Coronavirus (COVID-19)

[Ron Aldo]

And Covid [emoji23]

[UsedToGoToCentralPark]

The BST was wheeled out again on GMS just now, quickly changed the station to avoid his pish so no idea what he said but I can take an educated guess.

[ddfg]

6 minutes ago, Snafu said:

A bit tl:dr but -

She was having a bad day due to not having the use of her car and given more inconvenience due to the restrictions in the cafe took it out on these employees. Why did she not accept a refund or I'm sure they would have had no problem giving her a replacement coffee to take away? it looked more like she was the one being difficult. What doesn't help here is the way the story is told and why it needed to be told in the first place, this isn't news but looks like a pot shot at poorly paid workers in a sector already hard hit by the imposed restrictions the fact its a COSTA is nether here nor there.

There is another side to this story which doesn't get told because staff aren't allowed to go to the press to respond, its dealt with by a corporate complaints whom probably have both sides of the story but never witnesses it and this is highly likely that although the staff will be asked to wear their masks properly even if they did when the customer was present there will be no action taken against any staff member, no one did anything seriously wrong here despite use of language in the article which steams the mood of that woman was in at the time to make sure she was the victim in her story. Also why would she think she could sit anywhere just because she saw the staff not wearing masks properly? She gets told she can't sit in a marked off area and tries to justify why she can because someone isn't fully covering their nose with their mask and some staff are on their break sitting in the marked off area, which isn't wrong. So who's not following guidelines here?

Maybe she was having a bad day and grassed up the COSTA branch but another angle on this could be that the newspaper journalist whom covered the story found it or was directed towards it on Facebook as it gloriously fits the agenda about people not following the SG advice on restrictions and that they must be followed to the word even now, some obedient to the rules poor middle class woman going through an ordeal with her car, we are all victims in modern living, have a justified go at a sector and their poorly paid workers already struggling to make ends meet because of restrictions, just pile on the pressure to justify those heavily restricted cafes and restaurants and so signalling their backing for the SG. This obviously isn't the full story of what happened.The article having mentioned the branch would have caused the staff a lot of embarrassment and anger and rightly that anger would have been directed at the newspaper.

Sometimes you wonder if there are darker agendas at work because of stories like this, another tale of us and them to try and divide us into groups. Set us against each other so we are so distracted so we don't bother to question authority, Drip, Drip, Drip?

 

I've not quite reached the drip, drip, drip stage but agree 100% that this is a total non story. 

Who actually has a bad experience in a cafe and decides to go to the newspapers over a £2.50 cup of coffee? 

Lifes too short for that kind of behaviour. 

[101]

14 hours ago, Snafu said:

Very confusing and disturbing incident in an Edinburgh Costa.

Looks like staff need to be retrained on how to wear a mask properly.

So is this customer correct or is this customer very entitled?

I have no idea what to think since I've been conditioned by the SG not to make any decisions for my self with out a risk assessment on opinions being carried out by the Thought Police.

https://www.edinburghlive.co.uk/news/edinburgh-news/west-lothian-woman-angered-over-22842831

Edinburgh Costa customer upset at server with 'mask under nose' and tied up chairs

Sharon, 48, visited the Hermiston Gait location for the popular coffee chain, and ended up leaving without her purchases over the state of the store's Covid protocols.

A West Lothian woman was left angered after she visited an Edinburgh Costa establishment where she claimed the coronavirus protocols implemented by the Scottish Government were not being followed.

Sharon, 48, from West Lothian, was in the capital for a car-related appointment when she stopped in at the Hermiston Gait location of the Costa Coffee chain.

Speaking to Edinburgh Live, Sharon said: "I popped in for a coffee and a wee pastry while I waited for the return of my car, and from the beginning the experience wasn't great.

"There was no hand sanitiser at any point of the store, and although I always carry my own, I am sure it's a necessity for every store to have hygiene points as well.

"I was served by a woman at the counter who asked if I was sitting in, to which I responded yes and I noticed her mask was under her nose. I left it as she was behind perspex, but I also noted that.

"I then got my food and sat at a table far away from everyone, but not far from two workers who looked to be on their break.

"One of the workers came over and told me as soon as I sat down, that I could not sit there due to covid rules.

"I understood that and asked where else I could sit, as a lot of the chairs had been cable tied together for some reason? Like, I know there is a social distancing rule in place, but surely cable tying six or seven tables together isn't needed?

"I then was approached by the person who served me, who abruptly told me all she could do was offer me a refund or put my drink into a takeaway cup. She still wasn't wearing her mask right, as were the other two workers much the same.

"I asked why and she just said ' Well, it's covid, we don't have any other seating?' which I felt was ironic given the severe lack of other covid protocols.

"I told her this, and she just shrugged her shoulders, and didn't move her mask an inch, so I just told her to leave it and I would take my business elsewhere.

"I understand the masks can be uncomfortable and annoying, but they are there for a reason, and the lack of hand sanitiser is also worrisome.

"It is just the level of inconsistency of the protocols in place in the store, and I was made to feel like an utter criminal for sitting down."

In a response to Sharon's complaint she sent to the customer service team, Costa sincerely apologised, and noted that they had passed on the comments to the area manager.

A Costa Coffee spokesperson said: “The safety of our customers and team members is our number one priority.

"Our stores continue to operate in line with Scottish Government guidelines, including hand-sanitiser stations, enhanced cleaning processes, and implementing social distancing – which means stores may have reduced seating capacity.

"We apologise for the inconvenience caused.”

 

Anyone else think this was a cool story?

The 'feel like an utter criminal' part was a nice touch of melodrama.

 

 

There is a drive through at that Costa, if she was that concerned about Covid, go to the drive through and sit in the car rather than get so wound up you go to the papers.

[Clown Job]

14 hours ago, Snafu said:

Very confusing and disturbing incident in an Edinburgh Costa.

Looks like staff need to be retrained on how to wear a mask properly.

So is this customer correct or is this customer very entitled?

I have no idea what to think since I've been conditioned by the SG not to make any decisions for my self with out a risk assessment on opinions being carried out by the Thought Police.

https://www.edinburghlive.co.uk/news/edinburgh-news/west-lothian-woman-angered-over-22842831

Edinburgh Costa customer upset at server with 'mask under nose' and tied up chairs

Sharon, 48, visited the Hermiston Gait location for the popular coffee chain, and ended up leaving without her purchases over the state of the store's Covid protocols.

A West Lothian woman was left angered after she visited an Edinburgh Costa establishment where she claimed the coronavirus protocols implemented by the Scottish Government were not being followed.

Sharon, 48, from West Lothian, was in the capital for a car-related appointment when she stopped in at the Hermiston Gait location of the Costa Coffee chain.

Speaking to Edinburgh Live, Sharon said: "I popped in for a coffee and a wee pastry while I waited for the return of my car, and from the beginning the experience wasn't great.

"There was no hand sanitiser at any point of the store, and although I always carry my own, I am sure it's a necessity for every store to have hygiene points as well.

"I was served by a woman at the counter who asked if I was sitting in, to which I responded yes and I noticed her mask was under her nose. I left it as she was behind perspex, but I also noted that.

"I then got my food and sat at a table far away from everyone, but not far from two workers who looked to be on their break.

"One of the workers came over and told me as soon as I sat down, that I could not sit there due to covid rules.

"I understood that and asked where else I could sit, as a lot of the chairs had been cable tied together for some reason? Like, I know there is a social distancing rule in place, but surely cable tying six or seven tables together isn't needed?

"I then was approached by the person who served me, who abruptly told me all she could do was offer me a refund or put my drink into a takeaway cup. She still wasn't wearing her mask right, as were the other two workers much the same.

"I asked why and she just said ' Well, it's covid, we don't have any other seating?' which I felt was ironic given the severe lack of other covid protocols.

"I told her this, and she just shrugged her shoulders, and didn't move her mask an inch, so I just told her to leave it and I would take my business elsewhere.

"I understand the masks can be uncomfortable and annoying, but they are there for a reason, and the lack of hand sanitiser is also worrisome.

"It is just the level of inconsistency of the protocols in place in the store, and I was made to feel like an utter criminal for sitting down."

In a response to Sharon's complaint she sent to the customer service team, Costa sincerely apologised, and noted that they had passed on the comments to the area manager.

A Costa Coffee spokesperson said: “The safety of our customers and team members is our number one priority.

"Our stores continue to operate in line with Scottish Government guidelines, including hand-sanitiser stations, enhanced cleaning processes, and implementing social distancing – which means stores may have reduced seating capacity.

"We apologise for the inconvenience caused.”

 

Anyone else think this was a cool story?

The 'feel like an utter criminal' part was a nice touch of melodrama.

 

 

The fact she went to a newspaper about this incident speaks volumes about her motives imo

 

 

[Michael W]

What an effort to go to to grass up a staff member for 'improper mask wearing'. Probably looking for a bit of relief having worn the thing all day in what is usually a pretty warm environment and then some busybody pokes her nose in by going to the fucking press to clipe.

Edited January 24, 2022 by Michael W

[TheScarf]

5 minutes ago, Michael W said:

What an effort to go to to grass up a staff member for 'improper mask wearing'. Probably looking for a bit of relief having worn the thing all day in what is usually a pretty warm environment and then some busybody pokes her nose in by going to the fucking press to clipe.

In the pub I go in before home games (Platform 8 ) quite a few of the staff don't wear masks at all and it's great to see.

[Left Back]

31 minutes ago, 101 said:

There is a drive through at that Costa, if she was that concerned about Covid, go to the drive through and sit in the car rather than get so wound up you go to the papers.

Pay attention.  Her car's fucked.  That's why she was there in the first place.

[101]

5 minutes ago, Left Back said:

Pay attention.  Her car's fucked.  That's why she was there in the first place.

Ah sorry didn't see the article from her calling for the manufacturers head

[Left Back]

6 minutes ago, Snafu said:

Meanwhile in the land that has completely lost the plot -

https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/border-controls-demonised-as-wa-effectively-shuts-out-covid,15971

Media vs restrictions - The Indefinite border closure of Western Australia vs 88 deaths from COVID on Australia's most deadly day of the pandemic is the story here.

I think this bollox is going to on and on for the rest of the year while Europe, most of Asia and America are open and back to business.

Australians must be so fed up with all this by now to let this pantomime continue much longer and just like us must be looking at the data for Omicron and seeing what is happening in the UK. I'm not up to date with how this country is getting on with vaccinations.

A higher percentage of eligible people than us have had two doses but they're well behind us on boosters.

 

[effeffsee_the2nd]

Meanwhile in the land that has completely lost the plot -
https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/border-controls-demonised-as-wa-effectively-shuts-out-covid,15971
Media vs restrictions - The Indefinite border closure of Western Australia vs 88 deaths from COVID on Australia's most deadly day of the pandemic is the story here.
I think this bollox is going to on and on for the rest of the year while Europe, most of Asia and America are open and back to business.
Australians must be so fed up with all this by now to let this pantomime continue much longer and just like us must be looking at the data for Omicron and seeing what is happening in the UK. I'm not up to date with how this country is getting on with vaccinations.

Places that went in hard against this are the ones who are finding it the hardest to come out, they have truly backed themselves into a corner with no other way out

[NorthernLights]

Travel test rules to be relaxed, confirms PM

 

Quote

 

The prime minister has just confirmed the testing rules for fully-vaccinated travellers arriving to England will be further eased.

Speaking during a visit to a hospital training centre in Milton Keynes, Boris Johnson does not give full details but his comments follow reports that suggest the requirement for fully vaccinated travellers to take a lateral flow Covid test within 48 hours of arriving will be dropped.

Johnson says: "Although we have to be cautious, we are now moving through the Omicron wave, and you can see the figures are starting to get better.

"So what we're doing on travel, to show that this country is open for business, open for travellers, you will see changes so that people arriving no longer have to take tests if they have been vaccinated, if they have been double vaccinated."

Any changes made by the government will be for England, although the other UK nations tend to follow.

 

Fully expect this sort of reaction from the SG shortly.

[Bairnardo]

They can never come out with having a flurry of cases but the problem is that the very second a case or two arrives they absolutely panic.
Jacinda cancelling her wedding because of a handful of cases in a country of 5 million is just transparent virtue signalling.
I actually don't know what Australia and NZ are aiming for here and I'm not convinced they do either.

Not admitting they were wrong under any circumstances and swallowing unlimited consequences until they get unceremoniously emptied by a right wing govt, IMO.

[TheScarf]

10 minutes ago, oaksoft said:

They can never come out with having a flurry of cases but the problem is that the very second a case or two arrives they absolutely panic.

Jacinda cancelling her wedding because of a handful of cases in a country of 5 million is just transparent virtue signalling.

I actually don't know what Australia and NZ are aiming for here and I'm not convinced they do either.

They must be aiming for zero Covid.  Which is impossible unless their borders are closed forever.

[Billy Jean King]

Travel test rules to be relaxed, confirms PM
 

 
The prime minister has just confirmed the testing rules for fully-vaccinated travellers arriving to England will be further eased.
Speaking during a visit to a hospital training centre in Milton Keynes, Boris Johnson does not give full details but his comments follow reports that suggest the requirement for fully vaccinated travellers to take a lateral flow Covid test within 48 hours of arriving will be dropped.
Johnson says: "Although we have to be cautious, we are now moving through the Omicron wave, and you can see the figures are starting to get better.
"So what we're doing on travel, to show that this country is open for business, open for travellers, you will see changes so that people arriving no longer have to take tests if they have been vaccinated, if they have been double vaccinated."
Any changes made by the government will be for England, although the other UK nations tend to follow.
 

Fully expect this sort of reaction from the SG shortly.

Why ? Travel has seen a 4 nations approach now since last summer. It will be adopted by all 4 I would expect.

[PedroMoutinho]

I suspect the testing will be kept in place in Scotland ‘for now’.

[NotThePars]

What's the risk approaching customers about masks?

Some members of the public act like c***s at the tiniest bit of provocation. A lot of people aren’t equipped or don’t like having to deal with that.

[NorthernLights]

9 minutes ago, Billy Jean King said:

Fully expect this sort of reaction from the SG shortly.

Why ? Travel has seen a 4 nations approach now since last summer. It will be adopted by all 4 I would expect.

But it doesn't stop the SG from moaning about it first before stepping into line.

[vikingTON]

8 minutes ago, Billy Jean King said:

Fully expect this sort of reaction from the SG shortly.

Why ? Travel has seen a 4 nations approach now since last summer. It will be adopted by all 4 I would expect.

She will mewl about reckless Tories before 'reluctantly' implementing changes, which has been the SG's M.O. 

'Dangerous new variants' will almost certainly make an appearance from the bullshit bingo card. 

[Billy Jean King]

But it doesn't stop the SG from moaning about it first before stepping into line.

I really am way beyond caring about wording as long as things are easing. Looks like mid February for the change so plenty time for the usual 4 nations approach.