Will a piece of cloth around your face really protect you ?

There's masks and then there's masks; FFP3 professional surgical masks will protect you from Sars Cov 2 transmission, a piece of cloth around your face hardly will.

I had a good conversation with our widow cleaner his morning, his idea of controlling the Covid 19 pandemic was for every one to be obliged by law to wear a cloth or surgical mask when going to a supermarket, pub etc. but to relieve ourselves of other measures such as social distancing. He was not impressed with youngsters going to a nightclub, getting smashed or high and then dancing around and kissing one another. I got the impression that he wanted that banned. 

I thought to myself dream on but I was too polite to suggest that he was deluding himself. There have hardly been any peer reviewed randomised controlled trials of masks, or other measures, used to reduce the transmission of Sars Cov 2 or any other virus for that matter. There is there is no proof whether masks work or not and to what extent.

One thing is clear, in the UK, there is a third wave of the epidemic despite mask wearing,  the 2 metre distance rule and the rule of 6 indoors. Infections are now out of control even after more than  50%   of the adult population has been vaccinated by highly effective vaccines.

To rely on ordinay  masks  alone to protect yourself and others from transmission of the Sars Cov 2 virus is probably a big mistake. 

Some research has been done regarding the efficacy of FFP3 masks compared to ordinary surgical masks. The FFP3 mask has been observed to be many more time effective at filtering out the Sars Cov 2 virus. A well fitted mask used by a trained user filters out most virus particles to leave wearers and those around them safe from infection. An ordinary surgical masks is found wanting when working directly with Covid 19 patients.

The results of these observations made in a Cambridgeshire are shown below. This was not a randomised controlled trial and the results were not peer reviewed, but the findings are promising enough for a recommendation to be made that all staff dealing with Covid 19 patients should wear FFP or Full face Protection Masks. I am surprised that this was not the case from the outset of the epidemic.

https://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/upgrading-ppe-for-staff-working-on-covid-19-wards-cut-hospital-acquired-infections-dramatically

https://www.cuh.nhs.uk/news/drop-in-staff-covid-19-infections-after-ppe-upgrade/

https://www.authorea.com/users/421653/articles/527590-ffp3-respirators-protect-healthcare-workers-against-infection-with-sars-cov-2?commit=e567e67501cd6ee0dd1a6e8e4acdf2c4fd70e0ec

It is worth reading these articles to put mask wearing into perspective.

It is my view that the medical authorities have placed too much emphasis on the use of cloth masks and ordinary surgical masks to protect the public. They do help, perhaps, to reduce transmission of the virus but it is not clear by how much; no epidemiologist is prepared to say to the public that there is no proof that they work at all, or even if they do, by how much do they reduce the risk of infection. Masks must be used along with social distance, the rule of six  and improved ventilation for them to work. In fact, if a two meter distance was adhered to, along with reduced crowds in confined spaces there would probably be no need for masks. Recently, I have sat on trains and in restaurants where  people have sat right next to me. I was wearing a mask out of courtesy , but did not feel 100% safe from transmission of the virus. Of course, we have to take risks in our daily lives, but I would prefer it if social distancing was strictly enforced to reduce the viral load of infective agents which can easily pass through a standard everyday mask.

The medical authorities must not lull the public into a false sense of security to believe that ordinary masks alone can stop the spread of the  Covid 19 virus and the epidemic: they simply cannot.

I shall wear a mask as a matter of courtesy, whilst being aware that it is probably best to avoid crowded places where social distancing measures are ignored. The vaccinations have been proven to work by randomised controlled trials which have been peer reviewed, and thank heavens for that. Vaccinations have also been proven to be safe. The jab is key to solving the the problems of the pandemic but it too must be used with other measures to contain the virus. It looks as though the vaccine protects you from a severe form of the Covid 19 disease so that the need hospitalisation is reduced. Vaccination does not fully protect you, however from, catching the disease again. Covid 19 is not a pleasant disease to catch even in its mild form, and further research needs to be done to examine the chronic effects of long Covid.

The epidemic is still raging strong and relying on just a mask to protect you and others is foolhardy. The best approach, from my point of view, is to have the vaccine and still bear in mind social distancing. If you must wear a mask then buy an FFP3 professional mask and learn how to use it safely with out putting others at risk but you might find that totally impractical when you want to eat a sandwich and drink a pint at the local.

It was "England expects" "wot" lost it

I had visions of writing a panegyric about the England football team this morning but they lost again, to Italy, in a penalty shoot-out in the Euro 2020 championships.

The team and their coach and manager should not be blamed. They got to the final and drew at both full and extra time. Surely, there is case for sharing the title when the final is a draw, just like a cricket series or a British and Irish Lions series - honours can be even. But, of course modern commercial and nationalistic instincts dictate that there must only be one winner.

There were some disturbing aspects to the latest football competition.

Football is not the most important game in the world. In my opinion Rugby is; I have been to a number of Rugby World Cup championships.  The supporters put the sport above most other considerations, the aggression only happens on the pitch but in a controlled way. The supporters do not cry into their beer if their team loses and do not become euphoric and silly if their team wins. The supporters, from every competing country, meet without rancour and racism. Rugby Football is a complete contrast to  Association Football in this respect. There is some of the "Corinthian spirit" left.

There is this dreadful attitude amongst some Football supporters and the media that England expects a win and that England is entitled to win. The team is lauded if it wins and is traduced if it loses.  The media piles pressure on the team. Gareth Southgate, the coach, was featured throughout the contest missing a penalty in 1996 and was unjustifiably blamed for an England defeat. The young players who missed penalties in the latest game will now be featured relentlessly in play backs and be blamed unjustifiably for another defeat.

 The "England expects" attitude is exacerbated by corrosive nationalism whipped up by the media. This has encouraged the more lunatic fringe of so called England "supporters" to indulge in violence amongst themselves, harassment of the children of  Danish supporters, booing the national anthems of opponent teams, booing when Italy took their penalties, shining laser beams in the eyes of the opposing team and probably the worst aspect of it all - racism and the abuse that it generates.

How can a team be expected to perform at its full potential when they see these shameful events happening before their eyes, whilst unprotected from the media attention and opprobrium from some quarters.

The young men who missed their penalties have been exposed to extreme pressure. They knew that they could not afford to miss because of the abuse that they would be subjected to, and the attitude that they are only true Englishmen when they score goals but are foreigners when they miss. These men pushed themselves to their limits  to do their best for their parents, communities and, dare I say it, their country; so probably the pressure prevented them from performing as they would have done on the training field. The press and media are now pressurising them further by repeatedly showing what happened. Anyone who is interested in football saw what happened and there is no need to show it again.

We have seen how the blatant nationalism spoils the chances of other British or English hopefuls. The young lady who performed so well in the Wimbledon championships was exposed to extreme pressure from the media and the adoring public. This caused her to show all the symptoms of a panic attack with breathing difficulties, whilst playing a match, after the pressure became too much for her. This ruined her match and performance on the day and it could ruin her promising sports career. 

You do not become a top Football  or Tennis player because you are British or English. You do it by developing your talents and working hard. Nationality does not confer rights upon you and, nationality should confer no obligations upon you to perform in a certain way. British or English nationality does not entitle you or any one else to win or gain privileges. The only thing that British or English nationality should guarantee is basic human rights and respect for everyone despite the colour of their skin or their background.

There is a Football World Cup competition around the corner. English football will be relying upon the same players to do well. The competition will be stronger with Brazil and Argentina added to the equation. If the public want the English team to do better then the abuse and triumphalism will have to stop and, the pressure on the team and their manager will have to be projected into a different direction. The "England expects" attitude will have to be dropped. All the players should be given respect. The media will have a huge part to play to relieve the pressure on the team by not incessantly replaying missed penalties and mistakes. 

If you want to give England a fair chance of winning then please cool it, after all its only a game and the sport itself should be bigger than any individual player, supporter or nation. Let's not miss the point again.

Remain voters should forget about campaigning for Britain to rejoin the EU in any form

 It is clear that Britain will not be returning to the EU , the Single Market or the Customs Union anytime soon. If we were to apply the Europeans would be unlikely to accept us. The whole country will have to learn to live with the consequences of leaving the Union. A small majority of the population voted for it but there was a large majority in Parliament; it is not just the Conservative party who will have to accept the responsibility for any failure.

The Brexit project will no doubt fail; there has been no  plan for  a "Global Britain", what does that mean in detail and in strategy? There are no unicorns galloping over the horizon to assure us of a prosperous future.

What happens if Scotland decides to leave the United Kingdom? Where is the contingency plan for this? What can the British government offer to Scotland to stop them seceding?

 Northern Ireland will soon see a "Catholic majority" population.  This will create fear amongst many in the "Protestant loyalist" community. It is quite clear that demographic changes and changes of political opinion are going to  affect future elections. Northern Ireland voted by a small majority to remain in the EU; so what happens if it that vote translates into support for a united Ireland? A first past the post referendum could lead to disastrous consequences and another civil war if a substantial majority for a united Ireland is not achieved in a referendum. The "Catholic majority" likewise might resent being asked to remain in the UK. We now have a tinderbox  to contend with.

The EU was the glue that held the UK together, human rights were guaranteed, free trade was guaranteed and most importantly of all the free movement of labour was guaranteed. The Scottish people were prepared to be part of a United Kingdom that was part of the EU. Likewise most people in Northern Ireland felt the same: there was no need for division; we could live in friendship and peace with one another. The situation has now radically changed. It is both illegal and taboo for one EU nation to claim  sovereignty over another member state. This no longer applies to Brexit. The Irish Deputy Prime Minister is openly saying that Ireland should prepare for unification. This would not have happened before Brexit.  In some respects this claim about Irish re-unification breaks the spirit of  Belfast Agreement, but so does the British Prime Minister's assertion that he would absolutely protect the integrity of the UK- think about it.

Remain voters should prepare themselves for trouble ahead as leave voters, in the main, could not care less.

My wife and I love living in the UK and in particular in London. We would only leave if things go badly wrong and there is active and violent prejudice against EU and other foreign citizens - which is un-likely. However, we both have the insurance policy of EU passports. Most British voters do not have that privilege and will be stuck with the consequences of  a severe failure associated with Brexit, so it is time to have your own contingency plan. Don't believe that it cannot happen here

Middle East Wars again

 One again I have to write about war between Israel and Palestine. Is it not time for the fighting to stop? There is a solution to be gained and it is based upon human rights. The Palestinians are entitled to live in peace without their civilians being bombed. Israel has a right to exist as an independent state without their citizens being subject to attack from outside sources. The time for ethnic war and cleansing must stop. Invading and attacking forces on both sides must stop. There should be a two states solution implemented. Surely, the Palestinians have the right o there own state?

I despair for the human race, we are all from the same sub-species and race, but we are divided by religious and ethnic considerations. However, this is no reason for war. Human beings are the worse species of animals on the planet and it seems that not for one minute can we curb our aggressive nature and the desire for revenge. We cannot grow out of the irrational attitude that, " they started it and now we are going to finish it".

There is now a case for a solution to be imposed upon the combattants by the United Nations; so the UN Security Council should give the General Secretary the authority to impose a solution backed up by sanctions and force if necessary. Peace needs to be achieved, and who knows the peace may lead to a rapprochement?

Of course, this will not happen and it looks as though attack and revenge attack will be the continuous  modus operandi of both the Israelis and the Palestinians. I appeal to both sides to stop the killing, wounding and devastation  now.

Michael Collins - The best of America

Yesterday, the death of Michael Collins, at the age of 90, was announced. He  was  one of the bravest and was a shining light, and puts to shame some of the US leaders that that dared to undermine the American nation and its constitution.

In my mind he was probably the bravest of the Apollo 11 crew but by a narrow margin. Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong  were never completely alone during their mission. If something went wrong they could at least rely upon each other, if only for reassurance,  if they were cut off from communication with mission control or Collins in the command module. 

Whilst Collins was orbiting the Moon, on the far side, he was completely isolated, and he could not even see the Earth. He was the second human to be in this position. This was complete isolation hundreds of thousands of kilometers from the Earth and his family and friends. He had to hold his nerve and solve problems alone. He was a key member of the team to ensure the safe return of his comrades to his command module, when they arrived back from their mission to the surface of the moon.

I have no doubt that Collins was carefully selected for his task; the mission directors would have to be certain that Collins had an  exceptionally strong and stable character and was able to think rationally at all times. They would need to be assured that despite the isolation he would have, at all times, concentrated on the safe return of his team mates. He was a truly brave man along with his comrades.

The strength of his character comes across in his wonderful book "Carrying The Fire". His book also charts the progress of one of mankind's greatest achievements.

Soon a team of brave people, probably Americans, will land on the Moon again. I hope I am alive to see this landing for a second time, for it will be just as great an achievement but probably without someone being totally cut off from their home.

The Brexit " bum steer"

 Last week my shiny new British Passport arrived and it looks great and reminds me of my old but much more substantial one. It was meant to be one of the benefits of  Brexit, it emphasises Britain's sovereignty where holders can feel proud to be part of a sovereign and global thinking nation again.

I compared it to my not so shiny French passport. It is almost exactly the same. It holds exactly the same information as the new British one even the microchips are the same. Why is this? By international agreement passports are standardised  to provide easy and secure crossing of borders.

Because of Brexit we have just changed the colour of the passport to make it look different. In reality, the British passport no longer affords the holder the same power as the pre-Brexit mauve one. Before Brexit, a British passport holder could go to live and work in the 28 member states provided that they were not a burden to that state, Britain and the Republic of Ireland were exceptions to this as the Common Travel Area between them allows for complete mutual freedom of movement.

Pre-Brexit Britons were entitled to have their marriage partners from anywhere in the world live with them, and likewise their children and grand parents. Not so anymore,  as marriage partners from abroad have to apply for expensive visas and likewise the children and grand parents. They could be denied residence if they do not qualify financially.

Brexit has removed a whole  raft of family and working rights from British people, who enjoyed more or less freedom of movement in 27 other countries. Britons are now limited to enjoying those rights in the Republic of Ireland. That holiday job in Greece is now denied to British young people. British young people will have to go through mountains of bureaucracy to get a  permanent or contract job in Berlin. An individual Briton who wants to set up a business in Denmark will be faced with a mountain of paper work. The blue British passport won't make anyone's life easier when dealing with the EU nations.  Brexit has made things worse.

I am a great believer in human rights and this is why I eagerly applied for a French passport as soon as I became French on the strength of being married to a French woman: it cost me 55 Euros and some time swotting up "French life" facts and I had to prove that I could speak French to an acceptable level. To become British my wife will have to pay at least £1,300 and that £1,300 is forfeited if she makes a mistake on the application.

 Formerly, one of my British friends married a French woman; she only had to go to the Home Office and show her marriage lines to be awarded British citizenship and a passport. This is  the way it should be in every  nation, close relations should be granted citizen's rights upon marriage and this right should include their children - it's now a much sadder world.

Brexit, has only provided an illusion of power and sovereignty. Gibraltar has been forced by practicality at the borders to join the Schengen agreement. It has allowed EU border guards to operate on Gibraltar territory: so much for British power and sovereignty. Flashing a blue passport won't get you anywhere to avoid this.

British sovereignty over Northern Ireland  has been much reduced because of the Good Friday Agreement and Brexit. Northern Ireland  has to remain in the Customs Union and Single Market to maintain the the Good Friday Agreement in good working order as part of the Northern Ireland Protocol. This means there has to be a custom border control between Britain and Northern Ireland to ensure that British goods just destined for Northern Ireland do not accidently get into the EU uncontrolled.  The UK agreed to sign the Northern Ireland protocol within the last year, it now wants to renege on this agreement. The Europeans and Americans will sanction us if we do, so we won't do it: so much for our sovereignty.

British exporters to the EU are now lumbered with burdensome paperwork, so much so that small companies are having to set up operations in the EU and employ more staff in the EU just to trade more easily: so much for our sovereignty. 

Whilst our people and exporters have been burdened with forms and tariffs to move to the EU, our money has not. £1 trillion pounds of assets have been transferred to EU capitals by the financial industry, this money is most welcome in the those financial capitals, there was no blue passport needed to move it: so much for our sovereignty. There is precious little coming the other way.

The Brexit situation will get worse; there are no unicorns over the hill to flash any sort of passport to come and save our sovereignty, freedom, human rights, trade and financial assets. You voted for a bum steer.

Does politics have to stop because of the Covid 19 virus?

 Today we find out that the leader of the UK opposition party, does not want the UK to re-apply for membership of the EU and that it is a dead issue? Of, course it is, and does anyone think seriously think that the EU would want the UK back? 

Given that the EU is no longer a discussion point, I would like to know what the Labour party is going to do about poor housing, the badly funded NHS, the badly funded school system and international trade, as just for starters. Most of all I want to know what the Labour party is going to do about the billions of pounds of debt that has been run up because the epidemic was badly managed. I want to know what the Labour party has got to say to the millions of young people who will be saddled with the consequences of this debt.

I want to know what the Conservative and Liberal Parties have in mind for the same issues. The electorate must be provided with a realistic analysis about the problems  that the country faces, and a series of realistic options and recommendations to improve the nation's prospects, given that we are in the middle of a serious health and economic crisis.

Unfortunately, I don't think anything concrete will be forthcoming. We need evidence based decision and policy making, and not just broken promises. Perhaps, it is time for the Greens to be given a chance. We all have a vote let's consider the alternative.