By Ben Kerrigan-
Face coverings mandate in most indoor venues in England is necessary, given the spread of the Omicron variant, but is also suspect in its timing, given the exposed parties at Downing Street.
Medical experts spoken to by this publication sorry believe the reported spread of the Omicron variant calls for an urgent response to keep it in check, but are suspicious of the overall
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Yet, when the British government responds the every next day following publicised reports of multiple parties in Downing Street, alarm bells must be ringing. Questions as to whether the government really believes the a virus is spreading at the rate they claim or have heard become important.
The reckless disregard for the rules last christmas has led many critics and analysts to conclude that the government could not have genuinely believed the virus was as serious as they were claiming it to be.
The new rules require people to wear masks in locations including theatres, cinemas, places of worship, museums and indoor sport stadiums. The rules are to play safe in the face of research figures reported to show that the virus is spreading widely in the Uk.
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Observers remain concerned about the timing of the announcement of this rules, suggesting them to be corrupted by diversionary tactics.
The requirement for vaccination passports to enter night clubs has also been seen as a leap in policy. The government’s idea is that vaccines prevents the potential spread of the virus, though many members of the public see no sense in imposing vacicne mandates sine vaccinated people can still fall ill from the virus and be hospitalised.
One nurse advising the Eye Of Media.Com said: ”vaccines have diffrerent effects on different poeple, the fact the some people still fall ill does not mean it doesn’t prevent others from falling ill. Studies are still ongoing, there isn’t hundred percent knowledge about the efficacy of these vaccines, but limiting risk does not hurt at this stage, provided it is properly reviewd in January, as stated by Boris Johnson”.
Difficult
Minister for Small Business Paul Scully said new restrictions were “undoubtedly difficult for businesses” but the government was “trying to get the balance right” by not shutting down the economy and instead bringing in “proportionate measures”.
He added that recovery loans and grants were still available for businesses which were struggling.
Labour has said it will back the plans, allowing them to pass in the Commons.Opposition from some Tory backbenchers ahead of a vote on the controls in the Commons next week has been fierce, as many have vowed to vote aginst the proposlas when they come before parliament next week.
The opposition to the new rules may be insufficient to prevent Johnson’s new rules from being passed in parliament, but they could also be affected by the findings of the investigation into the three parties that took place in Downing Street.
Health Secretary Sajid Javid said the new rules will buy time against the Omicron variant amid a “credible risk” of a crisis in the NHS.
Mr Javid said the evidence was that Omicron was doubling every 2.5 or three days, which could mean a million infections by the end of the month as it takes over from the Delta variant in the UK.
Yet, the bacteria this ghovernment has to deal with is the serious knock to its credibility caused by the leaks of the past few days revealing that coronavirus rules were broken almost across the board, raising questions as to how much faith can be put on what they tell us.
The requirement to wear a face covering was reintroduced in shops and on public transport at the end of November, as a response to the emergence of the Omicron variant.
Face Masks are not compulsory in hospitality venues such as pubs and restaurants, nor in places where it is “not practical to wear them”, like gyms.
The updated rules mean the public, and staff in public facing areas, will also now be required to wear face coverings in community centres, members clubs, libraries, bingo halls, snooker, halls, casinos, skating rinks and bowling alleys.
Similar rules on masks in indoor settings have already been introduced in other parts of the UK.
Under the other changes for England:
From Monday, people will be asked to work from home where possible
From Wednesday, the NHS Covid Pass – proving vaccination status or a negative lateral flow test – will also be required for visitors to nightclubs, indoor unseated venues with more than 500 people, unseated outdoor venues with more than 4,000 people, and any event with more than 10,000 people
People will be exempt from showing a Covid passport when attending religious worship, weddings and funerals.
Devastating Impact
Time Industries Association has said Covid passes could have a “devastating impact” in the “crucial” pre-Christmas period for clubs – while pubs and restaurants have warned they face a collapse in demand at their busiest time of year due to the work-from-home guidance.
Dame Rosemary Squire, joint chief executive of West End theatre operator Trafalgar Entertainment, welcomed the new rules on mask-wearing in venues as “further reassurance to customers, performers and venue staff” but suggested the restrictions could “amplify concern” for some customers.
While a substantial rebellion among Conservative backbench MPs is expected when the plans come to be voted on, they are likely to pass with support from Labour.
Nonetheless, former Justice Secretary Robert Buckland said the government needed to be on a “mission to explain” the case for Covid passes ahead of the Commons vote.
“I hope between now and Tuesday we’d get a lot more information about Covid passports,” Mr Buckland told the BBC’s Newscast podcast.
He said he was broadly supportive of the move to Plan B in England, but Covid passports were “a bit more of a vexed question”.
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