We are all being too complacent about this virus
Glorious Gloucestershire Linda Cook took this picture in Lower Slaughter
AFTER observing people that are supposedly ‘social distancing’, at least between groups, in a marquee at a local hospitality venue, my conclusion is that the new strain of the virus may not be the reason, or at least not the only reason, that it’s spread is accelerating.
I think its emergence may be just coinciding with an increase in people’s complacency, or maybe a decrease in common sense and understanding of the risks of coronavirus, and possibly also to the return of students from universities etc.
Incidentally, the venue I observed was even more crowded the previous Saturday when I went past, about lunchtime, and to be honest I was dumbfounded when I saw how many people were crowded into the marquee.
Perhaps some venue operators don’t understand the difference between feet and metres.
My general experience when out and about is that, in the main, many people have little clue, or don’t care, about the guidance regarding minimising the risks of spreading coronavirus.
Behaviour in supermarkets is a classic example. While most shoppers use the sanitising products when they go into the supermarket very few, from my observations, take any precautions when they leave.
I guess it doesn’t occur to them that they’ve been handling goods that have potentially been handled by others and also doors of freezers etc, which could have been contaminated.
Many also seem to be oblivious to, or more likely too impatient to observe, social distancing rules and stand right next to you rather than wait a few seconds for you to take your item.
The principle I employ is that, anything I touch, that is not already my own property, may have been touched by somebody who has covid-19 and could potentially infect me and make me very ill or possibly kill me, or potentially get passed onto my family with similar consequences.
This also includes anything that gets delivered.
Quarantining and/or disinfecting anything new is a pain in the butt, but not as big a pain as potentially contracting coronavirus.
Statistics indicate that your chances of dying from covid-19 are about 40 times higher than that of been killed in a road accident (more than 60,000 covid deaths vs less than 2,000 road deaths this year).
Most people don’t think twice about the need to wear seatbelts, or crash helmets on bikes, have their cars tested every year and the need for car insurance to compensate third parties.
It seems to me that this mindset for protecting themselves, and more importantly others, against coronavirus just disappears if it’s not backed by laws that can be enforced.
I understand that we need to, wherever possible, keep businesses running.
I don’t know the detailed rules about hospitality venues but the only explanation I can think of for that number of people being in that enclosed space is that technically a marquee is classified as an outside space, which I would suggest is complete nonsense.
Having a party of 12, let alone six, in my house would probably present a substantially lower transmission risk, either of which would break the rules.
However the main bar, of venue in question, was almost empty.
If they had split their customers between the two locations they could have maintained social distancing.
I’m not sure whether it was for the sake of convenience, or to tick some legal technicality box, that the venue decided to put all their eggs in one basket, so to speak, and we all know what is said about that, don’t do it!
Nick Cheltenham
Voting has not made much of a difference
✒ AS we reach the end of another decade, it will surely be remembered for its historical significance and its complexity.
In this decade we have had a pandemic which is unparalleled in our lifetime, which has killed without bloodshed and decimated our population.
Our great NHS has been challenged beyond bounds.
The backbone of the NHS, and its mantra which is ‘free at the point of delivery, still stands , but unfortunately in many non Covid cases, there is no delivery.
Although intentions are good, this has been physically impossible to achieve.
On the ground, GP’S are able to offer fewer appointments with time observed sanitising rooms between appointments, and computer literacy required to make appointments which in many cases are beyond the remit of many elderly people.
This has also been the decade of gender sensitivity.
We now have forms with delicately phrased questions asking whether we are of male or female persuasion, or ‘other’. I personally am still perplexed about the third option.
My general experience when out and about is that, in the main, many people really have little clue, or don’t care, about the guidance regarding minimising the risks of spreading coronavirus
Unfortunately this means that even the simple, innocent enjoyment of childhood is in jeopardy of being challenged.
These liberal attitudes contrary to promoting freedom, cause confusion to minds that are not mature enough to deal with these adult concepts.
The outcomes often result in confused teenagers who in future require pastoral care and counselling.
Lastly and also of huge significance and consequence, we have had Brexit to contend with.
We have become the melting pot of Europe with freedom of passage to all and sundry, and our weak judiciary being the subject of derision.
The vacillating House of Lords systematically decimates any government initiatives, with Her Majesty’s Opposition also determined to undermine any fresh proposals.
Our North Sea fishing grounds have been exploited by the EU, and who would ever have thought that the humble fish would currently hold the balance of power in Europe.
With the democracy of the majority vote in the referendum being challenged, it might be prudent to heed the wise words of Mark Twain, who said, ‘If voting made any difference, they wouldn’t let us do it.’
Charlotte Jones Gloucester
We have suffered - but learned a lot this year
✒ I LOOK back on 2020 and consider that while each and every one of us suffered in some way or other we all also learnt something.
While the majority of us accepted that we were all in it together and lead our lives according to the newly revised guidelines it was abundantly clear that there was also a considerable number of us that could not give a tinkers cuss as long as they could carry on doing what they wanted to do.
When younger I was taught Social Ethics and how to live with my neighbour, with animals and with all forms of nature, this came and still does come natural to me.
The rug was whipped from under my feet towards the end of my working life when I was made redundant from West Midland Farmers, however I met hundreds of lovely people and my days were filled with good company and good advice as I went about my task of cleaning windows.
I am reminded of all you lovely folk, some of whom will have passed on, but some will still be out there facing all that life throws at them.
To you, I wish you all the very best for 2021 and that if things are difficult at present, that you will pull through whatever, be it personal, financial or health.
Dave Lynham
MPS now seem to have even less power
✒ THE media have covered for some time that a trade deal with the US could all too easily spell dangers for our NHS and our food standards.
But how many of us realise how little control our representatives in parliament have over high risk deals like this? As things stand, MPS have no right to: a) guide the government’s objectives in trade talks;
b) see the negotiating papers which would allow them to hold the government to account on what is being put on the table;
c) stop a trade deal becoming law no matter how badly it turns out.
The Trade Bill going through parliament at the moment could change this, and has been amended to give parliament a say on trade deals.
Yet the government wants to reverse this!
So we could see MPS voting to give themselves less power over things that matter to us all.
John Ricketts Lynworth