[capetonianm]

My son and I both have some kind of an allergy which can cause us to sneeze several times in quick succession. Weeks can go by without it happening and then for no apparent reason it will start up suddenly and with no warning. It has been investigated and neither cause nor trigger has been found.

When we can start travelling again no doubt we will have to put up with dirty looks and comments, even if masked.

[DavidSmith2]

I too have the tendency to occasional, but prolonged sneezing attacks – my friends know me well for it – and my father also had it. A change in temperature (in either direction) tends to set it off, but beyond that I have no real idea when it may hit. In addition, I am a smoker and have a fairly persistent cough although it comes and goes.

So my first few flights, whenever they come, could be interesting. I was thinking of hanging an explanatory note around my neck?

The only booked flight currently in my diary is on 30 August (a one way, free flight from Banjul to Las Palmas), but I would need to book at least 3 other flights in order to use it, so I doubt they will see us. A September trip to the UK looks more probable, provided that borders are open and flights are running from Accra. We will see!

[fatbear]

[postquote quote=999621][/postquote]

My wife is an ex-smoker so has what is sometimes referred to as a “smoker’s cough”. She is also now getting some doubtful looks in public………

[Jamseyboy]

[postquote quote=996493][/postquote]

You are not, I have the same thoughts also. If possible I try to fly C class and choose an airline which give me more space. Cocconing is coming back I assume especially under these circumstances. But I believe the main factor is the person itself. If you are sitting in Y class, you have to be considerate to pax around. I for once had the situation in which I bow down my head sneeze in to my elbow, got a tissue afterwards and disinfect with some anteseptic gel and still got angry looks as well as sneeringly sounds of disatisfaction…like how dare I to sneeze in the plane? , could not I hold it for 12 hours??..Luckily the evil looks subsided after some hours.. needless to say that my seat mate did not dare start a consversation with me.

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ASK1945, DerekVH

[canucklad]

What I’m finding sadder and sadder as this continues, is the continuing odious downward slide into societal mistrust .

More than 10 weeks in, and we’re being asked to create more barriers between us, just as we’re closing in on 3 months of the biggest imposition of our civil liberties.

I fear that the mandatory wearing of masks, the enforcement of distancing laws , the reshaping of the our social spaces will ultimately damage our society far deeper and longer than the virus itself !

If this fear of our fellow neighbours is allowed to grow, when businesses do open up, they wont need to worry about social distancing as paranoia will be so prevalent , peoples pounds will stay firmly behind closed doors.

I implore those in charge to get to a surgical solution and get rid of this, rather than first aiding about with Elastoplasting in the dark !

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hi_flier, capetonianm, EternalExpat, TimFitzgeraldTC, Roa1, ASK1945, Cedric_Statherby

[Cedric_Statherby]

[quote quote=1000186]What I’m finding sadder and sadder as this continues, is the continuing odious downward slide into societal mistrust.[/quote]

I agree entirely! We are moving ever more towards a situation where instead of assuming other people are safe to be with unless we have good reason to believe otherwise, we assume they are unsafe unless they can prove they are clean. This is simply not a sustainable basis for much of our social-based economy. But even more that the economic consequences, it is going to create mental health problems on a huge scale – the effect on those who are already mentally fragile of in effect saying to them repeatedly “you may be mortally ill, you may be mortally ill, prove you are not mortally ill” could be devastating, and not just on the mentally fragile either.

[quote quote=1000186]I implore those in charge to get to a surgical solution and get rid of this, rather than first aiding about with Elastoplasting in the dark ![/quote]

I rather suspect they are already doing everything they can to find one!

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TimFitzgeraldTC

[canucklad]

[quote quote=1000191]I rather suspect they are already doing everything they can to find one![/quote]

Morning Cedric

As I’ve mentioned elsewhere in the forum, what’s angered me most is the wasted weeks of inaction when most of us where, and in Scotland still are under a form of“ house arrest”
An opportunity to use the legislative programme to mandatorily test and trace the minority of the population who were out and about doing the essential jobs we all rely on .
Ironically , those who we applauded on a Thursday night are also the greatest risk to the continuation of this emergency.
I’d have gone further, if you deemed it necessary to head out for shopping , then expect to be tested.

I’m boring most on the forum by repeating myself, but news this weekend that Ross County Football Club , a team based in Dingwall, a small town in the Highlands has purchased a testing kit from South Korea has refocussed my annoyance with our leaders.

If a small (non English Premier League team) can invest in equipment so that we can watch them on the telly, it beggars the question, what do we value / want more, an opportunity to view 22 men play a game behind closed doors, or done correctly actually go to the game ?

It also raises the question, if we had heavily invested (nationally) in this testing equipment that has a turnaround of less than an hour 2 months ago, where would the myopic national R0 number be now?

[Cedric_Statherby]

Morning Canucklad

I share your frustration with the UK government. In fact if I could I would “see you and raise you”. The only possible thing you can say about Westminster’s handling of the affair (slow when others were quick, not testing until others have largely no further need for tests, no quarantine when it mattered but a stupid one imposed just when the rest of the world is far freer of the disease than we are) is that they will probably avoid a second wave of the virus. But only because they are ensuring the first wave does not end …

My comment though was aimed at the medical research teams who are where the hard yards of finding a medical solution are being done. I am sure they need no incentive to work as hard as they can. And if – let us hope when – they succeed, they will deserve all the credit, not the politicians.

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TimFitzgeraldTC, canucklad

[MartynSinclair]

The vote/division last week in the HoC showed the ridiculous q’s by MP’s overflowing in to the courtyard outside. I am sure I will be corrected, but I think ca. 450 MP’s were involved in the vote. How on earth is social distancing going to be enforced in boarding / disembarking areas of airports? As for cruise liners…..

[Henryp1]

I don’t believe that the current distance required for social distancing can be accommodated on aircrafts, unless there is a drastic reduction in customers and an equivalent rise in ticket prices. I do think the idea of wearing masks is nice taking into account the differing expert advice. But once removed to eat and drink, I believe this makes the wearing of a mask pointless. Where would customers keep the mask while it is not being worn, there is the possibility for the inside of the mask to become contaminated which will then be worn again.

[canucklad]

[quote quote=1000223]Where would customers keep the mask while it is not being worn, there is the possibility for the inside of the mask to become contaminated which will then be worn again.[/quote]

Well, next time you’re out and about, have a look around you, and see just how many of these masks are currently being discarded like the remnants of a McDonald’s drive through meal?
And it’s not even mandatory yet ?

[ASK1945]

I agree with all the comments just expressed, in the last two hours.

On my daily walks I still see at least 50% of those who are wearing masks (the minority of people I pass) wearing them inappropriately. Most of the masks are useless anyway, if they are to be worn for more than an hour.

All my travel from March to September has now been cancelled and my next flight is not due until November, so hopefully by then (for me) common sense regarding flying will have ensued. However, as Martyn says, what about cruises? I have one from/to Southampton booked for October. I am hoping it will be cancelled, but I have heard nothing from the cruise line. I may have to forgo the deposit because, in the absence of any information about how they are going to organise things, my wife and I will not take risks.

[MartynSinclair]

[quote quote=1000230]On my daily walks I still see at least 50% of those who are wearing masks (the minority of people I pass) wearing them inappropriately.[/quote]

Until a couple of weeks, I was an avid mask wearer, even during my daily runs. Now I only use a mask when going into shops. I get very annoyed seeing ‘certain peoples’ continually spitting in the street & have also noted a BIG increase in littered masks and plastic gloves.

My next flight – I live 30 minutes or so from Heathrow and intend making a Scotland day trip run (using avios) within the next 5 – 6 weeks. Sole purpose, to try and get my confidence back for when the world opens up for more than a summer holiday…

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ASK1945

[cwoodward]

I read that New Zealand is again leading the way back to semblance of normality.
With the country now 100% clear of active virus cases the Super Rugby season will restart on Friday and with fans again allowed to fill the stands.
I understand that the competition is beamed live to many countries and rugby fans will have again a taste of first class rugby after a very long drought.
A first small step towards making that silly catchall phrase ‘The New Normal’redundant.

[SimonS1]

[quote quote=1000206]It also raises the question, if we had heavily invested (nationally) in this testing equipment that has a turnaround of less than an hour 2 months ago, where would the myopic national R0 number be now?[/quote]

The testing equipment didn’t exist 2 months ago. The instant tests kits were simply not available or accurate enough. It’s only now that capacity and reliability has come on stream.

[Author]

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