We are being "encouraged" to wear a mask

I see the club has put out a statement saying the above under the guise of health and safety.

If anybody is that worried to wear a mask in an outdoor setting then let them, but why are the rest of us being encouraged?

All they have done is sow the seeds of doubt that here we go again, another season that will be different / disrupted.

Looks a lot like the club saying be comfortable with your freedom of choice to go either masked or maskless to me. Plenty of former staff who should have worn masks at BP!

Fine, I won't as unless you have a N95 mask, in fact several of them then the fabric ones people wear are as much use as a chocolate fireguard. If people want to wear their comfort blanket then fine, but not for me.

Quoted from lew chaterleys lover

I see the club has put out a statement saying the above under the guise of health and safety.

If anybody is that worried to wear a mask in an outdoor setting then let them, but why are the rest of us being encouraged?

All they have done is sow the seeds of doubt that here we go again, another season that will be different / disrupted.

Remember there will be staff and fellow fans who may not have had their second jab or, like me, won’t be fully protected from the second dose yet.

Plus not all of Blundell Park is outdoors.

The wearing of masks helps to protect others which, to me, is a good enough reason to wear them. I wouldn't know if other people were more at risk or were unable to have a vaccine.

Quoted from lew chaterleys lover

I see the club has put out a statement saying the above under the guise of health and safety.

If anybody is that worried to wear a mask in an outdoor setting then let them, but why are the rest of us being encouraged?

All they have done is sow the seeds of doubt that here we go again, another season that will be different / disrupted.

Do you honestly think the season will pass without fans being banned from attending at some point?

Patrick Vallance said today that 40% of hospitalisations are vaccinated people which to me, means that those vaccines we were assured would put an end to all of this, won't put an end to all of this.

It will be interesting to see what happens to admissions and deaths over the next few weeks but don't hold your breath on being able to attend all 22 home games.

Christ another typical OTT Reaction from you

If someone wants to continue to wear a mask so be it

If someone does not wish too so be it

The club are not making it compulsory, get on with your life the way you want to live it and allow others to do the same

Get over it you massive snowflake, you don't have to wear one if you don't want to.

Quoted from lew chaterleys lover

I see the club has put out a statement saying the above under the guise of health and safety.

If anybody is that worried to wear a mask in an outdoor setting then let them, but why are the rest of us being encouraged?

All they have done is sow the seeds of doubt that here we go again, another season that will be different / disrupted.

Odd viewpoint.
It's entirely a personal decision as there is no legal requirement anymore.
Even when there was one the exemptions were paper thin & could never be verified & enforced?
Most clubs will put out a generic message very similar,don't really see an issue at all.

*moaned for months about wanting personal responsibility*

[the day comes where personal responsibility takes over]

*moans about personal responsibility*

Quoted from Stadium

Odd viewpoint.
It's entirely a personal decision as there is no legal requirement anymore.
Even when there was one the exemptions were paper thin & could never be verified & enforced?
Most clubs will put out a generic message very similar,don't really see an issue at all.

The statement reads: The Health and safety of GTFC staff and supporters is of paramount importance and therefore supporters are encouraged to  wear a face-covering when attending upcoming matches."

Obviously, I agree with you there is no legal requirement so why are we being "encouraged" to wear one?

Everybody will make up their own minds dependent on their viewpoint.

Quoted from jamesgtfc

Do you honestly think the season will pass without fans being banned from attending at some point?

Patrick Vallance said today that 40% of hospitalisations are vaccinated people which to me, means that those vaccines we were assured would put an end to all of this, won't put an end to all of this.

It will be interesting to see what happens to admissions and deaths over the next few weeks but don't hold your breath on being able to attend all 22 home games.

Vallance can get to intercourse though…telling folk to wear a mask in busy places then nipping to the Wimbledon final and not wearing one…


There’s no reason to lock things down again, anyone still believing the numbers we’re given surely has to have a sense of naivety given we know they’ve been twisting them throughout.

The statement from the club is no different to supermarkets and the like…if you wanna wear one, do. If you don’t then again, don’t.

Whatever people choose, so long as they don’t cast aspersions on those doing the opposite to them we’ll be fine.

I couldn’t give a excrement either way…I just wanna be back in BP…

Might as well stick a panty liner on your face, masks do not work. True!

Quoted from LH

*moaned for months about wanting personal responsibility*

[the day comes where personal responsibility takes over]

*moans about personal responsibility*

I think you are missing the point. We are being "encouraged" to wear one at forthcoming matches. Why???

The statement needn't have been made; there are no legal requirements so why use that wording? People are free to do as they please and the statement was completely unnecessary.

More likely to catch it from touching the turnstiles, or even before a match at a pub and a chippy on way home. However I think the club still have to be seen as encouraging people to wear masks in whatever setting it is (indoors or out). I'm not in a risk category, fairly young and double jabbed, I don't want to be Ill and certainly don't want to be passing it on to people I see and work with.

It would be nice for us to concentrate on supporting the side than wasting energy on arguing about this.

Quoted from aldi_01

Vallance can get to intercourse though…telling folk to wear a mask in busy places then nipping to the Wimbledon final and not wearing one…


There’s no reason to lock things down again, anyone still believing the numbers we’re given surely has to have a sense of naivety given we know they’ve been twisting them throughout.

The statement from the club is no different to supermarkets and the like…if you wanna wear one, do. If you don’t then again, don’t.

Whatever people choose, so long as they don’t cast aspersions on those doing the opposite to them we’ll be fine.

I couldn’t give a excrement either way…I just wanna be back in BP…

Your first paragraph is what winds the public up.

• Phil and Holly socially distancing on the sofa all morning then sat next to one another unmasked in the afternoon at Wimbledon.
  
• Dr Hilary telling everyone in the morning that they should be wearing masks at events and then going to Wimbledon that afternoon and not wearing a mask.
  
• Michael Gove not having to isolate because he's taking part in a pilot that only he was participating in.
  
• Rishi Sunak and Boris Johnson that deciding not to isolate because they were the second and third members of the above pilot scheme before "deciding" to do the right thing.
  

Ultimately NHS capacity will dictate whether we do or don't get locked down again but I do think we will get locked down again very soon. The concerning thing for me isn't necessarily Covid but cancers getting missed because GPs are petrified of seeing patients, the NHS backlog getting seemingly infinite, an escalating mental health problem with what seems like increased suicides, kids growing up uneducated, the mammoth of all recessions once furlough ends and the repossessions that follow.

I'm all for wearing face masks but I draw the line at this...

[img]https://di2ponv0v5otw.cloudfront.net/posts/2020/10/01/5f768b83920786ffec25a8ed/m_5f768baecb692cb8715b7182.jpg[/img]

I believe in everyones opinion and belief on this is valid, now restrictions have lifted there is no legal requirement but that doesn't mean i won't respect the person who chooses to wear a mask and give space to others when possible

I respect the people who want to wear one but in turn i hope they respect my wishes and the fact i won't be wearing a mask.

Quoted from jamesgtfc

The concerning thing for me isn't necessarily Covid but cancers getting missed because GPs are petrified of seeing patients, the NHS backlog getting seemingly infinite, an escalating mental health problem with what seems like increased suicides

My understanding from the studies into pandemic suicide rates in the UK is that there has been a drop in suicide rates, if anything.

Historically, difficult periods such as war or disease tend to lead to less people taking their own life. People are more likely to commit suicide when they see the rest of society prospering.

Long term suicide rates are likely to be go up because of further pressures on funding social care etc.

Quoted from lew chaterleys lover

I think you are missing the point. We are being "encouraged" to wear one at forthcoming matches. Why???

The statement needn't have been made; there are no legal requirements so why use that wording? People are free to do as they please and the statement was completely unnecessary.

Do you understand the meaning of the word “encourage”?

Quoted from Knut Anders Fosters Voles

My understanding from the studies into pandemic suicide rates in the UK is that there has been a drop in suicide rates, if anything.

Historically, difficult periods such as war or disease tend to lead to less people taking their own life. People are more likely to commit suicide when they see the rest of society prospering.

Long term suicide rates are likely to be go up because of further pressures on funding social care etc.

Fair enough, I don't know if it's because I'm more aware of it now or what but I do seem to have read about it lot more and knowing people who know those that have committed suicide over the last 18 months. I've also noticed the last few months that a lot of long-term relationships and marriages seem to have broken down.

Again, not a study I've read, just an observation I've seen.

Don't need to wear one all the time. Not when you are in your seat, but half time on the toilet/refreshments visit would seem sensible.

Restrictions probably will be ramped up at some point but outdoor football matches will be down the pecking order I reckon, especially non-league ones.

Quoted from jamesgtfc

Fair enough, I don't know if it's because I'm more aware of it now or what but I do seem to have read about it lot more and knowing people who know those that have committed suicide over the last 18 months. I've also noticed the last few months that a lot of long-term relationships and marriages seem to have broken down.

Again, not a study I've read, just an observation I've seen.

Yes. I agree with you that post pandemic mental health problems are likely to grow into an even greater issue than they were pre-pandemic.

Quoted from jamesgtfc

Do you honestly think the season will pass without fans being banned from attending at some point?

Patrick Vallance said today that 40% of hospitalisations are vaccinated people which to me, means that those vaccines we were assured would put an end to all of this, won't put an end to all of this.

It will be interesting to see what happens to admissions and deaths over the next few weeks but don't hold your breath on being able to attend all 22 home games.

I think the actual claim by the experts was that it is the best tool we have. Not that it will end it. Politicians like Johnson have been claiming it will put an end to it. He’s oversold it.

The reason 40% of hospitalisations are for people who have been vaccinated is because the overwhelming majority of older people have been vaccinated. And the risk of getting seriously ill rise exponentially with age. An otherwise healthy 60 year old is 30 times more at risk than at risk than a healthy 20 year old. Getting double-jabbed reduces your risk to a 20th. So that vaccinated 60 year old  is still 1.5 times as likely to be hospitalised as the unvaccinated 20 year old is.

When did wearing a mask help you get 3 points on a Saturday

Quoted from KingstonMariner

Politicians like Johnson have been claiming it will put an end to it. He’s oversold it.

“Me? The 13th Duke of de Pfeffelpiffle? Here? In a sixth form girl's dormitory? At three o'clock in the morning? With my reputation? What were they thinking of?”

Quoted from Knut Anders Fosters Voles

“Me? The 13th Duke of de Pfeffelpiffle? Here? In a sixth form girl's dormitory? At three o'clock in the morning? With my reputation? What were they thinking of?”

You should write for Dead Ringers 😆

Wah wah!

The way I see it is, lots of businesses are now saying you are "encouraged" to wear a mask, because they would like you to do so but they can no longer enforce it. Just because the PM makes stupid decisions, it doesn't we all have to.

If it means protecting fellow Mariners, I'll be happy to wear one

I wonder how long it will be until it's against the rules to wear a mask in your local branch of Lloyds bank.

Quoted from Knut Anders Fosters Voles

Remember there will be staff and fellow fans who may not have had their second jab or, like me, won’t be fully protected from the second dose yet.

Plus not all of Blundell Park is outdoors.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the statement "Fully protected" incorrect?

You can still get covid with both jabs

Quoted from fishboyUTM

Fine, I won't as unless you have a N95 mask, in fact several of them then the fabric ones people wear are as much use as a chocolate fireguard. If people want to wear their comfort blanket then fine, but not for me.

It's not to proetect you as much as protect somebody else if you have it but as yet do not show symptoms.  Of course, nothing is 100% but it's to minimize the spread.  

Quoted from Morris Minor

Might as well stick a panty liner on your face, masks do not work. True!

If the cap fits.....

Buy a Town mask and help the club at the same time.  Everyone's a winner.

Quoted from Mayaman

If the cap fits.....

😂

Vaccinations are not infallible, no vaccines are but they do reduce the risk of being hospitalised and dying not totally eliminate it. It is everybody's personal choice if they wear a mask or not and that is basically what the club said, they need to be seen to be encouraging it and that's what they have done. As for another lockdown, we can't keep on locking down every so often forever, eventually we need to learn to live with it and after Boris Johnson dubbed this unlocking as irreversible then there is a real risk that the public won't pay attention to newly imposed restrictions which will make them less effective. We simply can't live a life full of Lockdowns every so often.

Why is everyone obsessed with lockdowns?

They’ve hardly been super effective…just keep everything open and crack on.

If folk wanna wear a mask who gives a excrement? Same for those of us who don’t, crack on and see you all at Bromley…

Talking of masks, there was a report that a man Wearing a male private Turpin mask was spotted driving away from BP in a Mercedes car with over 2 million pounds stuffed in the boot some time in May.

I'll get me coat  

I’ll wear a mask and see how it goes moving forward

I was in non-league grounds accepting fans last season and they were as safe as you wanted them to be. You can't stop people crowding together and making noise but those that wanted to keep their distance could also keep their distance.

At the full time whistle, if you want to avoid people, just hang back for 5 minutes.

I wonder if the club have thought about providing an area of unreserved seating for those who still wish to keep their distance.

IMO we should still be wearing masks, indoors at least.

However, if most people are not going to wear a mask there is little point in actually wearing one. As some people have pointed out most mask are not very effective at protecting the wearer. However, masks do help as stopping the spread from you to others. The range at which droplets, which could potentially contain the virus, can carry is vastly reduce by wearing a mask. Mask are also more effective at that indoors. The risk of spread outdoors is much reduced.

I disagree with dropping all the protective measure, I don't think wearing a mask in enclosed environments was that much of a hardship and think we could have kept them, while we kept an eye on the figures.

I'm not really saying I agree or disagree with this stance but when watching the Euro games at Wembley I saw very few people wearing masks and that was in crowds of well over 10 times we get at BP.

I will be wearing a mask - and hope the club will be doing their part by providing abundant hand sanitizers throughout the ground. Every little helps.

I went to the cricket at Trent Bridge on Friday which was a full house and similarly they recommended the use whilst moving about. Ultimately it was down to personal discretion so when I was in busier, less ventilated areas like the toilets or queues for food and drink I slipped one on and when I was stood with just my kids with space and ventilation I took it off. Not that difficult or complicated is it?

Why are we (as a society) so quick to search for a reason to feel oppressed?

It's not like the club is asking you to do something that causes you pain. It was just polite encouragement to think about your fellow Town fans.

God knows we've all been desperate to watch some proper football. I understand why some fans think those who feel vulnerable shouldn't attend, but can't we just be kind to one another?

I can't go at the weekend but if I could I'd wear a mask. It's not hard, is it? We can debate its effectiveness until the cows come home but if it helps others and allows them to feel safe at a football match then surely that's worth whatever 'pain' wearing a mask inflicts on you.

The masks, the vaccines, the isolations and lockdowns... it's always been about protecting each other. Just because we've had this 'freedom day' it seems like people have taken it as a green light to act selfish again.

I'm not trying to deny people freedom of choice. If you don't want to wear a mask, that's your decision. But you can't try and claim you're thinking of other people here - just yourself.

I’m fine with people wearing a mask at the match if they want to, and that’s what it should be now individual choice. I just hope that any mask wearers don’t start taking the moral high ground and verbally abusing non mask wearers like I’ve witnessed twice already since the restrictions were lifted.

I am quite happy for people to wear a mask or not wear one, but what I would like to see is people respecting other peoples personal space. Leaning in front of me in supermarkets, and breathing down the back of my neck in a queue is unacceptable at all times, pandemic or no pandemic.

Thank god it’ll soon be October so we can start arguing about poppies.

Quoted from 140381

Thank god it’ll soon be October so we can start arguing about poppies.

Think it’s been decided that politics should be left out of football.

Another victory for James McClean.

I think they would be disproportionate at football grounds. The virus barely transmits outdoors and the studies have shown that the games themselves (such as the Liverpool-Athletico one) weren't the super spreaders but the planes, trains and buses getting them to the ground and then people congregating in the pub before and after the game were.

However, masks predominately protect others around you and not yourself, thus leaving it up to personal choice seems a little strange. Conversely, all the major studies demonstrated the unless masks are tightly fitted, washed or disposed of after every use and not touched they are about as much use as a chocolate tea pot. They get coverage because they are the most visible part of this pandemic now but ventilation and particularly vaccination are much more important.

I don’t want to wear a mask but feel like I should if it helps make the more vulnerable around me feel more comfortable/safe. There are a lot of elderly people around who will want to continue going to the football and I wouldn’t want to make them think twice about attending so I will keep my mask on.

The only thing I will say to those that want to keep a mask on is, surely things won’t ever get better than they are now so if you don’t want to take the leap and remove your masks now, then when will you? If a double vaccine won’t prevent you getting the virus then what will? It’s a sad state of affairs.

Not for or against anyone wearing masks now, just hope people are respectful to one another and we are all able to enjoy the game in safety and comfort.

Of course things will get better than they are now. Rates of infection are very high currently but they won't always be. I am remaining pretty cautious as rates where I am are approaching 500 per 100k and I only had my 2nd jab last Thursday. Once we're through this wave, infection rates are lower and more people are double vaccinated then I'll be less cautious.

Feels a bit Groundhog Day on this subject but the NHS is feeling the pinch to say the least.  Anyone who is convinced that the pandemic is over is, sadly, very very mistaken.  I say that with a very heavy heart as no-one wants a return to 'normality' more than myself.

Personally I think the decision around the whole 'Freedom Day' is ridiculous.  At the point when cases are rising, hospital admissions and pressures on the NHS are increasing we shouldn't be taking our eye off the ball, I'm not just including the wearing of masks either.  But that's not the point, the point is that the decision was made that rules are relaxed.  

What absolutely astounds me is that the club are saying, quite clearly "IT'S UP TO YOU!" yet it still upsets people.  Almost to the point that I'm not sure if these same people want the club to come out and openly say masks are banned.  

If you don't want to wear a mask yet see someone wearing one and find it genuinely offends you, then I despair.

Quoted from diehardmariner

Feels a bit Groundhog Day on this subject but the NHS is feeling the pinch to say the least.  Anyone who is convinced that the pandemic is over is, sadly, very very mistaken.  I say that with a very heavy heart as no-one wants a return to 'normality' more than myself.

Personally I think the decision around the whole 'Freedom Day' is ridiculous.  At the point when cases are rising, hospital admissions and pressures on the NHS are increasing we shouldn't be taking our eye off the ball, I'm not just including the wearing of masks either.  But that's not the point, the point is that the decision was made that rules are relaxed.  

What absolutely astounds me is that the club are saying, quite clearly "IT'S UP TO YOU!" yet it still upsets people.  Almost to the point that I'm not sure if these same people want the club to come out and openly say masks are banned.  

If you don't want to wear a mask yet see someone wearing one and find it genuinely offends you, then I despair.

I agree with your last comment but I’ve seen more people bemoaning those who are choosing not to wear one. A woman literally stood and tutted and moaned that people were just wandering in to Morrisons yesterday without a care in the world…works both ways.

I’m not arsed, I’ll be in my seat, watching football at a place I’ve missed…

Very fair point.  It was based on the majority of the comments I'd seen were from people slating any wearing of the mask.

It works both ways.  My personal (and limited) experience of the last few days is that most people are still choosing to wear masks (myself included).

I have just been in a supermarket and some people were wearing masks and some people weren't and nobody seemed to be judging anyone else. Pretty dull but there you go.

I had to laugh as on Monday the so called freedom day Boris announces everyone must be double jabbed to attend large events from September.

Quoted from Rodley Mariner

Of course things will get better than they are now. Rates of infection are very high currently but they won't always be. I am remaining pretty cautious as rates where I am are approaching 500 per 100k and I only had my 2nd jab last Thursday. Once we're through this wave, infection rates are lower and more people are double vaccinated then I'll be less cautious.

If vaccinating 70% of the population hasn't slowed down the spread, which it doesn't really seem to have, plus people being infected twice and post vaccination, then I'm not sure how infection rates will ever drop. Best we can hope for is that it just becomes a flu type illness now that we've got exposure to it and can carry on as normal.

The NHS needs a lot of money pumping into it to deal with the backlog and increased demand from covid. Taxes need to rise, but nobody will be happy with that.

Quoted from pen penfras

If vaccinating 70% of the population hasn't slowed down the spread, which it doesn't really seem to have, plus people being infected twice and post vaccination, then I'm not sure how infection rates will ever drop. Best we can hope for is that it just becomes a flu type illness now that we've got exposure to it and can carry on as normal.

The NHS needs a lot of money pumping into it to deal with the backlog and increased demand from covid. Taxes need to rise, but nobody will be happy with that.

They found 37bn for a system that’s never worked properly…I’m
Sure if they really wanted to fund the NHS properly they could without the need for rising taxes…

I'm happy to be given the option, it makes it my choice and decision either way which feels right.

It may have been mentioned earlier on in the thread but having mask wearing as an option could provide our former Board members with the opportunity to attend games, not even they would have the front to turn up undisguised, or maybe they would.  

Quoted from HertsGTFC

I'm happy to be given the option, it makes it my choice and decision either way which feels right.

It may have been mentioned earlier on in the thread but having mask wearing as an option could provide our former Board members with the opportunity to attend games, not even they would have the front to turn up undisguised, or maybe they would.  

Joking aside…are you expecting any of them to attend a town game again, especially now there’s no free excrement on offer…

Quoted from HertsGTFC

I'm happy to be given the option, it makes it my choice and decision either way which feels right.

It may have been mentioned earlier on in the thread but having mask wearing as an option could provide our former Board members with the opportunity to attend games, not even they would have the front to turn up undisguised, or maybe they would.  

Joking aside…are you expecting any of them to attend a town game again, especially now there’s no free excrement on offer…

Quoted from pen penfras

If vaccinating 70% of the population hasn't slowed down the spread, which it doesn't really seem to have, plus people being infected twice and post vaccination, then I'm not sure how infection rates will ever drop. Best we can hope for is that it just becomes a flu type illness now that we've got exposure to it and can carry on as normal.

The NHS needs a lot of money pumping into it to deal with the backlog and increased demand from covid. Taxes need to rise, but nobody will be happy with that.

Only just over 50% of the population has been vaccinated (received both jabs). You might be getting mixed up with the proportion of adults vaccinated which is about 2/3 I think.

Quoted from pen penfras

If vaccinating 70% of the population hasn't slowed down the spread, which it doesn't really seem to have, plus people being infected twice and post vaccination, then I'm not sure how infection rates will ever drop. Best we can hope for is that it just becomes a flu type illness now that we've got exposure to it and can carry on as normal.

The NHS needs a lot of money pumping into it to deal with the backlog and increased demand from covid. Taxes need to rise, but nobody will be happy with that.

70% would probably have done the job with Alpha and infections were dropping massively before Delta was let in to spread with a cheery wave. Delta is a lot, lot more infectious than previous variants, even Alpha. Approximately 2.5 times as infectious as the original virus out of Wuhan if the data is correct.

'Herd immunity' for Delta is likely to require around 85% of the population to have good resistance to the virus, either through vaccination of infection (the government's preferred route). We're nowhere near that level yet with tens of millions still vulnerable. Hopefully, the strong protection afforded by the vaccines against serious illness will be quite long-lived in the elderly, even as risk of infection rises back up as antibody levels fall. Still to be determined.

In comparison, Measles is even more infectious than Delta and requires 93 to 95% of the population to have protection to obtain herd immunity. Luckily, the Measles vaccines provide sterilising immunity so this isn't a problem in the Western world except in places where the Anti-vaxx idiots have gained a toehold. It would be nice if we could get a Covid vaccine which provided sterilising immunity, but that doesn't seem likely in the near future at least.

Quoted from Hagrid

Christ another typical OTT Reaction from you

If someone wants to continue to wear a mask so be it

If someone does not wish too so be it

The club are not making it compulsory, get on with your life the way you want to live it and allow others to do the same

Having read all 62 posts, so far, I think Hagrid has summed up the situation perfectly.

It's all down to "personal responsibility", something which is sadly lacking these days.

The question is, what's more important to you - your freedom not to wear a mask, or the freedom of the person sitting next to you not to become infected if your are unknowingly carrying the virus?

'Freedom Day' was about the first type of freedom with no thought about the second.

According to reliable political commentators.....

Internal Conservative Party polling showed that the party's core voters and (more importantly) the Brexit supporting Northern constituencies that had recently voted in Conservative MPs for the first time would not accept continued restrictions and new lockdowns are absolutely unacceptable.

If Johnson didn't 'release' things he was facing an internal revolt and probably the end of his premiership.

That is what 'Freedom Day' is about.

Quoted from jamesgtfc

Do you honestly think the season will pass without fans being banned from attending at some point?

Patrick Vallance said today that 40% of hospitalisations are vaccinated people which to me, means that those vaccines we were assured would put an end to all of this, won't put an end to all of this.

It will be interesting to see what happens to admissions and deaths over the next few weeks but don't hold your breath on being able to attend all 22 home games.

Who said that ? All I’ve ever heard is the opposite and that it would heavily reduce hospital admissions and deaths . Which at the moment t seems to be correct

Quoted from aldi_01

Joking aside…are you expecting any of them to attend a town game again, especially now there’s no free excrement on offer…

I'd be surprised if they did to be honest.

As we’ve all seen from this thread, it doesn’t take long before the whole mask argument turns divisive.

Ultimately a few weeks down the line it’ll become even more so, with those wearing masks being the bastions of morality and those that don’t being knuckle dragging morons.

For me, I respect each person’s opinion irrespective of their belief structure but until all restrictions are lifted and that includes ‘being encouraged’ etc, I’ll be keeping my money in my pocket and listening on hullberside.

It’s not a decision I take lightly, but I’m not willing to be a pawn in a government policy, the only aim being to to put one against another, divide and conquer whilst they rule.

Agreed, let's change the subject....

Should Town players take the knee before kick off?

Thank you for your support  

I was trying to point out that because mask-wearing is entirely voluntary, the club had no need to "encourage" supporters to wear masks at "upcoming " matches. I have absolutely no problem with anybody wearing a mask, or not wearing a mask but it is a personal choice. The tone of the statement to me read that the club would prefer you to be masked up, by encouraging us to do so. It even showed a helpful photo of a fan with his next to useless cloth GTFC mask on. Ominously, further on it said proof of a double vaccination or negative test is not needed "at this stage."

People will know what to do in such circumstances; they do not need encouragement or otherwise. The whole tone of the statement sounded alarm bells to me;  just as we were looking forward to a more normal experience we thought here we go again with the threat of proof "at some stage" thrown in for good measure.

Obviously most if not all of you think differently; to me, it sounded over officious and pointing one way but surely to God, we can go to an outside event, especially one as open and exposed to the elements  as BP without being encouraged to mask up?  

I hope there's enough ventilation in the Upper Young's! 😀

We need to learn to live with Covid being around. It's not going away and the vaccination program is helping but it is not a cure.

Whilst restrictions are lifted and there may not be  any enforceabke law to wear a mask I think any responsible business can 'encourage' people on their premises to wear one be it a shop an office or a football stadium.

Maybe if moving around walkways etc in close proximity to others. The govt themselves are encouraging masks on public transport for example or in settings where you may be close to.numerous strangers.

End of the day personal choice but is it really a massive
ask to wear a mask on occasions and show a little thought and consideration for others?

Sadly too many people people are like sheep and have to be led. They won't take responsibility for their own actions. It is easier if someone else, either the Government or some establishment, lays down the rules. If it turns out wrong or ill-advised then they can be blamed, as opposed to blaming themselves for making any kind of decision. You can either want to live in a "nanny state" where every decision is made for you or you want to accept some responsibility for your actions and decisions.

Quoted from rancido

Sadly too many people people are like sheep and have to be led. They won't take responsibility for their own actions. It is easier if someone else, either the Government or some establishment, lays down the rules. If it turns out wrong or ill-advised then they can be blamed, as opposed to blaming themselves for making any kind of decision. You can either want to live in a "nanny state" where every decision is made for you or you want to accept some responsibility for your actions and decisions.

The inherent problem is that for everyone who can take responsibility for their own actions and act for (generally) the common good there is someone else who is too f*cking thick or selfish to consider the implications of their actions if they don't act for the common good. They don't give a sh*t that their actions could lead to someone else catching Covid because that has nothing to do with them.

Quoted from lew chaterleys lover

Thank you for your support  

I was trying to point out that because mask-wearing is entirely voluntary, the club had no need to "encourage" supporters to wear masks at "upcoming " matches. I have absolutely no problem with anybody wearing a mask, or not wearing a mask but it is a personal choice. The tone of the statement to me read that the club would prefer you to be masked up, by encouraging us to do so. It even showed a helpful photo of a fan with his next to useless cloth GTFC mask on. Ominously, further on it said proof of a double vaccination or negative test is not needed "at this stage."

People will know what to do in such circumstances; they do not need encouragement or otherwise. The whole tone of the statement sounded alarm bells to me;  just as we were looking forward to a more normal experience we thought here we go again with the threat of proof "at some stage" thrown in for good measure.

Obviously most if not all of you think differently; to me, it sounded over officious and pointing one way but surely to God, we can go to an outside event, especially one as open and exposed to the elements  as BP without being encouraged to mask up?  

There is a genuine threat that things will change as they are going to for people going to nightclubs, this will have nothing to do with the club’s policy.  This Government has an absolutely terrible record at saying something and keeping to it. The Health Secretary, the PM  and the chancellor all self isolating on “freedom day” about sums up how badly they have handled the whole pandemic.  From the the message from the club they are only trying to do their best for their customers in line with advice at a really difficult time. You and your personal rights will hopefully never be more important than community health however much you like to moan about it . Selfishness is not something to shout and be proud about, you always have the option of not attending if you feel strongly enough about it.  Probably more will choose against attending if there are many more with your attitude to others health.

Quoted from BottesfordMariner

End of the day personal choice but is it really a massive
ask to wear a mask on occasions and show a little thought and consideration for others?

This is what it boils down to for me. There are lots of people who are looking for an excuse to get angry about something that isn't worth the effort.

If people think masks are useless, fine. Clearly, they are not a solution by themselves but if by me wearing one reduces the risk of someone catching covid even by a measly 1%, or that it saves someone's life then, obviously, I'm going to wear one.

Read the article about Steve Cotterill on the BBC Football site today and make your mind up.

The vaccination programme is about protecting ourselves, but you're also protecting loads of people who want the vaccine but can't have one because they are immunocompromised. Masks and the vaccine are helping to limit the spread.

It's your decision to wear one or not, at the end of the day, but is the hurt of wearing one worse than potentially spreading a disease that's already contributed to the deaths of more than 100,000 people in the UK alone?

Quoted from codcheeky

There is a genuine threat that things will change as they are going to for people going to nightclubs, this will have nothing to do with the club’s policy.  This Government has an absolutely terrible record at saying something and keeping to it. The Health Secretary, the PM  and the chancellor all self isolating on “freedom day” about sums up how badly they have handled the whole pandemic.  From the the message from the club they are only trying to do their best for their customers in line with advice at a really difficult time. You and your personal rights will hopefully never be more important than community health however much you like to moan about it . Selfishness is not something to shout and be proud about, you always have the option of not attending if you feel strongly enough about it.  Probably more will choose against attending if there are many more with your attitude to others health.

I can assure you that anybody who knows me will say I am the most unselfish person you could wish to meet.

I am merely pointing out that it is blindingly obvious that people will adjust their behaviour according to circumstance, by keeping a sense of proportion in any given situation, and they don't need encouragement from the club or anybody else. I am irritated that the club has to issue guidance to grown men and women who will take their own decisions accordingly. I have already said I have no issue whatsoever whether people wear masks or not, I would rather take responsibility of all such matters for myself. In my view the club had no need to state the obvious, with the added threats of proof further down the line.

I am in the vulnerable category myself, but I do not want others to feel they should be encouraged to wear masks because of me. Others feel differently which is fair enough.

There will be a fair proportion at BP without masks, that much is obvious. I don't think they should be made to feel guilty in any way whatsoever but by the tone of most posts on here yours included they will be. What are you gonna do when the unmasked guy behind you celebrates a goal (I hope one of many) and screams and shouts in your direction? Are you going to have a row with him? If not, why not, because according to you he is being selfish and endangering everyone's health. Are disagreements going to break out all over the stadium as people complain of maskless fans shouting and spittle flying in their direction?  This has got all the hallmarks of sowing the seeds of friction between groups of supporters, whereas they should have been more pragmatic about it. "Encouraging" fans to wear a mask to me means they would prefer you to be masked. A lot will not be masked, as that is the law at the moment so why should anyone in the stadium feel under pressure?

As this was one of the questions that formed the fans survey then I guess a good proportion of supporters indicated they would prefer some controls in place.

As we are hitting a big spike now locally then seems a very sensible approach to me.

Quoted from BobbyCummingsTackle

The inherent problem is that for everyone who can take responsibility for their own actions and act for (generally) the common good there is someone else who is too f*cking thick or selfish to consider the implications of their actions if they don't act for the common good. They don't give a sh*t that their actions could lead to someone else catching Covid because that has nothing to do with them.

There are some rather wild accusations flying about there!

Does that apply to nearly all the Town fans last week, presumably including a number of posters on here?

Have a look at the highlights of the Cleethorpes Town match.

People crammed around the pitch perimeter and not a mask in sight. Zero social distancing.

That of course is the real world, with real fans just enjoying a day out, just like they will at BP when the season kicks off.

Quoted from Rodley Mariner

I have just been in a supermarket and some people were wearing masks and some people weren't and nobody seemed to be judging anyone else. Pretty dull but there you go.

Sadly that's been the case even when masks should have been worn.

Quoted from lew chaterleys lover

I see the club has put out a statement saying the above under the guise of health and safety.

If anybody is that worried to wear a mask in an outdoor setting then let them, but why are the rest of us being encouraged?

All they have done is sow the seeds of doubt that here we go again, another season that will be different / disrupted.

stop being such a baby FFS.

Quoted from arryarryarry

Sadly that's been the case even when masks should have been worn.

Indeed it has and it’s barely had an effect.

The Clee Town game was good for so many reasons, aside from being back at football for the first time for many, it was the fact it was normal. Queuing for a beer, no masks, no social distancing, people embracing, people talking about normal excrement, decent weather and just people seemingly having a good time…

Let's hope that nobody picked up an infection in those queues. Prevalence in the area is high enough (1 in 100 or thereabouts) that there will most likely have been a small number of people there who were  infected, probably unknowingly.

Unless they bother getting tested they’ll probably never know either…

I've come to a decision, I will not be wearing a mask at Grimsby games, instead I will take a lateral flow test on the morning of the game which are 99% accurate according to the government and if that comes back as negative then I will attend the game as normal not wearing a mask, obviously if it comes back as positive I will self isolate immediately.

It's basically brexit all over again. 2 groups of people with the irony that the liberals want the side with more rules and the not so liberals want 'freedom', which mainly seems to be about complaining rather than any actual problem.

If you are in the people should wear a mask camp, then wear an FFP3 mask and protect yourself and others properly. Let the others get on with it. No need to argue, those that care have done their part and have no reason to get drunk off at the selfishness of others because there are masks that actually protect the person wearing them.

But the main factor is that people just want to argue about something. Both sides claiming the moral high ground and thinking the other side are morons, when in reality, the truth lies somewhere in the middle.

Quoted from Davec

I've come to a decision, I will not be wearing a mask at Grimsby games, instead I will take a lateral flow test on the morning of the game which are 99% accurate according to the government and if that comes back as negative then I will attend the game as normal not wearing a mask, obviously if it comes back as positive I will self isolate immediately.

99%?! Not a chance

But i agree with your reasoning, i do tests 3 times a week, i wont wear a mask whilst the game is in progress but walking round the stadium with the high rates in our area i’ll have one on

Quoted from gtfc98

stop being such a baby FFS.

I don't know whether you find it difficult to follow arguments, but what I am arguing for is the exact opposite to that.

Grown people should be able to make their own choices in accordance with the current law.

Compare and contrast that with somebody like Bobby Cummings Tackle who fell into the trap of saying people were too flipping thick or selfish and don't give a excrement about others till I pointed out that most Town fans enjoyed the Cleethorpes game without masks or social distancing.

Quoted from lew chaterleys lover

I don't know whether you find it difficult to follow arguments, but what I am arguing for is the exact opposite to that.

Grown people should be able to make their own choices in accordance with the current law.

Compare and contrast that with somebody like Bobby Cummings Tackle who fell into the trap of saying people were too flipping thick or selfish and don't give a excrement about others till I pointed out that most Town fans enjoyed the Cleethorpes game without masks or social distancing.

I don’t know whether you find it difficult to read simple statements but the club has ‘encouraged’ people to wear a mask. It is not being enforced. Grown people are being allowed to make their own choices in accordance with the current law.

It’s astonishing that the ones who moan about lefties and snowflakes all the time are the ones perpetually offended or trying their best to find anything to be upset about.

Quoted from Hagrid

99%?! Not a chance

But i agree with your reasoning, i do tests 3 times a week, i wont wear a mask whilst the game is in progress but walking round the stadium with the high rates in our area i’ll have one on

There are higher rates whilst walking around but not when you are sat down? Does Chris Whitty know?

There will be endless versions of this and other behaviour, from those who refuse to wear a mask in any setting or those who will keep it on all the time. Like I tried to point out at the start, let people decide what they are comfortable with as long as they are acting within the law.  

Quoted from aldi_01

Unless they bother getting tested they’ll probably never know either…

Perhaps so, perhaps not. But a chance that they'll get some sort of an idea when their parents or grandparents, or the immunosuppressed bloke they sit next to at work with starts coughing...

No data available as yet as regards how likely asymptomatic infections are with the Delta variant but, given that the viral load seems so much higher, I'd be surprised if they were as common as with earlier variants. I expect it will become clearer in due course.

There are known examples of fully-vaccinated people infecting others with this variant as well. Something to consider if you don't want to wear a mask and think you're not a risk because you're fully vaccinated. With infection rates as crazily high as they are at present, I'll be continuing to wear masks inside for the foreseeable future, at least until this wave is either brought under control or peters out. Could be a couple of months yet and I imagine I'll probably not be going to the first few matches of the season. I'm trying my best to avoid my young children and parents catching it so wouldn't want to get it then pass it on to them. Better safe than sorry.