I have written about our visits to a couple of local pubs, both not adhering to the guidelines we should all be following, but on both occasions the pubs were quiet, and we were out everyone’s way, so I personally felt quite relaxed and safe.
And so last night was our first visit to a local restaurant, possibly our 
favourite and I knew they had reduced capacity to give people room. Again we were happy with our table, certainly the one-metre distance away from the next nearest table and again all very relaxed and comfortable, and yes here are my but’s:
My first point also applies to hairdressers and barbers or anyone treating people or serving food, and possibly others. But it concerns the wearing of some PPE, and this is where I would love to sit down with the Government’s scientific advisers and the people that make these decisions and guidelines and find out what makes them come to their choices, and here’s why?
Hairdressers, barbers and those others like the restaurant staff all have to 
wear face shields, no masks just shields, and I’m afraid in my world of logic it doesn’t make sense! And that is because if God forbid one of these people had the virus, where would the germs be going during their breathing exhalation, or from a little sneeze or cough? Well, surely the face shield would mean the bacteria was forced directly down the way. And in the case of the hairdresser or barber, it means down onto the person they are treating, with the restaurant staff down onto the food or the drinks they are carrying?
I can’t see how germs can go any other way but down and so to me it doesn’t make sense, surely these people should be wearing face coverings as well, because we are being told coverings help prevent the spread of any germs should you have the condition. And so in my little world of logic, this does not seem right and does not make sense – but that’s me?
The meal was delicious as always, and it was a good night, a couple of 
other things I don’t understand was that quite a few times a serving member of staff would come out carrying food or drinks with no shield on, and I can only assume it was forgetfulness due to the systems all being new to people. I’m sure when staff can get a minute, they would need to take them off just for some respite, no-one would want to wear one of those continually – but it is their job.
Menus have to be disposable; cutlery can’t be laid out beforehand, as they come with the food, small things that I understand. Still, I don’t understand why it is that when most customers had to go to the toilet, they practically brushed the shoulder of one female guest sitting at their table as it was right beside the only route to the toilet. Why was there someone seated beside the route to the toilets? But so many good things in place that meant a nice comfortable and relaxing night out for my wife and me, but I wouldn’t have liked to have been sitting in that ladies chair for sure.
And finally in the restaurant what about the tables of five and six people who are obviously not from the same or two households and who are then sitting shoulder to shoulder, no social distancing there?
After the meal, we decided to visit another local pub for a drink on our way home. Again I have to say I felt safe and comfortable, sitting in a corner with my wife, and with good shields and systems in place for ordering at the bar and having the drinks brought to us, by one of two servers. And for me, it is important that these systems are in place for the comfort of customers. The only question I would ask of the pub landlord is this, ‘why was one server wearing a face shield (again no mask) but the second didn’t have one on all night (or a mask?)’
It seemed strange to me, but again it didn’t affect me, and I was quite
happy sitting watching the groups of people hugging and shaking hands when they met up! Again away from me and nothing to do with me and that is how people are with this virus amongst us, to me for a lot of people, ‘blasé’ springs to mind.
I have seen more at work this week, people just not concerned about social distancing and the husband of an NHS worker telling me he ‘didn’t care’ about the virus. I had a couple of people come and talk to me, and for some reason, they had to stand right beside me, again with no concern for social distancing, and I simply moved away from them, but in one situation I moved away, the other guy moved towards me, I moved away he moved towards me, I moved away …… and thankfully it was a short conversation, so it didn’t continue for too long.,But it showed me how some people are simply not alert to the situation as Boris asks us to be, in fact, I would say the opposite, or simply don’t care and the more I see, the more I believe it is the latter, combined with ‘blasé.’
I also took my first train journey yesterday since the wearing of face coverings became mandatory, and I would say about 50% of the people who got on at my station were wearing face coverings, admittedly the ones not wearing anything could have put them on after they boarded the train. But I did see others not wearing theirs, and to me, the numbers don’t stack up, all the people not wearing a mask surely aren’t exempt. And one woman sitting in front of me, initially with her back to me then got up, and she had her face covering, but it was placed down under her chin, and again I can only ask why!
I had some shopping to do, so when I got off the train I went to the local market I had visited two-three weeks previously, and with a face mask on I followed a good one-way system with big black and yellow arrows on the floor for people to follow. I stopped to one side for about two minutes, and in that time I witnessed about five or six people of varying ages walk against the arrows, without a care in the world, and what did I do? I stood there and asked myself why?
Later in the day, I was in my local shop, and I started chatting to the shop
owner about Friday 24th, the day masks become mandatory in shops in England. And she admitted other than putting a sign on the door reminding people to wear masks; she didn’t know what to do, she didn’t know what questions to ask, to the extent she said it was unlikely she would ask anyone anything. I mentioned the ‘duty of care’ that she must have as a shop owner for all people, and she disagreed with me. But surely she has a duty of care, and if she politely asks anyone not wearing a covering, if they have a mask, or if they have an exemption, surely she is in her rights if the Government are telling her and us we are to wear them? But then I wonder how many people will say they are exempt when they are not so that they don’t have to wear a covering.
I have seen posts on social media saying people will not wear masks as it goes against their ‘freedom of choice’ or an infringement of their human rights or similar. I wonder how they would feel if they knew someone who had died from the virus and the wearing of a mask might have helped this person, hopefully, we’ll never know or find out – but I still ask why?
And of course, we have witnessed the scenes at Elland Road, the home of Leeds United Football Club, after winning promotion back to the premier league and I have to pass on my congratulations. I understand the excitement of the fans but again it shows peoples attitude to the virus, there wasn’t too much social distancing going on during the celebrations. Maybe even I can say ‘ah well’ on this occasion?
Thank you for reading and stay safe.