On COVID and travel

I have mixed news from my holiday.

Ryanair made it mandatory to have masks on when on the plane at all times, except when eating. And as there was no food to be eaten due to a strike, we kept our masks on the whole flight.

Then once we had met the guides, all travel in the minibuses had another mandatory mask mandate. Not that we minded. Most of the others were older than me, so needed to be protected, and we got used to it pretty quickly.

Inside all shops and restaurants again, there was mandatory mask wearing, except when eating and drinking.

So, we came to the journey back; and most passengers just gave up with masks and the crew did not enforce it. People were sitting and walking around, unmasked. Which sums up the British on holiday, I suppose; normal rules don't apply.

Back home COVID testing is down 20% on the same point last week, a million and a quarter fewer tests being carried out, with infection rates showing a slump too, but of course, that's not the accurate picture, but the Government has given up too. Hospitalisations have flattened, but deaths are still climbing, over 1,600 a week using the Government's own measure.

Kids are off school and their families are off on their holibobs, heading to the sun, rather than staying in the UK.

All the time, infection spreads through the population.

I hope this is the end, I really do.