To be so utterly fed up of things being shit “because Covid”?

[Marianne1234]

“Covid measures” just so the organisation in question is seen to be doing something, even if it is pointless? Or just an excuse to reduce the service you get?

Masks in the school playground at pick up. It’s a big outdoor space. We don’t get anywhere near the building or teacher (I wouldn’t know my 7 year old’s teacher if she was in my soup). Forget your mask and you don’t get in the gate.

Hairdresser the other day - no tea/coffee. No magazines. Not even the table thing in front of you. Chair, mirror, with each hair dresser having a wheelie trolley thing.

Morrisons cafe - no menus??? No touch screen ordering at the entrance which saves a lot of time.

I’m so fed up of hearing “coz Covid” to justify cutbacks and crap service. It makes me wonder if little things like this will ever go back to normal. I’m not optimistic.

@samsalmon

Specsavers no longer recycle glasses cos Covid. I can take whole bags of donations to the charity shop next door but can’t leave my old glasses with Specsavers. If they are saving money by opting out of what used to be a charitable activity for them, they should just say so, I agree.

It’s not because of Covid, it’s because the charity that they (and most opticians) collected for decided to no longer recycle frames on economic grounds. The recycling scheme run by Vision Aid Overseas stopped covering its costs/generating an acceptable income.

It co-incided with Covid as it was stopped in September 2020.

www.visionaidoverseas.org/recycling-closure-faqs

This is infuriating me too @Turquoisesol

Ooops
Sorry I meant @Devo1818 - how is it any anyway more work/complex?!

My local crisis cafe (run by a MH charity) wont serve drinks of any type (not even a glass of water) "cos of Covid". Is silly when you can leave there and walk straight into a Costa.

Yeah the night clubs and pubs are open but universities still doing online lectures.

Just about everything open as normal except for public service places - I can’t go and drop off a form coz the buildings that I walk past every day are closed so I have to post it. I can’t go and support my friend who is a key witness in a trial coz courts aren’t open to the public.

I don’t have an issue with the science but I do have issues with the random application of it to suit different agendas

@Porridgeislife thanks for that, I did wonder if it was something to do with Vision Aid but in my branch, they clearly said it was because of Covid. Why not just tell the truth or put up posters to explain? Their staff clearly thought it was cos Covid. Thanks for the info.

I hate that it's become the universal excuse for bad service/poor customer service from big companies these days.

I agree it's a rubbish excuse for stuff that saves companies money! And with the tech available now why can't companies have people on the phone at home?

I'm civil service (so way behind the times tech wise) and my phone number at the office is diverted to my work mobile plus I now have a Skype number! If we can manage it then no reason for any business not to.

You do realise that if the hair dresser or dance teacher catches covid they won’t be able to work? So you won’t be going to the hairdresser and your daughter won’t be going to their dance class

But why does putting my bag & coat in a box help reduce their chance of getting Covid more than hanging a coat on the hook and carrying my bag with me as we did in pre-Covid times??

@JuergenSchwarzwald but then you were left sitting in the hairdressers (my colour & cut takes 2hrs) with no magazines, no music (as everyones voices are more muffled in masks) and no phone to occupy you. Why couldn't they put a sanitiser in front of each hairdressing mirror and say please sanitise after using your phone?

Covid gave companies the opportunity to withdraw services by stealth. My local Natwest took the opportunity to stop opening Sat AMs when they reduced hrs due to Covid and when they extended hrs again, no longer open on Saturdays.

My DM goes to a Scottish dancing class. The rules are they wear a mask when they walk in, and while sitting down. But when they get up and dance they're allowed to take their masks off. And then put them back on when they leave. Crazy

YADNBU

Two examples of this

1. School (normally amazing ) is still doing staggered drops. Thankfully my year six walks to school but it is frankly an added stress as we have to get her out of the house and with her friend and then mad rush to get sister to school as she starts 20mins before. Parents are fully masked onsite outside so no idea how
2. I went to British Library - for an exhibition. Slots to be booked in advance because of Covid. Hour and a half slots not staggered 'because of Covid '. That meant everyone arrived at the start of their slot and hundreds of people were all in the first few exhibits trying to absorb the tiny writing . Actually would have been better to have people turn up randomly through out the day. I then was selected to answer the online survey which I did to feed back but there was nowhere in the full 10 minute process to add the feedback. So over in now

*how the staggered slots make any difference

I actually can't see why we can't have face to face doctors appointments now. I've had several hospital appointments and had face to face appointments, and I'd have thought there was far higher risk there.

Am so sick of masks. I feel too claustrophobic. I hope they don't become part of the norm.

I had magazines and coffee at my hairdressers yesterday!

If I’m paying to stay somewhere I want the room cleaned and fresh towels and linen. Totally agree that someone who is not literate or doesn’t have a computer is being denied access to GP and other services.

Yes. Our recycling centre which is 100% outside is still running half a service because covid. Was sick of not going on holiday and having nothing to look forward to so decided to join a health club type place which isn't cheap and still no spa / jacuzzi because covid.

They need to stop using it as an excuse!

@Malibuismysecrethome

If I’m paying to stay somewhere I want the room cleaned and fresh towels and linen. Totally agree that someone who is not literate or doesn’t have a computer is being denied access to GP and other services.

And so it has embedded discrimination as a policy on the spurious grounds of public health. I say spurious because clearly it is not good public health policy to enact measures that prevent a group of people (usually vulnerable people) from accessing basic medical care.

@theusuall

Yes. Our recycling centre which is 100% outside is still running half a service because covid. Was sick of not going on holiday and having nothing to look forward to so decided to join a health club type place which isn't cheap and still no spa / jacuzzi because covid.

They need to stop using it as an excuse!

We need to withdraw our business from companies that continue to withhold services and amenities on long outdated covid measures reasoning.

Of course not so easy to do that with public services such as councils etc

My Dad has dementia. My mum needs support. I am 2 hours away, my brother is further.

They have an Alzheimer's Support Centre in their town which offers all sorts of carer sessions, coffee mornings, events to discuss old movies, or golf or whatever. At present it is ALL ON ZOOM.

Even if my parents had a tablet/laptop, dad's dementia is such that he doesn't "get" things like facetime - he thinks he's watching a recording or a video. I have contacted them several times and they're "hoping" to get back to a "limited service" in summer 2022. Because of Covid. Now I get that people with dementia are by default probably more at risk of Covid than you or me. But come on. There are other things which matter too.

Our school drop offs and pick ups have been back to 'normal' since September.
The hospital I work in have been doing face to face appointments throughout the whole pandemic as has my local GP practice if you need one.
I was offered tea in the hairdresser last month and offered tea or coffee in the bathroom shop when we were choosing our design the other day.
I study at uni one day a week, all face to face teaching.
My eldest ds (19) studying engineering has had all his teaching face to face since September.
I've had four routine dental check-ups since July 2020 and four hygienist appointments.
As far as I am concerned life has been pretty much back to normal for a long time.
I agree it's daft that some clothes shops still have changing rooms shut when others have been open again for ages.

@EllaPaella

Our school drop offs and pick ups have been back to 'normal' since September. The hospital I work in have been doing face to face appointments throughout the whole pandemic as has my local GP practice if you need one. I was offered tea in the hairdresser last month and offered tea or coffee in the bathroom shop when we were choosing our design the other day. I study at uni one day a week, all face to face teaching. My eldest ds (19) studying engineering has had all his teaching face to face since September. I've had four routine dental check-ups since July 2020 and four hygienist appointments. As far as I am concerned life has been pretty much back to normal for a long time. I agree it's daft that some clothes shops still have changing rooms shut when others have been open again for ages.

Where on earth do you live, as if it's anywhere in the uk I find it incredible that you have been able to enjoy that level of normality across all those sectors

I hate that you can't do anything on the spur of the moment anymore. You have to pre-book absolutely everything, cause Covid.

This too!! I've been out twice in the last month (both unplanned) one a bistro type place and the other a bar. Both times I've been hounded the second I walk in the door DO YOU HAVE A BOOKING????

No? Do I need one?

Ummm. Let me check.

They come back and explain you can come in as if you're doing a massive favour. I've also had to prove to them I've filled in the correct details on track & trace, not even allowed to walk 3 feet so you can sit down and take your mask off to fill it in.

I decided after the second time this was probably "the new normal" and I don't want any part of it. Invested in a naice coffee machine, an air fryer, and an ice crusher and I'll be doing all my socialising at home now.

Hope the lot of them close down. Honestly, fuck them.

Baffling new rule for school swimming this year.
All children have to wear swimming caps (the rubber ones)which is fine.
But
Nobody can assist children in putting them on in the changing rooms or poolside.
So children have to arrive in the building already wearing swimming caps in order to be allowed to swim.
The children have been amazing about this but the rule is completely batshit

You're clearly not in Scotland, @EllaPaella. Schools here still have staggered starts, breaks, pick ups. My two younger kids are at (state) secondary school, they have entirely rejigged the school timetable so that only half the school is on a break/lunch at the same time.

Our dentist has drawn the blinds and locked the doors - they will do routine appointments if you call and ask, but won't proactively offer an appointment. When you arrive you have to phone from outside to be let in.

Oldest DS is in his first year at a Scottish university studying science, he had only 3 sessions on campus for socially-distanced labs between October and Christmas, has been promised 4 between January and Easter.

The university library (i'm a PG student at the same one) has capacity limits, compulsory masks, one way systems and every other workspace taped off.

A lot of stuff seems to be more normal, despite being in Wales where masks are still a thing, and we've just been back to the rule of 6 in hospitality etc.

But DD's provisional license took 5 months to come through.

And there's no way to go swimming here if you just want to go for a swim. None of the local pools are open in the evenings and if they are open in the weekend then it's for family pod swimming so they don't want single swimmers.