Do we stop social distancing and masks on 21st June?

[elliejjtiny]

Just wondering as I'm getting mixed messages. I thought that everything was allowed to open on 21st June (providing numbers don't increase again) but social distancing and masks remain. But at our last church meeting (on zoom) the vicar was saying that the guidelines say all restrictions are ending which includes masks and social distancing so the church can open up again with no restrictions in place. I'm not sure about this. Also by then all the CEV, CV and over 60's in our church will be at least 3 weeks post 2nd vaccination on 21st June apart from my 7 year old who is CV but can't have the vaccine until it's licenced for children. There are also other adults and children who aren't CV so won't be vaccinated by then either.

Not keen on screens but that's definitely a call for the staff

@StealthPolarBear

I have to ask people to repeat what they say multiple times which is frustrating for both of us. And my hearing is only slightly below par. Social cues are much reduced.

Oh right. Yes those things annoy me too.

I meant wearing a mask isn't a symbol, it is a mask. Masks in both UK and USA have been turned into a culture war issue.

I won’t live my life with a mask on my face forever once we are vaccinated why would I?

Well the neutral answer is if covid rates are high, as they may be over summer, some people will likely wish to reduce further their chance of catching covid. That would be why.

I don't feel the anger about masks that a percentage of people do. I don't know if I will wear one because it isn't June, clearly I don't know what rates will be in the future.

I will not be wearing the stupid mask at the very first opportunity. I hate the things. I imagine regardless of what nonsense the Government is spouting by then, when we have warmer weather the inclination of wear a mask, even by those who are not bothered, will drop. Those who wish to carry on wearing then can rock right on and do so. But I certainly won't be one of them!

A mask can not be 'stupid'. It's the strenth of feeling I don't understand.

I don't wish to carry on wearing them, but it is only a mask.

I am in 2 minds about this. Without social distancing on one hand I can see cases increasing rapidly but deaths/hospitalisations remaining low. This will only be a problem for rhe unvaccinated and I can see this creating a two tier society. I feel very sorry for vulnerable children and their parents in this scenario and adults who cannot have the vaccine.

On the other hand I can see that many businesses cannot properly function with social distancing so the above will need to be weighed against the other.

Hopefully the summer weather in combination with the vaccinations will help to keep cases relatively low but I can see measures having to be put back in place by next winter if children are not vaccinated by then.

OK I aee what you mean, and yes in the US I think you're right. I'm not sure they have here in the same way, but might be wrong. But tbh it's also a symbol of having to be organised, which I am not :o

@StealthPolarBear

OK I aee what you mean, and yes in the US I think you're right. I'm not sure they have here in the same way, but might be wrong. But tbh it's also a symbol of having to be organised, which I am not :o

yes it is annoying forgetting them, and also I must have spent so much now!

At our church we won't be going back to normal. We have people who have been shielding since March 2020 (even though they didn't have to the entire time) and "going back to normal" would exclude a lot of people, like your CEV son. Just because you can do something doesn't mean you should. And church should be somewhere everyone, not just the vaccinated, feel safe. I'm pregnant, there is evidence that contracting COVID-19 in the third trimester can be serious for the mother and cause preterm birth (although there's obviously not loads of research on the subject). If church goes back to normal I'd be excluded from worship and that's not in keeping with the mission. For us we plan a gradual easing.

[quote KatyNonRoyal]@User133847 Yes it's important not to get carried away, remember every person you meet is a hive of possible infections and if not you then someone's nana, I hope we can raise our children as a community to fully understand this and realise that the real freedom lies in being protected from pointless risks. An amazingly high number of people died without even a pre-existing condition:

Figures for COVID-19 deaths with no underlying health conditions are available on Table 5, this means where no other underlying condition was listed on the death certificate.

No pre-existing condition: England and Wales – 4476
www.ons.gov.uk/aboutus/transparencyandgovernance/freedomofinformationfoi/covid19deathsbyageanddeathsfromcovid19only

So getting careless and losing sight of the need to be wary and avoid contact just leads to tragedy. Hopefully furlough already being extended to September in the budget means lockdown will carry on until we've got boosters for all the variants.[/quote]
Wow, your opinion on this is quite worrying, are you always this anxious?

Personally, I was very tempted to sign up to the covid trial, if I could organise a few weeks of childcare I would do it! The level of fear on MN in mostly young, healthy people is very odd, and quite unique from what I can see on other forums.

@PurBal

At our church we won't be going back to normal. We have people who have been shielding since March 2020 (even though they didn't have to the entire time) and "going back to normal" would exclude a lot of people, like your CEV son. Just because you can do something doesn't mean you should. And church should be somewhere everyone, not just the vaccinated, feel safe. I'm pregnant, there is evidence that contracting COVID-19 in the third trimester can be serious for the mother and cause preterm birth (although there's obviously not loads of research on the subject). If church goes back to normal I'd be excluded from worship and that's not in keeping with the mission. For us we plan a gradual easing.

Yes, this situation is why I think some venues will keep masks, because otherwise some people can't go.

This is some Handmaids Tale style rhetoric @KatyNonRoyal! ‘we can raise our children as a community to fully understand this and realise that the real freedom lies in being protected from pointless risks.’ Where does the next risk come from if we get rid of COVID? Are we going to raise our children to not go outside due to the ‘pointless risks’? Keep women inside, that will keep them safe. Keep everyone safe, miserable and we can all live to 120! No thanks.

@PurBal and @ChameleonClara agree, it's about inclusion. Disabled people face too many barriers already and have had therapeutic and other care massively reduced these past 12 months. I'm glad that some organisations at least are mindful of this and are making active plans to ensure that they will facilitate participation of disabled people.

Don't worry, @KatyNonRoyal is being 'funny' - posting her hilarious satire on other threads too, she's a regular Dorothy Parker.

"So getting careless and losing sight of the need to be wary and avoid contact just leads to tragedy. Hopefully furlough already being extended to September in the budget means lockdown will carry on until we've got boosters for all the variants."

Its opinions like @KatyNonRoyal that genuinely frighten me. People will total lack of logical thinking , complete in fear and think they are completely valid.

The existing vaccinations already provide high effectiveness over the variants according to to studies which I'm happy to link if anyone wants to see.

Hospital admissions and deaths are on the decline despite variants. How people want lockdown to continue is beyond me. We have vaccines with high efficiency rates. Come later this year, theres no reason why we should carry on like this and not treat it like any other illness.

People are that afraid of dying, they are forgetting to live.

She (@KatyNonRoyal)
IS TAKING THE PISS!

She is being 'funny

(She is not funny)

@HazeyJaneII

She (*@KatyNonRoyal*) IS TAKING THE PISS!

She is being 'funny

(She is not funny)

I see she's talking about those who have DIED on another thread

But if she's kidding, she missed the memo.

Oh christ I should be clearer

She missed the memo because satire died ages ago.

I think the trouble is satire has to be clever and funny - KatyNonRoyal is neither of those things.

Satire is alive and well and living in a place far, far away from KatyNonRoyal.

No-one knows where things will be on 21st June.

@Excitablemuch

I’m a dickhead then!

I’m not wearing a mask after June. No way. I would like proper evidence they have had an impact on infection rates before I consider it. I think they just make people feel safer and maybe remind people to behave in a more hygienic way. People reuse the same mask sat in the their car or pocket for weeks I would bet. It’s probably even less hygienic than not wearing one.

I’m not spending my life outside the house trying to communicate with my two small children with a mask over my face when I am allowed to communicate with hundreds daily in school without one. It breaks my heart that my two year old asks for a mask sometimes. I won’t live my life with a mask on my face forever once we are vaccinated why would I?

I get some people won’t be vaccinated but that’s true for all vaccinations....

Totally agree my little one is scared of them

Ignore Whitty he has his own agenda

And what agenda is that @Beaniecats? Do explain to the rest of us who don’t have your superior insight. I came on this thread in the hope of getting some useful information (I know, it’s Mumsnet, I was over-optimistic) only to find you repeatedly peddling the same pointless rhetoric. It’s like a tantrumming toddler.

[quote notrub]@Dolciedolly

Unfortunately social distancing is causing a lot of harm mentally to a lot of people

Bollocks it is.

Stay at home orders maybe, but nobody's mental health is affected by wearing a mask, or not being able to go clubbing.[/quote]
Yeah. Because avoiding natural human contact, treating strangers like biological weapon carrying lepers and telling people to stay away from anyone not in their household isn't going to have a mental health impact. 🙄

To those who arre wondering why masks arent mentioned in the road map, my understanding is that masks (along with other SD measures), like foreign travel arent in the roadmap because they have a separate review and that review will determine the SD measures going forward. This doesnt mean that because they arent mentioned they are here to stay forever.

The likelihood given by Jonathan Van Tam and Chris Whitty is that by the end of the roadmap period (June 21st), masks and social distancing will essentially be personal choice, but may need to be bought in again over the Autumn/Winter depending on how things look then.