My father works in the ambulance service as a patient transport driver/assistant. He's been told today that he must wear a mask for his whole shift, regardless of whether he has a patient in the back or not, and if he's caught without one (even if he's in the vehicle alone) it'll be straight to disciplinary action.
I can't be the only one that thinks this is ridiculous. Their reasoning is that it demonstrates 'good practice' to the public who see them as they are driving around (apparently they've had some complaints from drivers who saw ambulance drivers without masks)
What is the world coming to
This is something the powers that be need to be very careful with. A lot of the people who never stopped working, especially in the “key” roles, are already becoming increasingly sick of the whole affair; nonsense like this will simply lead to people walking out. Indeed that’s already happened a few times at my place for one reason or another, and being honest I’ve come close a couple of times.
I reckon the ludicrous masks requirement, and the division and resentment it is causing, is by far and away the most unpleasant aspect of the Covid 19 pandemic so far.
Though there’s some competition for that title:
* People willing to commit assault in order to secure a pack of toilet rolls
* Snitching on neighbours
* Vigilantes going round (mainly villages) telling non-locals to leave the area as they’re spreading disease to the locals
* “Cyclists stop panting germs through our village” signs being erected
* Tyres being let down on non-local cars in certain areas (which could of course have fatal consequences in the wrong circumstances)
* Dominic Cummings, and by extension Boris Johnson, treating the population as utter fools with the story about the eye-test
* “Quarantining” of offices with the ulterior motive of keeping unwanted people out
That’s just a few things off the top of my head, the list is not exhaustive!
On the credit side, I was looking at the website of a bookshop I regularly use. They’ve mentioned that they wish to see sensible distancing, however go on to say that people are welcome to come and visit without formal restriction, and they they welcome cash. They say masks are required by law, but that it is not our role to challenge, and that anyone not wearing a mask will automatically and happily be assumed to be exempt, and that visitors should be aware the staff will not be wearing masks. Good on them, and I’ve just bumped up my on-line order as a gesture of appreciation!