Scotland's public sector is still covid-crazy - anywhere else?

[KnitPurlKnitPurl]

Scotland was slower than the rest of the UK to ditch the remaining Covid restrictions. Masks did not go until Easter Sunday, free testing stopped on 1 May.

Public sector has not moved on. I was in a University library over the weekend - one way systems, sanitising stations, every second desk taped off, capacity limits, big signs up everywhere about masks, even big screens showing the test and protect messages and saying your details may be shared for contact tracing (they won't, because that system has now stopped)

DS, who is an undergrad student at that University has had 6 sessions (2 hours each) of lab work all year, everything else is online. All exams/assessments online. They are "hoping" to get students back on campus in October.

The school at the end of my street are still operating staggered starts/finishes, different playtimes for separate year groups, the big banner about social distancing and face masks on the school run is still pinned to the railings.

Yesterday was in another library/archives in a different part of the country - had to make an appointment in advance, limited capacity, could only have a 2 hour slot, had to wash my hands with soap and water before being allowed in (sanitiser is bad for old paper) windows open wide so it was freezing cold, one way system marked on the door, was told I MUST still wear may mask if not exempt, sit socially distanced from the one other person there at the same time as me.

This seems so extreme to me. Private sector shops etc in Scotland are pretty much back to normal, probably around 10% of people wearing masks as is their right but none of the shouty messages about what you MUST do.

Surely no other place in the UK has a public sector still behaving like it's October 2020?

IMO it's just an excuse to provide half a service. I mean we still need to book into the rubbish tip ffs and they all sit in their little booth and watch you whereas before they'd help (especially if they saw someone elderly or disabled). It's outside! The nearest school is the same, 15 mins between when two siblings get out and you're not allowed to enter the school so have to stand on the street come rain or shine.

I work for the LA in Scotland - still 100% bollocks here.

I've got to nip to pick up a prescription later - I expect to be questioned upon my arrival and treated with suspicion.

I see the bus drivers are still wearing masks and last night was the parent council meeting at school - majority masked up.

My uni still has measures ans i was in a glasgow city council building and staff still wearing masks

and my bloody gp is still a 3 week wait for a random on the day phone call ( which is your one shot if you miss) bollocks

I haven't found any of that in my part of Scotland. My daughter's school is pretty much back to normal, they're allowed to mix with other kids from different classes again, no staggered breaks or anything like that, they had a coffee morning for parents/carers to attend recently. Ive also visited my local library and none of the staff were wearing masks or asking for contact details for test and protect.

@triggery i agree! It’s an excuse to provide less whilst charging an extortionate amount in council tax. Edinburgh is a complete mess with overhanging trees that the council should of seen to 3 years ago, roads are full of potholes and spaces for people causing chaos still.

It is very much "half a service". DD is sitting Higher English today. I have not set foot in her school or spoken to a teacher since November 2019. I know other areas have done online parents evenings but nothing here. Just the usual weak statements about how you can call school to discuss your child's progress.

Elderly DM does not have internet access and cannot book slots at the tip.

Will we ever get back to what it should be? What life was like before? This is the problem with public sector though - there is no competition. So the tip can indeed allow the men to sit in their booths and make you book slots because you can't decide to use ABC Tip instead of the Council Tip because there isn't one.

I am a uni student in Scotland and our library is back to normal service. They plan to resume normal face to face in the new session. The only place I have had to wear a mask recently is at the dentist which is located in a hospital so I can see why they ask this. Our tip is back to normal service and has been for ages. What LA is it you are in @KnitPurlKnitPurl? I am in Fife.

I am East Dunbartonshire - the Uni I was in was Strathclyde, which is Glasgow city council. That'd be the SNP controlled Glasgow City Council, where they're all best buds with our lovely First Minister.

My dd is in 1st year at strathclyde uni and has only been in 1 afternoon per week throughout.

Parent council meetings have resumed without masks and the only places they have been required recently have been the gp and hospital.

Don't need to book for the tip but have been asked for ID a few times

I'm in North Lanarkshire

Universities are a law unto themselves, but I don't recognise any of the rest of that. Our public libraries are open, our GP has remained open throughout, we've had online parents' nights (brilliant things and the school is planning on keeping them) - where on earth are you?
I work for the NHS and we got confirmation at the end of last week from the infection control team about changes to distancing and mask wearing, so over the coming days and weeks the signs etc will be removed - but the property teams which run the hospitals will take time to get round every building. It'll be the same for the schools you're complaining about. Interestingly, DH's company in the private sector still has distancing.

Unless the service is not delivering what it's supposed to - does it really matter? Of course not.

Just saw your post about being in E Dunbartonshire. You know that Glasgow Council has nothing to do with how the Universities operate their infection prevention measures?

Er Glasgow City Council doesn’t have anything to do with covid restrictions at universities.

If Strathclyde still have restrictions it’s because that’s what Strathclyde have chosen to do.

I’m in England. Just the vet practice still requiring masks indoors where I am. This is fair enough imo. You will probably be in a small room with the staff and your pet, often very close together. I can see that clients might ignore Covid symptoms if their pet is ill, too, so a mask would be some help against transition.
Went for a mammogram a few weeks ago, masks required there. Again, close contact needed and waiting room very small, so makes sense to me.
See a few masks in shops. Still wear mine if it’s busy and visit is unavoidable. That is optional, of course.

The excuse for businesses and authorities to provide a money saving service under the guise of covid will stay for some time yet, I suspect. I k ow we aren’t out of the pandemic woods yet, but I mean I suspect that much won’t ever go back to how it was. Corners have been cut all over the place and it suits so many just fine, that I don’t think survives will ever be quite the same again. In some ways this could be good in others not so good. It’s always about money.

I knew it would be East Dun! The local authority nurseries and schools seem to have no intention of letting parents cross the threshold ever again. It's beyond farcical.

Yes I know that universities are not administered by the local councils. But the sector appears to be broadly following the rest of the public sector with restrictions.

DS has a friend at St Andrews has her first year has been pretty much normal with lectures and tutors in person. But again, once you're signed up for a degree at a particular institution, it's really hard to kick up a stink and say you're not happy with what you're being offered. DS's mental health has taken a total hammering from being stuck in his room looking at a screen for yet another academic year.

We did have a survey/census thing from teh council a couple of weeks ago asking questions about how much school keeps you updated and how involved you feel in school. Although I ticked "not at all" to a lot of those, there was no box for free form comments.

My kids school has dropped restrictions and except for the hospital I’ve not noticed any other restrictions/one way systems etc

It’s annoying, especially when the ‘because covid’ rules seem to be not really about covid now. Like ScotRail keeping the alcohol ban, or my local library not letting anyone use the toilets.

I think there’s never really been any incentive to remove things and the government always gives the impression that really we should keep on doing all this indefinitely, “use your covid sense.” Our school still has the banners up about avoiding car sharing and crowded places, and we haven’t been allowed inside since March 2020.

But what do you mean by this vague '...public sector'? The public sector is huge and it varies massively from region to region, building to building, service to service. If you're just having a moan about the university libraries then contact the university librarian and discuss your concerns, and if you're concerned about the lack of face to face teaching then contact the head of faculty. Neither of these fall under 'public sector' though.
The signs in the schools will come down at some point I'm sure - they'll have to contract the work and then get round every single building which takes time and budget. I'm in the process of doing the same for my service and it takes forever - removing signs is not a priority for property services or for my budget, and rightly so.

Public sector has not moved on

IM(long)E the public sector rarely does - or if it happens at all it's only in geological time

All too often, the entire ethos is to find a reason not to do something, and I've every expectation they'll be making the most of this latest opportunity for years to come, long after those with more accountability have adjusted

Oh yawn.

It’s a total disgrace and high time the public sector got back to work properly like most people have been doing all along

I work very closely with a public sector entity in Scotland and any time I’ve been on site since restrictions were lifted it’s all back to normal. Save for the odd sanitiser dotted aboot.

Hmm, not really.

I work for Glasgow City Council and in our building nobody is wearing masks and all that anymore. Social distancing has been removed and everything is back to normal.

The frontline services (the ones who empty the bins and cut the overhanging trees) in my department are fully operational and pretty much have been throughout. Some services were suspended for a while due to the first lockdown but most have been back to normal for ages. That's not to say they aren't providing a shit service, obviously, but it's just just the normal level of shit service rather than anything to do with Covid.