If all restrictions are ending on July 19th, why are people talking about mask wearing and social distancing continuing?

[EmmaGrundyForPM]

Johnson etc al, plus the popular press, keep saying that "all restrictions" will be lifted on July 19th. And yet the media is also talking about some measures such as mask wearing on public transport continuing. So does that mean that 19th July will be another step in easing restrictions but not a total lifting?

I hope pubs will be back to normal.
Able to walk up to a bar to buy a pint and stand there to drink it.

FlagsFiend When the roadmap was initially published it did not mention masks or ventilation or even recommendations for social distancing. Step 4 was removal of all limits on gathering size and allowing all businesses to open. For some reason the press decided to refer to this as freedom day and so people saw it as completely back to normal.

Yes this.

Thanks for all the replies. I understand that some measures may still be necessary, eg mask wearing, but don't see how this squares with "lift all restrictions".

Entertainment and hospitality businesses desperately need the distancing requirements to end. I took the July 19th date to mean that venues could operate at full capacity again. I really hope that's so or I fear we will lose so much.

I hear you OP, and have the same issues with the language used.

'Freedom Day' has been touted long and hard and becaise it's been advertised as 'ireeversobke' and 'getting back to normality' it's pretty hard to accept that masks, SD, testing, isolation, school bubbles prebooking everything, etc is going to continue with no discussion on when or how we may get away from these things.

From my pov I give no shits at all as to whether a night club is open but I am very invested in schools being consistently open and able to provide a varied and shared learning experience. I will not consider it 'Freedom Day' until I'm no longer at risk of spending 2 weeks out of 4 home educating one dc or another because there's a miniscule risk they may have asymptomatic covid (that all the people in the night club may also have too...)

@EmmaGrundyForPM

Thanks for all the replies. I understand that some measures may still be necessary, eg mask wearing, but don't see how this squares with "lift all restrictions".

Entertainment and hospitality businesses desperately need the distancing requirements to end. I took the July 19th date to mean that venues could operate at full capacity again. I really hope that's so or I fear we will lose so much.

As far as I am aware I believe (at least for now) social distancing will be no longer required.

It’s masks that they are most unsure of.

However, nothing as been officially said, apart from the data looks good for ‘freedom day’.

I think an official announcement gets made in a week or two. Not sure exactly.

@CroydianSlip

I hear you OP, and have the same issues with the language used.

'Freedom Day' has been touted long and hard and becaise it's been advertised as 'ireeversobke' and 'getting back to normality' it's pretty hard to accept that masks, SD, testing, isolation, school bubbles prebooking everything, etc is going to continue with no discussion on when or how we may get away from these things.

From my pov I give no shits at all as to whether a night club is open but I am very invested in schools being consistently open and able to provide a varied and shared learning experience. I will not consider it 'Freedom Day' until I'm no longer at risk of spending 2 weeks out of 4 home educating one dc or another because there's a miniscule risk they may have asymptomatic covid (that all the people in the night club may also have too...)

I agree here, I am so sick of this constant threat of bubbles closing. I just have very little interest in booking/ arranging anything as I have no idea whether it’ll have to be cancelled because we are (let’s face it parents end up pretty much having to isolate as well because young kids can’t fend for themselves) all isolating.

I’m not very big on planning to far ahead anyway. However, I just can’t get excited about any plans. Just so fed up of the cloud of isolation constantly looming over us.

Wouldn’t be so bad if we were ‘isolating’ because we were actually ill. It’s trying to keep healthy kids inside who still don’t really get why they can’t go outside.

So scrap social distancing but wear a mask
No thanks
I’d rather stay 2 metres away from everyone and not wear a mask.

saying you will keep your mask so you don’t need to encounter common illnesses? We have immune systems for a reason which need to be exposed to illnesses, my worry is that this will not pan out well for the future and any further illnesses. So because a lot of us haven’t been exposed to the cold/stomach bugs will they also now start to become worse for people? Where does that end? I would much rather have the odd cold/sickness bug every now and again than be totally floored because my body doesn’t recognise them anymore?

I think there is a good case for keeping masks on public transport and in medical settings

The former because you are cooped up (usuallly with poor ventilation) for long enough for the contact to be risk, and people need to use it. Avoiding turning it into germ soup seems like a good thing (and not just covid!)

Medical settings because that is where the most vulnerable have to attend, and where even it robusr people might be weaker than usual. Important to have infection control measures there, and especially to keep green/clean areas safe

Agree keep them on public transport and medical settings . Shops must be lower risk as you're in and out but an hour long bus ride right next to someone is not something I fancy without masks - and for many people there is no alternative but to use public transport (including my unvaccinated DF who can't have vaccine)

Apart from that - I hope they go! It would have a massive impact on quality of life if they go in shops restaurants museums etc

@ILoveMagnums

So scrap social distancing but wear a mask No thanks I’d rather stay 2 metres away from everyone and not wear a mask.

And you’d be welcome to do that where possible but on public transport or when having hands on medical treatment, staying 2 metres apart is really not an option.

Hate the masks. It just really frustrates me that some American states - Texas and Florida for example - have ditched all Covid measures for some time now, and they’re seemingly ok. Just fed up with it all.

i'm ditching my mask on the 19th whatever

The original road map has most restrictions/measures to be removed at step 4
Some of those due (not before) 21 June were actioned, and most postpones to 19 July
An update will be required on remaining measures

Because no-one told Covid that it has to be gone by 19th July?

You know that line that comes up on here a lot - "the baby hasnt read the books" - the same applies to viruses!

I think ‘freedom day’ is a con.

Few more restrictions may be lifted but not all.

@AlaskaThunderfuckHiiiiiiiii

saying you will keep your mask so you don’t need to encounter common illnesses? We have immune systems for a reason which need to be exposed to illnesses, my worry is that this will not pan out well for the future and any further illnesses. So because a lot of us haven’t been exposed to the cold/stomach bugs will they also now start to become worse for people? Where does that end? I would much rather have the odd cold/sickness bug every now and again than be totally floored because my body doesn’t recognise them anymore?

I believe this is part the reason why they are saying open up now.

I know there is a lot of concern about the winter and how we haven’t been exposed to other normal winter illnesses.

They would rather we come into contact with them now rather than in the middle of winter.

@ILoveMagnums

So scrap social distancing but wear a mask No thanks I’d rather stay 2 metres away from everyone and not wear a mask.

100%. How can they possibly tout it as “step 4.......irreversible.....freedom day...terminus day’ and so on if some of the most obvious and irritating polices remain?

But social distancing and restrictions on numbers are very often the same thing. If a venue is told it must practice social distancing, then by definition that means they will have to reduce numbers - of diners, clubbers, shoppers, passengers and so on - which will also dramatically reduce their profits.

At the moment people cannot gather in groups of more than 6 indoors or 30 outdoors. Such groups are also supposed to be 2m or 1m+ apart.

Those limits could be lifted while keeping the distancing requirements, e.g. a party of 10 could be on one table rather than a 4 and a 6, say. And a family of 4 can have both sets of grandparents round together without worrying.

@ILoveMagnums

So scrap social distancing but wear a mask No thanks I’d rather stay 2 metres away from everyone and not wear a mask.

And I feel the opposite. I'd rather venues like concert halls, theatres, cinemas etc operated at full capacity and would be prepared to wear a mask if that allowed them to do so.

But my question wasn't about whether we should or shouldn't wear masks, it's about the concept of "all restrictions lifted".... apart from the masks, the social distancing, the school bubbles etc.

What have the Romans ever done for us?

I will still wear a mask on public transport as hygiene for some people does not exist. People are already becoming complacent and that will probably include hand washing. So if Im on the bus, my mask will stay on and my hand sanitiser will be in my bag. I don't care what restrictions will be relaxed. Hygiene on buses pre-Covid was quite frankly, awful.

@ILoveMagnums

So scrap social distancing but wear a mask No thanks I’d rather stay 2 metres away from everyone and not wear a mask.

How can you stay 2 metres apart on public transport, in busy shops, in classrooms, in full waiting areas, etc?

I think it needs to be wear a mask OR stay 2 metres apart, so the default is wearing a mask except where you can maintain a 2 metre distance.

@PuzzledObserver

But social distancing and restrictions on numbers are very often the same thing. If a venue is told it must practice social distancing, then by definition that means they will have to reduce numbers - of diners, clubbers, shoppers, passengers and so on - which will also dramatically reduce their profits.

At the moment people cannot gather in groups of more than 6 indoors or 30 outdoors. Such groups are also supposed to be 2m or 1m+ apart.

Those limits could be lifted while keeping the distancing requirements, e.g. a party of 10 could be on one table rather than a 4 and a 6, say. And a family of 4 can have both sets of grandparents round together without worrying.

I doubt anyone is 'worrying' about those restrictions at this stage.

I suspect very few people have been practicisng 'distancing' or limiting numbers with family and friends for some time now. Maybe on MN, but not in real life.

We can’t be expected to wear masks forever.

I’m so incredibly sick of looking at faces half covered in fabric.

Fair enough if some people want to wear them, but they should be optional.

I’m a nurse and we all hate wearing them - we all fear though that hospital staff will be made to wear them for a very long time yet.

We are all a bit deflated by it to be honest.

People saying we should wear masks in medical settings....staff need rock solid immunity (everyone does really) using masks long term will not help long term. We are all going to get really really sick (not with covid) once other diseases start circulating again. Every time I've returned after a break (maternity etc) I've been quite ill while it builds up (like kids in nursery) then I'm never ill. We have immune systems for a reason - children too, they need to be exposed to germs or they will get much sicker later on.