The rise of the mask mutineer and how A&E is replacing GPs

I thought I’d seen it all when out and about with people not wearing masks where required to do so or if they are, leaving their nostrils exposed or having it sit under their chin.

But to top this, a man entered a bus in Maryhill, Glasgow (no mask or exemption lanyard), sat down and closed the window. He then rose from his seat, crossed to the other side of the bus and closed another window – stopping all ventilation. A lady got up from her seat and reopened the windows, leading to aggressive mutterings from this inconsiderate, possibly clueless or ‘could-not-give-a-damn’ passenger.

Gordon Paterson, Glasgow

I think it’s absolutely disgusting and selfish how people don’t wear masks on London Transport while coughing and sneezing everywhere.

I use the trains and buses every day and there are more people than not who don’t wear a mask. I don’t believe for one minute all these people are exempt.

I think something should be done to make this mandatory – people should have to prove they are exempt before being allowed on to public transport as this is unfair for those of us who do wear masks.

Judi Sarolkin, London

As the UK lurches towards another lockdown due to the continued rise in Covid cases, deaths and hospitalisations, what have we done wrong to deserve this government?

Prime minister Boris Johnson tells us ‘all is well’ but the World Health Organisation tells us it certainly isn’t. Johnson is a politician, the WHO is a body of doctors – who would you trust in this particular scenario?

Hundreds of deaths and 30,000 to 40,000 cases every day, yet we still have crowds at football matches…

Fred, South East London

Further to readers’ responses to the government proposal to name and shame GPs who don’t see patients face to face (MetroTalk, Mon). Our GP put my elderly mother at risk not once but twice and, if it wasn’t for our local A&E, she might not be here today. We raised a formal complaint but apart from an acknowledgement, they’re not interested in saying sorry, with Covid being used as the reason for not seeing patients, despite us all being double vaccinated and still wearing masks.

Lynda, East London

My surgery is always empty and you’re lucky if you can get a phone consultation. After suffering a severe headache for seven days, I tried to get a phone consultation for two days without success. As I had a brain bleed three years ago, I was so worried I went to A&E.

Maria Stannard, Peterborough

My GP’s surgery seem to be seeing patients face-to-face very rarely.

I’ve had to discuss a skin complaint on my back over the phone and then send in a photo of it – rather difficult when I live alone.

Then there’s the annoying method of giving appointments where they can’t guarantee any particular time. So they’ll offer you, say, from 9am to 1pm but I work in a customer-facing job and can’t pick up the phone at whatever random time the GP chooses to call me.

I don’t suppose he or she could answer a call from their GP in such a fashion when seeing a patient.