mask

Always “When” rather than “If” . .

/ Tony / 4 Comments

After about 2½ years of mask wearing, stepping into the road to avoid people, and hand sanitising, I finally succumbed to the virus. We had both tested negative on Friday morning (we have to do a lateral flow test [LFT] before R*** can come home for a visit) so everything looked okay. I had been feeling a little off colour since waking up but put it down to simply being a summer cold.


Saturday came, and I spent most of the either dozing in the chair or in bed. I was still thinking it was a cold and nothing else. By Sunday, I was thinking that the cold was lasting longer than it should. K*** said I should do a LFT to be on the safe side and I was beginning to think it might be a good idea. Then it showed … positive … which was not too unexpected. What was unexpected was the feeling of relief. Relief that I now knew what it was. I called K*** and let her know, before calling the boss. That’s another story, which I may put in writing when the anger dies down.

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Flash forward to today (Monday) and we are testing again as R***’s care home had said that he could go back as long as he tested negative. Well, nightmare time again, this time K*** tested positive. R***’s test was negative, so he was picked up around 11:00. It’s messed him up a little as cannot do any of his normal activities, has to be tested every day and his team have to go back to wearing the full PPE.

Then, at around 12ish we got a phone call from his care home. They are obliged to do a test when he arrives as a matter of course. Amazingly he tested positive. Could not believe it. So now, not only can he not do his normal activities, he is not allowed out of his flat until Tuesday.

Face coverings (Not a mask)

/ Tony / 1 Comment

It seems to be a contentious subject. I think we all knew the new restrictions were coming . I remember say to my wife when it became mandatory on public transport, that wearing a covering in shops and supermarkets would be next. I just wish that this so called Government of ours were all singing from the same hymn sheet. On one hand we had A Government Minister (Micheal Gove) saying that it would be mandatory to wear one and two days later, the Prime Minister saying that it will be.

There seemed to be a lot discussions about the type of covering that we, the mere mortals should buy. We must not buy the proper disposal surgical coverings, as they should be kept for the health service workers. Although I didn’t think health staff would be nipping off to Aldi to buy a pack of ten coverings! But knowing how this Government has handled the whole PPE issue, maybe they are buying their own.

At the beginning of June, I took the plunge and bought a pack of four from eBay. They are washable, but no instructions included so assume they’ll have to be hand-washed. Not much to look at, from all accounts they will do the job they are supposed to … whatever that is! It’s not comfortable to wear, but you can take it off when you get outside as long as you use the sanitisers that are supposed to be provided. If the truth were known, it does make Mrs H move around M & S a lot faster and maybe spend a little less?

At the beginning of this month I decided that if face coverings were to be mandatory, then I wanted to have a little bit of fun with them. So it was back onto eBay. A quick search and I came up with these two charming ones. Roughly the same price as the first lot, but may cause a little bit of amusement.

The first time I wore my skeleton covering, I got quite a few odd looks in the supermarket, but now, nobody seems to bat an eyelid. It has become the norm for many people, but there are still a considerable number of people that don’t wear one, or wear them incorrectly.

Today, for example as I was getting out of the car in the supermarket car-park, a car pulled into the bay beside me. The driver was wearing a face covering and also those blue gloves that some people seem to like. He picked his shopping trolley and wandered into the store. As soon as he was out of sight of the ‘security staff’ on the door, the mask was pulled down to his chin. The world is full of fools!!