get back to 'normal' as much as possible but I really don't see what hardship wearing a mask brings?

 

[FOX Franks]

Well now the government have scrapped the red list for foreign travel, it will just act as a further sign to the hard of thinking that covid is all over now.

Even if mask wearing was to be mandated again, the compliance would be really low.

Obviously we need to try and get back to 'normal' as much as possible but I really don't see what hardship wearing a mask brings?

I do think it depends what you are doing. Quick whizz round Sainsburys? Not too bad.

Workout in a Gym? Very impractical.

 

[Matt_B]

Well now the government have scrapped the red list for foreign travel, it will just act as a further sign to the hard of thinking that covid is all over now.

Even if mask wearing was to be mandated again, the compliance would be really low.

Obviously we need to try and get back to 'normal' as much as possible but I really don't see what hardship wearing a mask brings?

People keep saying "get back to normal", but that was an economical system that plunged many into poverty, was driving business away from the high street and slashing funding to public services. That's the normal people are desperate to return to. Why not actually look at heading to something that actually benefits the majority?

That's not a dig at you, I agree with your comments. I just think returning to how things were in every sense isn't the only option. Even small things like actually not going into an office when you are sick, and being supported in that decision instead of being made to feel like a letdown, is a good step. Or wearing masks in public if you go out with an illness to protect others, like they do in many Asian countries (alongside issues with air pollution). Or looking at why we need to be driving all over the country to sit and work in an office on a job that can be done remotely.

I was a web developer for 6 years and more or less every day of that job could have been done from home. People will be able to do school runs, spend less on fuel and commuting and more time with their family and friends. I was speaking to an agent the other day and she was musing on the fact that they had authors from Scotland travel down to London headquarters for a half hour meeting. Why? Being forced to work remotely has made things easier for many people and businesses, yet there's a blind clamour to get everyone back to how they were regardless of whether that's the best thing.

We can learn lessons from this, it doesn't have to be exactly how it was.

 

[fitz]

I was a web developer for 6 years and more or less every day of that job could have been done from home. People will be able to do school runs, spend less on fuel and commuting and more time with their family and friends. I was speaking to an agent the other day and she was musing on the fact that they had authors from Scotland travel down to London headquarters for a half hour meeting. Why? Being forced to work remotely has made things easier for many people and businesses, yet there's a blind clamour to get everyone back to how they were regardless of whether that's the best thing.

I'm not sure what's in it for many businesses who pay the rent etc. For the likes of Costa, landlords, government, micro managers etc I get why. I manage fine working from home but we're now doing a hybrid 2 days in the office. As time goes by the numbers of people and teams who are bothering to stick to the 2 days is getting lower. I forgot to go in for one of my days last week and no ****er noticed, previous days I've been sat in a room on my own listening to shite music really loudly. Most of my meetings normally are in the North West rather than the 5 minute walk to my place of work n all. Maybe when the next utility bill lands companies will be back to WFH.

 

[pork pie fox]

I like going into the office. But it’s only a 5 minute walk over the bridge for me, so not really a hassle.

 

[Matt_B]

I like going into the office. But it’s only a 5 minute walk over the bridge for me, so not really a hassle.

There are some who rely on it for social interaction and their mental health, so a hybrid option would benefit everyone. Companies could get smaller offices with less overhead and less environmental impact as well. Like Fitz said, the only reason I can see people being forced back in is to appease landlords and chains.

 

[Matt_B]

I work for myself from home, so it doesn't really affect me anymore, but the other thing about things like coffee shops etc is the disparity I see between city centres and towns. In Leicester centre, I don't think there is one independent small coffee shop or eatery catering to lunches etc. They are all Gregg's and Costa chains. Conversely, in Glenfield where I live, there are a handful of small businesses that would benefit from more people being in Glenfield during the day. Same for other places like Groby and Markfield. If people worked from home more, independent businesses could benefit.

 

[pork pie fox]

There are some who rely on it for social interaction and their mental health, so a hybrid option would benefit everyone. Companies could get smaller offices with less overhead and less environmental impact as well. Like Fitz said, the only reason I can see people being forced back in is to appease landlords and chains.

Yes I agree with that. I’ve asked a couple of the lads who work for me and they’ve said they’d rather be in the office for that reason, the interaction and social aspect. I’m glad they see it as somewhere they want to be for that reason, although I’d have no issue if they wanted to work a hybrid model.

 

[FOX Franks]

I work for myself from home, so it doesn't really affect me anymore, but the other thing about things like coffee shops etc is the disparity I see between city centres and towns. In Leicester centre, I don't think there is one independent small coffee shop or eatery catering to lunches etc. They are all Gregg's and Costa chains. Conversely, in Glenfield where I live, there are a handful of small businesses that would benefit from more people being in Glenfield during the day. Same for other places like Groby and Markfield. If people worked from home more, independent businesses could benefit.

There are reakky quite a few in Leicester, as long as you move off the high street.

Point still valid though - the chain is strong in all town centres, which is why they all look the same and there's not much incentive to visit them any more.

 

[homer]

Coffee shops FFS

 

[Matt_B]

Coffee shops FFS

I'm only mentioning them because they seem to be one of the reasons given for getting people back in the office. Apparently without all the workers, Costa will go bust.

 

[give_us_a_wave]

Costa is a nice microcosm for the way British society has changed in the last 30 years.

It was owned by Whitbread til 2019. As coffee shops have inundated our high streets over that time frame, pubs have vanished at almost the same rate. Whitbread haven't brewed beer in years & years, so you'd have to say they made the right call.
Still staggers me though that what used to be the biggest brewery in the world ended up flogging coffee. They also own Premier Inn, which explains why all the Premier Inns at motorway services have a Costa next to them.

Loads of coffee shops. No boozers. England is ****ed. May as well just add another star to the US flag now to save time.

 

[Ike O'Noclassed]

Ironically, as Leicester Fosse struggled to get established in the 1880s, the Coffee House craze was in full sway, and as Leicester was a fairly enthusiastic centre for the temperance movement (Thomas Cook., the Unitarians etc), where else would the club hold its selection meetings and tactical discussions but in places like the West Bridge Coffee House, and later the Eastgate Coffee House - the latter's premises now occupied, for better of worse by the Canadian coffee chain Tim Hortons.

"...And the seasons they go round and round
And the painted ponies go up and down
We're captive on the carousel of time" etc.

 

[pork pie fox]

Well after avoiding it for this long in our household, my 8 year old lad has yesterday tested positive. He hasn't got any symptoms, but the school had asked his class to take a test, as there was a positive case in it. He even ran in a cross country race on Saturday, albeit he was quite a bit slower than the last race (now we know why, I guess). The rest of us have tested negative on lateral flows, but we are booked in for PCR tests now (request from track and trace), so we'll see.

Bit of a pain in the arse and I just feel a bit sorry for him, as he's had to cancel some things he was looking forward to, but hopefully he stay like this and isn't too affected by it health wise.

 

[Matt_B]

Well after avoiding it for this long in our household, my 8 year old lad has yesterday tested positive. He hasn't got any symptoms, but the school had asked his class to take a test, as there was a positive case in it. He even ran in a cross country race on Saturday, albeit he was quite a bit slower than the last race (now we know why, I guess). The rest of us have tested negative on lateral flows, but we are booked in for PCR tests now (request from track and trace), so we'll see.

Bit of a pain in the arse and I just feel a bit sorry for him, as he's had to cancel some things he was looking forward to, but hopefully he stay like this and isn't too affected by it health wise.

My 4 year old had really bad cold symptoms with it just before half term and was wiped out for a few days. My 10 year old was absolutely fine. We only knew she was positive because we tested every day after youngest got it. I then got it and couldn't get out of bed for three days or so, now feel okay but can only focus for a couple of hours before my brain just seems to stop. Wife avoided it altogether. Hopefully your lad is like my eldest and breezes through it.

 

[pork pie fox]

My 4 year old had really bad cold symptoms with it just before half term and was wiped out for a few days. My 10 year old was absolutely fine. We only knew she was positive because we tested every day after youngest got it. I then got it and couldn't get out of bed for three days or so, now feel okay but can only focus for a couple of hours before my brain just seems to stop. Wife avoided it altogether. Hopefully your lad is like my eldest and breezes through it.

Yeah hopefully so. Strange how it affects people so differently isn't it. Hope you're all back to normal now

 

[pork pie fox]

Pfizer Covid pill ‘can cut hospitalisations and deaths by nearly 90%’

Experimental antiviral pill taken at home is highly effective at preventing deaths, trial suggests

www.theguardian.com

 

[Blaarev]

Pfizer Covid pill ‘can cut hospitalisations and deaths by nearly 90%’

Experimental antiviral pill taken at home is highly effective at preventing deaths, trial suggests

www.theguardian.com

Probably Ivermectin with a new name

 

[Joe_Fox]

Sigh.

If they were that useful they’d still be mandatory to wear.

So what's your stance now?

 

[City Fan]

So what's your stance now?

Hasn’t changed.

The new rule is ridiculous. Wear them in shops but not in theatres where you’re actually closer to randoms? Bizarre.