Think it’s down to individual practice. My clinic has been open to face to face for prob 9-12 months.
They're obviously having less face to face consultations, my local doctors surgery used to have a packed car park all day every day, but now it's almost empty for most of the time. But I actually prefer phone/facetime consultations for most things, when it's serious they still see you straight away. When I was really ill earlier in the year, I got an appointment within a couple of hours and was on a ward in HRI within a couple more (though it did take them fourteen hours to find me a bed).
Yet another survey, this time from St George’s Hospital in South-West London, undermines the view that facemasks prevent the spread of Covid. Researchers reported that ‘high risk wards, including ones treating cancer patients and intensive care units, retained the mask obligation. ‘But removing the mask policy in phase two did not produce a “statistically significant change” in the hospital-acquired Covid infection rate’. Equally, they ‘did not observe a delayed effect’ in the Covid infection rate once the policy was removed. This was despite transmission of the virus spiking within the community. Those in high-risk wards – the control group – who continued wearing masks, also ‘found no immediate or delayed change in the infection rate’. Despite all this, we are told: ‘That doesn’t mean masks are worthless against Omicron.’ If you say so. We have now had three surveys, the Danish mask study, the Cochrane Review and this one, all pointing the same way – but still the mask fanatics won’t give up. This is surely politics, not science.
So it's irrelevant now because you were wrong, you was one of the covid nazi's having a rant about some workers going into a cafe and not wearing a mask, some of us knew they made sod all difference from the beginging and it was all show.
I really can't understand why people see a reason to debate this. It's so bloody simple, if you don't believe in wearing a mask then don't wear one. If want to wear a mask then wear one. What's the problem? Looking for an argument where there isn't one.
When there was no choice, people were rightly pointing out the nonsense of the imposition. It was about control of people not control of infections. The argument for masks was that it stopped the infected spreading the disease, which was false anyway, but anyone wearing a mask is demonstrating that they are thick and/or irresponsible, as they are effectively saying "keep clear as I'm infectious". If they believe that, they should stay away from people.
Try going in a hospital or some doctors surgeries without one. Had to go for a blood test two weeks ago. Was told to put a mask on. I am exempt because of COPD. The harridan on the door said there were no exemptions. She would have to check if the person was willing to see me. I could not be bothered arguing so put one on. The short walk to the room had me having difficulty breathing. The girl doing the blood test said you sound bad, take the mask off if it helps. Some in our health service really do like a bit of power.
The problem was the politics surrounding it. The divisions it created. Plus the financial and environmental aspects of the usage. Many don't want to go back to it and also to hold those who made these decisions to account.
Put it on, walk 3 paces past the **** then take it off. My pharmacy prefers you were a mask but then you can't understand them and they can't understand you (through the glass screen). Result is you and pharmacist take masks off and converse normally.
Certainly not consistant with their rules, been in hospital and never got questioned and also in doctors and dentist, its a mad world we live in.
Had to go to Castle Hill last month, had to wear a mask. My surgery was taken over by Humber Primary Care, now, for some things you still use the surgery but for others the local health centre, which is where my blood test was. They have shut down another surgery and their patients have to go to the health centre now. My surgery’s doctors split their time between the two. A cynic might think as practices are paid on how many patients are registered not how many they see that it is bringing more money in but no more patients are seen.
