To be honest I've lost track of what is an isn’t 'allowed' and in many senses we are to an extent back to a version of 'normal' – I work from home* so in many ways my life is not affected too much. That said there are a lot of inconveniences and blockages and generally annoying, frustrating and liberty reducing laws/rules/’guidance’ both in Wales and across the border - the whole international travel debacle affects us as my wife has family abroad and hasn’t seen them for getting on 2 years – her sister was in hospital for months after a serious accident (OK ish now thankfully) so normally she would have gone over. Now the mantra/justification for all this is to ‘save lives’ – but who’s life?, how many? and frankly what a meaningless phrase anyway! Also a lot of the upshot has been apps/test/passports etc. which either are a huge faff to sort or cost large sums – in short ‘rip off Britain’ at its worst, as well of course as happenstance, wrong-headed and often counter intuitive ‘rules’ (often over or misinterpreted by whoever happens to be in charge of whatever venue). I’m not fussed about not being able to have a pint of whatever (we can now anyway I believe) and in many ways these are all minor ball aches but it’s the principle behind this I object to as much as anything.

I get the notion we are ‘Saving lives’, but are we? And should we not accept that people die? That not to be callous or cynical but we do seem to have a rather odd approach to death in the UK/’Western’ world – we do need to accept that people, particularly the elderly and vulnerable – die of all sorts of things. Younger people die too of course and that often feels worse – tragically even during the ‘time of covid’ I believe suicide remains the single biggest killer of young men. It’s awful to lose a loved one but its [not to be flippant or glib] the circle of life…we all need to grow up bit on that I feel (me included I’m in floods of tears if someone dies on ‘call the midwife’ so I’m no great example of stoicism). Its almost as if we’ve shut down and said ‘no one EVER must die, especially of Covid’ and politicians have fed off that and are ‘not on my watch’ and we are trying to achieve an impossible target.

Covid exists and isn’t a conspiracy and sadly some [vast majority] vulnerable people have died but in the main it is relatively harmless for the 95% who get it and now we must learn to live with it as must other states around the world as we do with influenza and other nasty viruses (which too can kill their thousands) and for which we make little or no lifestyle changes or fuss.

*my company have decreed we all but must – generally works well apart from some over excitable and obnoxiously loud neighbours – not kids mind all over 60’s happily lovey their retirement’s while muggins has to listen to their 3 hour phone conversations…don’t use f’ing speaker phone!

This test and track is creating problems that are hampering us living ‘normal’ lives.The symptoms of the Delta variant is Hayfever,now,we are in the middle of summer when hayfever happens.I have had it all my life,so have thousands of others.If I took a test,it would probably come back showing symptoms of the variant.I would then have to self isolate,I am halfway through painting a room for a customer so the inconvenience of leaving that would be a problem for them and me.They would have to self isolate plus their children,grandchildren,friends,neighbours and anyone else who they may have had contact with.So would my partner and family and her friends,my relatives who have been near me.This would snowball into hundreds of people causing businesses to be short of staff,key workers having to stay home,my partners’ daughter in law is a nurse.All because,Percy suffers with hayfever and it showed up on a swab.Now,Covid exists,it is not a conspiracy but,we need to put it into proportion and live our lives safely and use common sense.

I've stopped paying attention too. I still make sure I keep my distance from people when I'm shopping, be courteous and respectful when I'm out and about. But I've been allowing the kids to see mates and having gatherings in the garden for a long time now.

You can't live like a hermit forever, in fear of something killing you, when the life you're supposed to be living is akin to mental degradation in itself.

I'd obviously isolate and do all the right things if me or someone I'd been in close contact with tested positive, but until that time, **** it.

Same as above. I've abandoned all hope of following the latest regs. I use a mask in all the usual mask situations, have no interest in travelling on an aircraft, though I'm expecting to go on a London Underground train in a few weeks - eek.

On Friday mornings (cleanse your minds!) I pick up a brownie as a treat for the weekend - but the One Shoe Cafe have been pinged so are shut. WTF? Does Tesco close if one staff member gets pinged?

JonD wrote:Same as above. I've abandoned all hope of following the latest regs. I use a mask in all the usual mask situations, have no interest in travelling on an aircraft, though I'm expecting to go on a London Underground train in a few weeks - eek.

On Friday mornings (cleanse your minds!) I pick up a brownie as a treat for the weekend - but the One Shoe Cafe have been pinged so are shut. WTF? Does Tesco close if one staff member gets pinged?

The problem with a small shop is it's very difficult for all the staff not to be in close contact.

My own view remains that once everyone has had the choice of being fully vaccinated then we should open up. And that time is close.

I see in today's Guardian that there is a surge in the USA with people who are anti vaccination being told it's too late when they beg for the jab as they die. Those people are to be pitied. I sincerely hope that those who boasted about not wearing masks are thoroughly ashamed of themselves. I further hope that people like Trump, who used their power to misinform are put on trial.

I was at chepstow races on friday evening with about 5,000 others there was at least 20 coaches in the car park from up the valleys and i would lay good money that there was'nt a mask between the lot of them, in fact there was'nt many masks in evidence at all except for the bar and food staff and social distancing was non existant, its about time that the people who think they are in charge in wales realise that the people have had enough and dont give a flying **** for their rules and regulations.

llanwern exile wrote:I was at chepstow races on friday evening with about 5,000 others there was at least 20 coaches in the car park from up the valleys and i would lay good money that there was'nt a mask between the lot of them, in fact there was'nt many masks in evidence at all except for the bar and food staff and social distancing was non existant, its about time that the people who think they are in charge in wales realise that the people have had enough and dont give a flying **** for their rules and regulations.

I do appreciate that many people in the UK don't as you put it give a flying ++++ for the regulations. Indeed there are so many of you that you even managed to make the couldn't give a flying ++++ Boris Johnston PM.

Explains I suppose that per capita your death rate is about twice that of Ireland. 75,000 extra dead because so many of you don't give a flying ++++.

So very sad.

Not your best post Mr Einstein

mad norm wrote:Not your best post Mr Einstein

Well here's the thing Norm. In the UK 75,000 people are dead who need not be. 75,000 families grieve. And even if the UK Prime Minister is prepared to see the bodies piled high, and even if an awful lot of the UK population selfishly don't care, I think it is a tragedy. And I'm going to express that whether the people dying are Welsh, Irish, English or Uzbekistani it matters not one iota, the avoidable misery is something none of us should tolerate.

And I couldn't give a flying f@ck what anyone else thinks.

Stan A. Einstein wrote:

mad norm wrote:Not your best post Mr Einstein

Well here's the thing Norm. In the UK 75,000 people are dead who need not be. 75,000 families grieve. And even if the UK Prime Minister is prepared to see the bodies piled high, and even if an awful lot of the UK population selfishly don't care, I think it is a tragedy. And I'm going to express that whether the people dying are Welsh, Irish, English or Uzbekistani it matters not one iota, the avoidable misery is something none of us should tolerate.

And I couldn't give a flying f@ck what anyone else thinks.

For what it's worth I think your post is spot on. Couldn't agree with you more.

I also agree with Stan, and would add that Welsh people, and more generally British folk, are totally thick and irresponsible when it comes to minimising risk and being sensible