Is mask wearing limiting your economic participation?

[byvirtue]

I knew mask wearing was mandatory in shops but I hadn’t heard about the new restrictions that have come out today www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-53702291

I had planned to head to a spa for a couple of days this month for my birthday and we were going to book a staycation in a hotel in September. We would have easily spent £2k on these trips.

Now it seems that masks are mandatory for spa treatments and in hotel public areas we won’t be going. I personally find face coverings unpleasant and they significantly reduce my enjoyment so I'd rather not bother.

We are fit and healthy with money to spend and were happy to get out and spend money prior to face coverings becoming mandatory. These new rules mean the opportunities for us to spend money have been notably reduced.

I’m curious are these extended face covering rules going to lead to you spending more or less now?

@hopefulhalf

Shops was the 24th of July. e.g. 3 weeks after they opened the pubs. I would argue that was what doesn't work.

Not where I live.

With all the jobs going in other industries we could always hope they can now recruit enough police and actually that will help with many if the things needed in this country.

Hahahaha

We have ourselves a comedian!

Sunshine,

I simply don’t agree with your cost/benefit analysis for the young.

They might not die of the virus but what would schools and unis look like without 50+ teachers and professor, and who would help the young develop their careers?

You cannot isolate one stratum of society and say they would do better even with everyone else doing worse. Economics does not work that way.

[quote Sunshinegirl82]@itsgettingweird

It sounds like you might be happier somewhere like China. I honestly think the reality you're hoping for is spectacularly unlikely in the U.K. thank goodness.[/quote]
I've been a bit stunned at the way China is now seen as a shining example of a 21st century society. Maybe people who think that could just sod off and live there. They wear masks ALL THE TIME - how could there possibly be any problems?

@larrygrylls

Sunshine,

I simply don’t agree with your cost/benefit analysis for the young.

They might not die of the virus but what would schools and unis look like without 50+ teachers and professor, and who would help the young develop their careers?

You cannot isolate one stratum of society and say they would do better even with everyone else doing worse. Economics does not work that way.

Where have all the 50 plus teachers vanished to?!

@larrygrylls

Sunshine,

I simply don’t agree with your cost/benefit analysis for the young.

They might not die of the virus but what would schools and unis look like without 50+ teachers and professor, and who would help the young develop their careers?

You cannot isolate one stratum of society and say they would do better even with everyone else doing worse. Economics does not work that way.

Even in a worst case scenario not all or even a sizeable minority of that group will die though. No one’s proposing letting everyone over 50 in the country just die

@larrygrylls

Sunshine,

I simply don’t agree with your cost/benefit analysis for the young.

They might not die of the virus but what would schools and unis look like without 50+ teachers and professor, and who would help the young develop their careers?

You cannot isolate one stratum of society and say they would do better even with everyone else doing worse. Economics does not work that way.

Lots of things don't work that way. DH and DM are in the shielding group. Apparently I should be but when my GP realised and offered to send me a letter, I told her not to bother.

So, DM: 88, deaf, practically blind, chronic pain. Financially independent of the state. Occupies a council home.
DH: 61, COPD. 5-10 years life expectancy. Doing a job that an unskilled person could be trained to/qualified for within a month.
Me: 55, 'economically inactive' (carer for DM).

All three of us have very specific written instructions in place about what treatment is acceptable if we get Covid - it amounts to 'don't bother'.

If I was young, I'd be pissed off about putting my life on hold to protect any one of us, let alone all three. 'Careers' aren't necessarily better than 'jobs'.

@larrygrylls

The reality is that most people will assess things from their own perspective. Their perception will drive their behaviour. The impact of the current restrictions is highest on the young in terms of day to day activities and short to mid term prospects. The idea that large groups of people will accept that they just can have sex for a few years (just one example) is misguided.

I'm not anti lockdown and I'm not anti masks. I'm just realistic that this is not sustainable long term. Eventually, people will stop complying. I think we just have to hope the vaccine arrives before that point arrives.

Senga,

I am not suggesting that they will all die! Some will be long term sick, a few will die but many many will just opt out, either short or long term.

Some will pursue alternative careers, some will take early retirement and some will have a career break until it is safer.

The teachers you really want to be teaching your children are well educated and resourceful graduates. Some have had prior careers that they may return to and some are married to high earners and the teaching salary is not a necessity.

Teaching is not normally a hazardous profession and a lot of teachers will vote with their feet.

By the way, the above is if people take the attitude of ‘let it rip’.

Most teachers are keen to return and teach classic everyone else does their bit.

Classes

@larrygrylls

By the way, the above is if people take the attitude of ‘let it rip’.

Most teachers are keen to return and teach classic everyone else does their bit.

Ah ok, I agree with you, and think everyone should be complying with the rules. The problem is that short of extremely authoritarian measures, including enforcing what people do in their own home, people can’t really be forced to if they don’t care. We’ve seen the consequences in Aberdeen of a few people ignoring the rule. The government are going to have to factor that in to their response about the virus. Even if they close pubs again people who are gathering there will just meet in houses.

@larrygrylls

I understand that letting it rip is not desirable (which is why we are not letting that happen) but are we genuinely saying that young people shouldn't form a relationship or have sex for years? That's the sort of thing we're talking about in reality.

The current situation is a holding position to allow science to catch up and hopefully find a way to vaccinate against/treat Covid. It's not a sustainable long term arrangement.

Sunshine,

Firstly I think a vaccine is months, not years away.

Secondly, people can form relationships. They just have to be socially distanced at first. When they become more serious, they can now have sex. I don’t think that anyone (other than during the 3 months of hard lockdown) really wants those in a relationship not to have sex.

It does put a spanner in the works of ‘hook up’ culture for a while.

I do agree that young people do need to be allowed to enjoy relationships.

@larrygrylls

I agree that the vaccine is months away not years (all being well). I said upthread I'd be hopeful for early next year. I was responding to various posters who suggested that SD measures will be in place for 3-5 years. They just won't be because people won't comply for that long.

Having sex with someone you don't live with is illegal though!!!!!

Has this law been retracted?

Yes. I will wear one where it’s mandatory, but in general I just avoid those places.

I’m definitely spending less money and actually managing to save some
Went into Bristol on Thursday wore mask in the required settings hated every sweaty minute of it and won’t be repeating any time soon

Not like I need lots of stuff I’m not going anywhere

@askmehowiknow

Having sex with someone you don't live with is illegal though!!!!!

Has this law been retracted?

It's my understanding that socially distancing in houses is 'advised' but no longer law. So people can have sex with other households without it being illegal I think.

Is that true @Flowersinthewindowstill

It was definitely made illegal in June.

@askmehowiknow

Having sex with someone you don't live with is illegal though!!!!!

Has this law been retracted?

In Scotland I think non cohabiting couples can now see each other without distancing. No hookups yet though I don’t think!

Given that there was a huge protest against masks in Liverpool this weekend, and loads of people are angry about wearing them, I'm beginning to wonder what the fucking point is. If you don't wear one, you're killing people. If you do wear one, you're a sheep who's being controlled by the government.

As I came out of Wilco’s today a woman had forgotten hers. She was going to go home - woman on the door said you can come in but it’s at your own risk ????😮

@askmehowiknow "me me me me me"

Spending much less. Cancelled hotel trip at weekend because of masks in public areas. No leisure shopping and won’t be going to museums or galleries. Nip in fir essentials and that’s it. There is no pleasure to be had in masked up leisure.