Midge

@ATaylorFPGA @SelfHarmRes Their bosses are to blame. I'd have raised merry hell myself but there's only so much an individual employee can do. Seems easy to us keyboard warriors, I'll grant, but it ain't when you're at the coalface. And those who agreed believed it right in good faith, as awful as it is.

It happened because people had been terrified by propaganda based on faulty characterisation of the virus. It happened because we followed a zero Covid strategy by stealth. It happened because adults put themselves first.

@SelfHarmRes Some did. Some didn't. But if I worked for an organisation which propagated this type of thing I'd have raised merry hell. Child safety trumps adult at small risk of a disease mild for most. It's actually probably against their own rules and regs.

@MatthewMarks42 @theJeremyVine @willnorman @LBHF @TfL It's becoming more unnerving as a pedestrian in London due to the numbers of cyclists whizzing around: if one's vision impaired it's difficult as they're a small and fast-moving area. Cars are easier to see. I know we all need to be vigilant but it's easy to miss something.

@theJeremyVine @willnorman @LBHF @TfL Well, they can use _some_ of it confidently. I go north/south Fulham Palace Road/Shepherd's Bush Road. The motorist red light jumping on the gyratory arm of the junction with Fulham Palace Road is the worst I have ever seen in real life.

This is great. For years people said you have to accept that Hammersmith Broadway is like a scene from Ben Hur. But now vulnerable road users can use it confidently. Cars never needed this much space in the heart of West London. Thank-you @LBHF @tfl @willnorman 👍👍👍

@tokobhoy @theJeremyVine @HF_Cycling @LBHF @TfL @willnorman It was pretty unnerving for motorists, who may be in metal boxes but could hurt themselves nonetheless.

@theJeremyVine @HF_Cycling @LBHF @TfL @willnorman This looks wonderful. This was one of the worst spots for me when cycling into London. Ben Hur would have bottled it

@Salsapitomnia @Oohgpwales Don't forget those patients who are impaired. They don't stand a chance of understanding masked staff. This could have implications. But masks carry harms. They restrict peripheral vision with the risk of trips and falls. They were strewn over my local hospital car park, too.

@Oohgpwales My wife A&E consultant, after managing to avoid the virus for 2 & 1/2 years, just tested +ve. Said virus was rife amongst colleagues. Rules for masks had previously been relaxed in that "no longer a legal requirement" in healthcare settings. Utter, utter madness!!!

@Salsapitomnia @Oohgpwales A carer friend was forced to mask up, but some service users begged her to remove hers. They found it depressing and accepted a small risk in order to see her face. It should not be imposed; it should be discretionary for both carer and cared-for.

@allymac70 @IamIron62 @Oohgpwales @fascinatorfun The virus spread in hospitals despite all the PPE. And these NPIs are now acknowledged to be of little use against the latest variants. I'm all for mask wearing if it makes someone feel safe but it should not be a requirement for receiving treatment.

@PatriciaMunn604 @Nerruze @Oohgpwales A Vulnerable here: I told a nurse recently she could remove hers in a warm hospital room. She was sweating and puce and I feared for her blood pressure. Any virus she was breathing out would have just leaked out from the sides of her mask in any case.

@Nerruze @Oohgpwales They know more than we do about this. Let's take our cue from them. Maybe masks aren't evidenced to be efficacious. A CEV contact had Covid recently, by the way, and it was, in effect, a cold: they've now happily returned to office and pub. Things are not as they were in 2020.

@Oohgpwales I had a neurology appointment yesterday. My consultant did not wear a mask, neither did any other patients or more of the staff. I’m CEV and since it was my first time seeing him I had to go in.

@RageSheen @belinda_brucki Small business becomes big. There are pub chains, supermarket chains and major airlines built up from market stalls, small pubs and small airlines.

@belinda_brucki And so then they’re breaking the law. And are liable for massive costs, even jail, if staff sue. One of the reasons government support is needed, and also why small business is a terrible foundation for an economy.

The other glaring thing about Mark Butler's appearance this morning was his assumption that the only alternative was for the government to spend more money. What about the business community and its basic WHS responsibility, for a change, at their own expense? It's the law.

@RageSheen Some can barely afford existing overheads and salaries. They're still trying to recover from lost business during restrictions.

@MikCojocaru @georgevdragon @AvonandsomerRob @JustineClaire65 It's righteous anger. Described as 'triggering' by those who lack empathy or understanding of why some react as they do to this type of thing.

@georgevdragon @AvonandsomerRob @JustineClaire65 They will be fine, not everyone is a twitter karen triggered by pronouns on a badge.

The Halifax haven't tweeted for 3 days. I think someone's pronoun has been changed to P45...

@MethanePowered @ParkLaneEnder @cool_hand_john @AvonandsomerRob You're quite right. It was really like John Lennon's remark. He was a thinker and a straight talker, but many don't do nuance.

@AvonandsomerRob Reminded me of Gerald Ratner describing his wares as rubbish (or words to that effect!)

@danielroberts29 @EssexPR I'm shocked by how many have suddenly stopped accepting risk of illness. It seems their argument is that the virus is 'avoidable', and thus, worse than other ills, and others are to blame. Never had an inquest into who 'killed' a close contact with influenza.

If you genuinely want restrictions back, you’re an absolute clueless moron.

@markepsom @EssexPR If no-one's vaxxed, then everyone in ICU is, of course, unvaxxed. If we are all vaxxed then everyone in ICU will be, er, vaxxed. I'm not banging a drum for vaccination but many don't seem to understand this.

@EssexPR Remember when they used to tell us that 90% of those in ICUs with Covid were unvaccinated. I wonder why they have stopped trotting out that lie.

@neilstweet @EssexPR We can tweet about anything we like. It was a traumatic time and it's entirely natural to comment on it.

@EssexPR you're obsessed with restrictions and covid thats all you tweet about.

@N04724510 @EssexPR They had the data. They maybe understood it better than some of us. This may well account for the fact that they weren't fearful. They had it in proportion.

@BolinCourke @EssexPR The industry was nearly brought to its knees. People lost livelihoods. Open again, it was subject to the most stringent regulation. I was in a local pub seeing customers turned away because they just wanted a pint. Masks on and off. QR codes which helped not one whit.

@EssexPR Our hoteliers, publicans, their staff and the hospitality industry have in general jumped through hoop after hoop to keep their businesses and homes going. I will continue to support them in my small way by going out for a meal/drink. Enough is enough.