please empty your brain below
I’m certainly towards one end of this spectrum, but this should be compulsory reading for everyone… those towards the 0 end need to respect that others may still be at high risk and are concerned for their lives, but those towards the 10 end need to respect that others (especially the young) are at low risk and have born the brunt of disrupted education, job losses, social isolation, etc… it’s a tough situation, with very few winners… thanks for this thoughtful and empathetic post tho DG.

Ricci | 18.06.21 - 7:14 a.m. | #

Had a guest in the B&B this week. Retired GP. Not having a vaccine. Not got the Covid sign in app. So I'm guessing he's quite low on the scale.

He did respect the house rules of face masks in public areas and happily signed in at our request. So obviously not a millitant forcing his rules on anyone else.

Putters | 18.06.21 - 7:23 a.m. | #

"... backed up by a vast amount of evidence, opinion, common sense and hearsay."

And of course comp;ete and utter BOLX

JohnA | 18.06.21 - 7:23 a.m. | #

I'm not sure what comments you seek on this. I found it a hard read. My guess is everyone's position on the scale is determined by an almost endless series of factors ranging from propensity to fear to level of numeracy, for example.

I think what really drives my thoughts and actions is the comment centuries ago by Edmund Burke that, and I paraphrase, one man's liberty should be constrained by a reluctance to damage others. Therefore I tend towards 10 on any matter where I think the downside to me eg wearing a mask in certain situations is negligible compared with any possible benefit.

J. | 18.06.21 - 7:32 a.m. | #

Shopkeepers, retail staff and customers in most of the independent grocery stores in my part of Tower Hamlets stopped wearing face coverings months ago. They look at me like I’m mad for still wearing one. Staff of a famous bakery chain wear theirs around the neck, just in case.

huxley | 18.06.21 - 7:37 a.m. | #

Yes, relaxing towards the left side somewhat but ready in mind for a possible swing back at any time. Should the situation ease further, then it’s interesting to speculate that people may continue some of their lockdown habits such as frequent hand sanitiser use, which might reduce other virus spreads - colds, flu - and possible bacterial infections could be better avoided too. I’m not one to get over-concerned about such matters but I suppose there could be a knock on advantage to such learned behaviour. Maybe this is more of an oldie trait though. Appreciated this considered blog.

Herbof | 18.06.21 - 8:05 a.m. | #

I started out well to the left but have gradually drifted to the right. Must deprogram. Must not judge others (unless they are being offensively inconsiderate to fellow humans).

First time poster | 18.06.21 - 8:07 a.m. | #

In spring last year I stepped out into even main roads when I passed people. I rapidly abandoned that as a bad idea but for quite a long time afterwards I walked on side roads instead whenever I could and I have only recently eased that.

Sprout Eater | 18.06.21 - 8:23 a.m. | #

While I am mystified by some interpretations of the guidance, I don't have a great deal of anger. The fact we are trusted to interpret guidance is a hallmark of a decent society in my view.

I reserve all of my anger for people who have wilfully chosen to oppose all guidance on behalf of conspiracy theories about a new world order, great reset or Bill Gates wanting to install Windows 10 on our upper-arms. The noise and fuss they've created, particularly on social media, has made interpreting sometimes vague and often shifting guidance much, much more challenging.

Mike Newman | Homepage | 18.06.21 - 9:37 a.m. | #

I still make a bit of space when passing "healthy" people in the street, even if it's only to lean slightly out of the way and turning my face away. When passing elderly I always give them plenty of space, walking in the road if necessary.

Mikey C | 18.06.21 - 9:52 a.m. | #

I put myself at a 7-8 on the scale, but reading this and the comments I think I'll be nudging a little further to the left now - or at least not worrying so much about what I observe around me.

I try to live by the 'each to his own' level of non-judgement, but I find it very hard not to have a cat's-bum face when mandatory rules are being blatantly ignored eg the wearing of masks on crowded public transport etc. What really gets me is those you see exiting a shop/bank/surgery wearing a mask and getting straight onto a crowded bus where they pull it down!

Cornish Cockney | 18.06.21 - 10:37 a.m. | #

Quite apart from personal fear or complacency, there’s a real difficulty with a government that always wants to avoid giving any directions and prefers to blame people’s lack of “common sense” or personal responsibility for its own failures. It’s not just in Covid precautions, but also in many other health-related areas such as obesity, where it’s politically expedient to blame individuals instead of taking on the junk food processors and manufacturers, many of whom contribute to party funds. Tory aversion to the “nanny state” and Johnson’s horror at denting his self-esteem by having to say or do something negative (such as closing airports to Indian flights) have contributed to massive failures by the government in setting clear and reasoned rules, or even giving advice, in a pandemic where the public might have expected their leaders to show some actual leadership.

Labourer | 18.06.21 - 10:56 a.m. | #

Another advantage of wearing a mask, which only occurred to me when reading your post, is that you can make self-righteous cat's-bum faces to your heart's content, safe in the knowledge that no one else can see them.

Jonathan Wadman | 18.06.21 - 11:32 a.m. | #

That scale looks a bit skewed. If 0 represents 'takes no precautions whatsoever and laughs in the face of expert opinion' and 'careful' literally means careful - i.e. takes sensible precautions and heeds expert advice, then 'careful' should be in the middle, with the scale extended to the opposite extreme with something like 'excessively cautious'. Everything else you say still applies, about how everyone will put themselves and others somewhere on that scale but it would give a better at a glance overview if it were more balanced (speaking as a social scientist).

Sarah | Homepage | 18.06.21 - 11:42 a.m. | #

Funnily enough, the more careful I am, the more relaxed I feel...!

cau1khead | 18.06.21 - 12:22 p.m. | #

I've become far more relaxed about handshaking, as double vaxed months ago, and I think that this attitude is shared by many others of my age.

The other day I met up with 8 friends at the pub, most of whom I have not seen in 15 months. My greeting was "elbow, fist bump or shake?" giving them the choice. All but one offered the handshake; that one, offered the elbow.

Bring on the day when we won't even have to think about it. And shaking hands, cheek kissing and hugs will again be the default setting!

Dave | 18.06.21 - 12:41 p.m. | #

Watching the snooker, it struck me that elbow-touching brings your faces much closer than handshaking, so rather a false precaution?

Sarah | Homepage | 18.06.21 - 1:01 p.m. | #

I find it fascinating how the pandemic has exposed an individual's "risk appetite" - something which is normally obscured.

Last Summer cycling around London it also seemed particularly clear that Labour boroughs were massively more risk averse than Conservative run boroughs.

And whilst I totally agree with the need to respect people who have a different level of risk appetite - it's hard when they have a lower level, and they are putting my life in danger. When I choose to wander through traffic to cross a road, it's only my life that i'm putting in danger, but it's different with a pandemic.

ADS | Homepage | 18.06.21 - 1:03 p.m. | #

As a person who is classified as clinically extremely vulnerable, I've been sent letters by DHSC on each occasion when conditions and requirements have changed during lockdown. I'm reminded of rules that must be obeyed at that time, but there is always the the paragraph "The updated guidance provides practical steps that cover things like socialising, travel and going to work and school. These are not rules but advice, so you can choose whether you wish to follow them or not."

So it's always been a case of using common sense and considering the safety of others. I hope I've moved up and down the scale in a responsible manner.

Bob S | 18.06.21 - 2:14 p.m. | #

Have been double dosed since late March (due to job). Even though exempt, I still wear a mask on public transport the vast majority of the time. I was hoping to go to several large outdoor events this summer but have decided not to (even if they do go ahead) as the main age demographic is likely to be those who have not had their 2nd (or perhaps even 1st) jab yet.

Jona26 | 18.06.21 - 4:35 p.m. | #

Unfortunately this government has shown a complete lack of leadership by continually urging the public to use our common sense. They should lead we can then follow. I expect they will even claim the vaccination process a success when it's been the hard work of the health workers that has seen it's success. Never was was the joke about the OBE more appropriate.

Tones | 18.06.21 - 5:19 p.m. | #

The discourse here is reconciliatory, which at least to me appears more helpful on the path towards a respectful, peaceful and accepting way of living together and striving for some sort of consensus. Such a consensus, I guess, will become increasingly difficult for those with a genuine medical need to be cautious.

commonliner | 18.06.21 - 5:25 p.m. | #

I was about an 8 or 9 at the start, but whilst emotionally I'm now a 0 or 1, I am instead adjusting my behaviour by the caution of those around me. I didn't wear a mask when I visited a local tradesman as he wasn't, but felt I should when I called into my workplace as my colleagues were.

Mask wearing on trains and the need to book to visit a museum is helping others go out and do stuff again, which I accept. And yet it's making me less likely to re-engage as I just don't like either restriction.

Anders | 18.06.21 - 5:39 p.m. | #

I was the author of the 'Had to use the tube' comment a few days ago. I wasn't angry at the 0-ish attitude, just surprised at the contrast with general behaviour elsewhere.

Peter | 18.06.21 - 6:58 p.m. | #

The term Common Sense is not really common at all. It's a combination of one's life experience and upbringing.

Nick K | 18.06.21 - 8:02 p.m. | #

There's another factor tending to put us at different points on the scale.

I would genuinely not be particularly bothered if I was unable to have a maskless head to head conversation, or drink with a mate in the pub, for the rest of my life. Communication is important to me, but if it all had to take place over the phone, or zoom, or email, or letters, that would be all I would need.

Whereas some people are severely affected by lack of the more intimate modes of contact. Young children, of course, but it also applies to many adults. Such effects may inevitably push them towards the left hand of any such scales.

Malcolm of Kent | 18.06.21 - 9:56 p.m. | #

Habit is also a factor in determining our behaviour - we have learned new ones, and some of them stick.

Bob L-S | 18.06.21 - 10:19 p.m. | #











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