please empty your brain below
Such redundant signs are all around my workplace (a university) and irritate me daily. And yet I don’t feel I have the authority to take them down.

Dan | 23.03.25 - 7:10 a.m. | #

Covid-19 was an exception to the rule that most infectious diseases are spread by surface or personal contact. Washing or sanitising hands at key moments when transmission is probable and not touching eyes or mouth without having done so remains excellent public health advice.

David B | 23.03.25 - 7:42 a.m. | #

The covid vaccine programme continues, for those over 75 (not 60) or immuno compromised. Like the virus, it hasn't gone away. Maybe the pharmacy is part of that programme.

dg writes: The scheme is currently closed.

Ian | 23.03.25 - 7:43 a.m. | #

Have a google of “Pittakionophobia”, an anxiety of stickers, especially half torn stickers, or stickers that you aren’t able to remove, and just the general overwhelming desire to remove stickers that have been put up in places whey they shouldn’t have been, it’s a real thing.

The mess of flaked away blue circular stickers on the ground that urged us to keep 2 metres apart are still everywhere all over London, and it makes me feel uneasy everytime i see one.

Martin | 23.03.25 - 8:43 a.m. | #

I suspect many of the 'Keep your distance/Keep apart 2m' signs on the pavement have been left to fade away naturally. There is still a group of them slowly disappearing outside Redbridge Sports Centre.

Alan S | 23.03.25 - 8:47 a.m. | #

Was 'walk your dog on a lead' ever part of official advice, as suggested by Dulwich? Surprised by Islington Museum, as I know a number of very switched-on people associated with the place. Aside from directional signage to places that no longer exist, many of these contain sound advice from a personal and public health viewpoint and continue to serve as nudge info - not hectoring nor nannying.

Frank F | 23.03.25 - 8:53 a.m. | #

Red and white warning sign on the highway are similar."Caution new junction layout" years after the junction was remodelled. North end of Tramway Avenue in to Stratford had one. It was so old that it became valid again when the gyratory was converted back to 2 way!

scrumpy | 23.03.25 - 8:53 a.m. | #

The communication that still grates with me is the letter we all got through our doors from our beloved Prime Minister telling us about the various initial restrictions. It was presumably thought necessary for anyone who was oblivious to any other form of media, but was never followed up by anything further through our doors rescinding the rules. I occasionally wonder about the equivalent of those soldiers emerging from the Japanese jungle not realising that the Second World War has ended.

Andrew S | 23.03.25 - 8:57 a.m. | #

The priority postbox concept is a good concept to be retained for any kind of "at home" testing sample return, such as bowel cancel screening which over 50's are supposed to be routinely invited to submit to every 2 years (oh joy).

And I think the covid 19 vaccination has only recently stopped and will remain seasonally available. It could be a commercial decision from the pharmacy whether to prompt awareness for this autumn

MilesT | 23.03.25 - 9:18 a.m. | #

I've been noticing such things for a while now. I will start taking pictures.

Auntie Doris | 23.03.25 - 9:29 a.m. | #

I'm 77 and booked for a Covid vaccination next week, but this year it's at my GP's surgery, whereas in some previous years it's also been available at pharmacies.

Peter | 23.03.25 - 10:13 a.m. | #

There are still Barnet Council banners on Golders Green Road saying "Covid 19 has not gone away", they've been there since about 2021.

eh_oh | 23.03.25 - 10:59 a.m. | #

I often look at the ghost images of stickers and paint on the pavement in shopping areas and wonder if children born after about 2017-2018, and who are now at school and learning to read, are curious as to why they're there.
I can picture class trips when learning about recent/local history being taken out to spot such signs!

Cornish Cockney | 23.03.25 - 11:26 a.m. | #

Surprised the bus stop flags haven't at least been covered as 'stop closed'.

Still Anon | 23.03.25 - 11:47 a.m. | #

The hand washing instructions are now a permanent installation in lots of private premises toilets, as it's easier to leave them up and they are still correct, in that it's the proper way to wash your hands thoroughly, even if it wasn't especially essential for Covid prevention anyway.

And not just here, in Belgium I saw regularly saw them in the toilets in museums, restaurants, pubs etc

Mikey C | 23.03.25 - 12:07 p.m. | #

They will seen become novelties like the ghost 'Air Raid Shelter' signs that are around.

Chris | 23.03.25 - 12:29 p.m. | #

Would've been worth sending that shelter to Croydon following the entire shelter debacle there!

My highlights:
- My dental practice still has the full array of Covid 19 signage, even the plexiglass at the reception's desk is still there. When I first started going in 2023 they were still blocking off alternate chairs in the waiting area but that practice has ended.
- Floor stickers still on Lambeth Bridge but I fear that their time may be up soon given the installation of cycle lanes.
- 'New road layout for social distancing' (now reversed) on Fleet Street.
- You still get the occasional bus with the TfL stickers, some urging you to tap in since fares have resumed, another on a NRM imploring you not to stand in front of the line on the floor to keep the driver safe.

matthieu1221 | 23.03.25 - 2:24 p.m. | #

My favourite Covid souvenir is an absolutely amazing poster from Haringey Council urging dogs to remind their owners (yes really) that they’re only allowed outside for one walk per day, which I don’t think was ever even slightly true.

It’s printed on plastic vinyl so will outlast the cockroaches.

Graham | 23.03.25 - 2:41 p.m. | #

Can we have that bus shelter, please. Our closest one was removed about a year ago and never replaced.

JohnC | 23.03.25 - 2:54 p.m. | #

Couldn’t believe day before strict lockdown order people mass queuing to get into a nightclub & parks had partying / music into the night etc.!! So spooky following order, China Town etc. was like a ghost town. (Or scene from apocalypse movie!)

Ole Kitty | 23.03.25 - 3:09 p.m. | #

hello Diamond Geezer; fascinating stuff!

Coincidentally, the 5th year anniversary talk prompted me earlier this week to start taking photos of such traces which persist of the 20/21 covid measures and put them in a Bluesky account. I'm also posting them on my Instagram.

Also coincidentally, what brought me to your website today was searching to check when the Priority Postboxes were introduced and finding the answer here.
Thanks and best wishes, Iain

Iain | Homepage | 23.03.25 - 3:36 p.m. | #

The signs and stickers may no longer be needed, but some behaviours have changed, perhaps permanently. A noticeable number of people still wear masks in public places, probably for good reason. And people seem much less reticent about staying at home when ill rather than soldiering on, coming to work and passing on the malady to their colleagues.

Washing hands did little to help with covid, but being more assiduous might have saved me from a recent bout of norovirus, which has also affected several other people at work in the last couple of weeks.

Andrew | 23.03.25 - 6:57 p.m. | #

Just received a reminder letter for the renewal of my membership of a heritage railway association.
"We regret that due to the Covid pandemic some benefits may be temporarily suspended" they say.
I did wonder if this was using up old letter stocks, but no, it's dated 3/25 at the bottom.

(They also would like a cheque for payment - tbh it's getting difficult to remember how to write a cheque, not to mention trying to find my cheque book)

Back on a recent topic, this year I will get a 25% discount for the first time for being "Senior"

2d53 | Homepage | 23.03.25 - 7:32 p.m. | #

Barnet Council's banners are still corrrect: covid has not gone away, and is still killing people (though not as many).

Betterbee | 23.03.25 - 11:15 p.m. | #

I keep thinking of photographing all the examples I come across but never get round to. There are many. My second favourite has to be the messaging on bus windows saying "THIS WINDOW CANNOT BE CLOSED" so it would provide ventilation.

It was a complete lie as there was nothing to stop the window being closed!

The absolute favourite has stopped now, but most of the way through 2023 Stockport's branch of Lidl was still regularly pumping out tannoy messages telling people to social distance. At least every five minutes. You'd think at least one member of staff would have heard then and thought of turning them off.

Andrew Bowden | Homepage | 24.03.25 - 11:12 a.m. | #

Seen today at bus stops in Orpington:

• Travel Off-Peak To Make More Space
• Contactless - The Safest Way To Pay

diamond geezer | Homepage | 24.03.25 - 12:08 p.m. | #

Perhaps the Islington Museum sign has been left in place as an exhibit.

Trevor S | 24.03.25 - 12:18 p.m. | #

Kennington station had ‘blue for staff’ social distancing box.

Ole Kitty | 24.03.25 - 2:25 p.m. | #

The Spring 2025 Covid-19 vaccination campaign is indeed still active until 17th June for over 75s and clinical risk groups. I had my vaccination a few months ago at my local pharmacy.

HW | 24.03.25 - 4:20 p.m. | #

What's additionally interesting about the sign in the Islington Museum is that the surface it's on looks like it is regularly dusted, implying that someone is picking it up to clean underneath...

Louise | 24.03.25 - 6:25 p.m. | #











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