[theo_luddite]

It should be 0762 - however the Chinese wear them morning, noon and night, originally due to smog concerns, so not just in "the  supermarket". Yes I've been over there, twice, but obviously not in the last 12 months. Hasn't stopped Beijing going into another lockdown. Given that a few months ago the Chinese Government claimed they'd eradicated it tells you a lot about  how they control their news. That doesn't mean you shouldn't wear one, but combined with other behaviour patterns you can greatly reduce the risk.

I still believe most folk are getting this from shopping and the kids bringing it home from school - they bring every other bug back with them, especially if you take them shopping straight from school, as happens in my local supermarket, right next door to the local junior school. I know what times of day not to be in there.

There's then additional spreading in houses/buildings with high occupancy levels and more than likely some questionable hygiene habits are creeping back in. It's how the usual Covids (seasonal flu and colds) get spread around. Why would this bugger, whatever the variant, be any different?

In addition to a mask, I'm still wearing gloves and using wet wipes on baskets/trolleys as well as the hand gel before I go into any shop and I give my gloves another wipe as I leave and before I take them off, then wash hands again after putting things where they need to be. Another thing - don't open or touch the stuff that comes through the letter box or is delivered by Amazon/eBay for 24 hours other than to bring it in off the doorstep - then go and wash your hands.

I had a "chest infection" - diagnosed as pneumonia in others - almost 4 years back now. Supposedly not infectious but a shit load of folk I know copped for it that year, so how does that work? I was found to have low Vitamin D levels (no surprise at the end of winter in this country to be honest). I've been taking multi-vitamins daily, been up to snuff each time tested since. Other than the worst flu ever last January (tbh - it could have been more than flu but I didn't have a dry cough or lose my sense of smell/taste) I've not had a cold since then. Used to get them regularly. That doesn't mean it couldn't happen anytime soon this winter or even in the Summer.

A friend working in a Care Home has gone down with Covid recently because someone working there dropped their guard. 5 staff and 3 residents have got it so far.

So, look after yourselves as best you can - there's some out there that can't and some that won't no matter what you do. Judging by the M6 last week, the traffic is about as heavy as when the first lockdown ended, not when it started. Most production businesses have reopened because it's too expensive to stay closed, unless they shut for good. Add the schools and more shops staying open. The stuff on the TV about fining folk for driving 5 miles to go for a walk is just fluff to scare people into staying in rather than getting some proper exercise. I lost a stone from Easter to October and I've put it back on since, so I need some. (Same eating and drinking pattern - so no bloody idea).

That said, Derbyshire and South Yorkshire Police employ a bigger number of pricks who prefer to create headlines rather than help, advise and educate than most forces around the country. It starts at Chief Constable level and works downhill from there. If the Government would actually help, advise, educate and support properly (in addition to shutting the bloody borders for a while) it would help a helluva lot.

Getting a refund on the £10B they gave their mates at Serco, who have done nothing useful with it that anyone can see or find, and giving it to people that need or can use it properly would be a start.

Don't hold your breath on that one though, assuming you can catch your breath in the first case.

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and as for that fluff ..... https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics...27961.html

Where's the Derbyshire PC's now to advise their mates down in The Met?