Mandatory Masking Not Necessary “Yet”, Says Streeting

Health Secretary Wes Streeting has said there is no need to mandate mask-wearing for “everyone around the country” “at this stage” as “the time has not yet come for everyone to wear masks”. The Telegraph has more.

The Health Secretary’s remarks came as he was asked by the Commons health and social care committee about rising flu levels, with record numbers of admissions to hospital for this time of year [where records started in 2021] coming as junior doctors embark on strike action.

Mr Streeting said most people visiting hospitals and care homes would “happily comply” with requests to wear masks.

He added: “The time has not yet come for everyone to wear masks, but what we are absolutely supporting frontline leaders to do is to determine whether, given the pressures they are under, it is the right thing to do to ask visitors to hospitals and other care settings to wear a mask to protect themselves and others.

“There will be places that is happening, it will be done in an informed way on the basis of the conditions they are operating under, and most people will happily comply with that. But at this stage there is no need to mandate mask wearing or ask everyone around the country to do the same.”

Earlier this month, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) urged people to “consider wearing a mask” if they had flu symptoms.

The latest published figures show flu continuing to surge, with about 3,000 hospital beds filled by cases.

Worth reading in full.

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mrbu
mrbu
3 months ago

Four words that concern me: “at this stage”… “yet”….

Free Lemming
3 months ago
Reply to  mrbu

And the only two words that matter “f*ck” and “off”.

Andy A
3 months ago
Reply to  Free Lemming

My thoughts exactly.

Jeff Chambers
Jeff Chambers
3 months ago

“the time has not yet come for everyone to wear masks”

This is interesting because it implies that although masks don’t work at the moment there may come a time soon when they will work. I believe this is called magical thinking.

transmissionofflame
3 months ago
Reply to  Jeff Chambers

I doubt Streeting knows or cares one way or the other – he just likes telling people what to do and making himself and the government look important and that it knows how to “fix problems”. It’s just pantomime, entirely divorced from the need to consider reality – just how things APPEAR.

RW
RW
3 months ago

I even doubt it’s that. Streeting would introduce mask mandates the moment he believes that this would improve his standing with Labour voters. Or the moment people who want them introduced have agreed to pay him enough for that. With professional ploticians, it’s usually one of these two.

Seldom Seen
Seldom Seen
3 months ago
Reply to  Jeff Chambers

Would this apply to muslims too or are they exempt?

stewart
3 months ago

At any time, it seems, an official can force everyone in the country to wear a mask.

That is the state of freedom in the UK. The state bureaucracy can take it away at any time it wants. The requirement is merely that it contrives an argument for it.

RW
RW
3 months ago
Reply to  stewart

That’s the state in pretty much all of the so-called West since COVID: We only have freedoms because government officials don’t think it’s worth the effort to take them from us.

RichardTechnik
RichardTechnik
3 months ago
Reply to  stewart

They still need to have Statutory Instruments ( Regulations) to mandate masking / face coverings and these will inevitably have exemptions or reasonable excuses where public spaces are involved. Otherwise they will be responsible for mandating the consequential harms which lead to action and damages. Of course in hospitals and care settings the adminstrator/HR cult ever seeking to exercise tyrrany will try it on but the defence is to demand the Risk Assessment legally required under Management of Health & Safety at Work Regs 1999 s3 (1)(b), failure to produce such being a criminal offence. If these scum try it on again be prepared to use it against them.

RW
RW
3 months ago
Reply to  RichardTechnik

Because of my nasal polyps (since birth), I usually have to breathe through my mouth to get enough air when moving. This means when wearing a face covering, I actually have to breathe through it instead of past it as most people. Which means I have to move very slowly and carefully to avoid running out of oxygen which is rather painful when it occurs which it inevitably will because intentionally not moving naturally simply doesn’t work all of the time.

I don’t think any government has a right to inflict this onto me for no particular reason, ie, political point-scoring with parts of the electorate, regardless of who assessed what. I’m an animal. I have the same right to breathe as all other animals on this planet. It’s not ok to subject me to needless cruelty just because I’m a kind of animal people in government particularly dislike.

RichardTechnik
RichardTechnik
3 months ago
Reply to  RW

Thank you for mentioning this unfortunate condition and I’m sorry to hear of it I’d simply say ” No, I have a reasonable excuse” or “No, I have an exemption” should anyone suggest you wore one these abhorrences and volunteer nothing more.

huxleypiggles
3 months ago
Reply to  RichardTechnik

Furthermore, trying to mandate masks is considered to be a “medical intervention” – which it clearly is and which we have a legal right to refuse.

Hound of Heaven
Hound of Heaven
3 months ago
Reply to  RichardTechnik

This is a really important point which has proven to be effective.

Seldom Seen
Seldom Seen
3 months ago
Reply to  stewart

Perhaps they’ll mandate the burqa next. Oh wait, give it time…

RW
RW
3 months ago

I’d really like to know why the government of the UK believes to have the authority to order me to consume less oxygen than my body naturally needs when it doesn’t have the authority to deport convicted paedophiles because these could otherwise have to face “discrimination” in their country of origin.

Hound of Heaven
Hound of Heaven
3 months ago

When did public servants become public masters? The people are sovereign in the UK and have not been consulted about this constitutional change. It is no business of an elected politician to tell anyone to suffocate themselves.

Tyrbiter
Tyrbiter
3 months ago

Refusing a mask is covered by the Equality Act 2010 provisions. This was a Labour enactment if I recall correctly.

Hoist, petard, please make use of.

huxleypiggles
3 months ago

Wes – not a firkin chance. Got that?

huxleypiggles
3 months ago

“The total number of NHS beds in England has more than halved in the last 30 years, falling from nearly 300,000 in the late 1980s to around 140,000 pre-pandemic.”

Current capacity around 106,000.

In other words a crisis promoted by successive governments over the last thirty odd years. And despite the lack of beds ‘flu cases take up less than 3 per cent.

Foxtrot Oscar Streeting.

Marcus Aurelius knew
3 months ago

Well then, Mr Streeting, it is not yet at this stage necessary for me to find a lamppost for your ankles.

Hester
Hester
3 months ago

They can all do one, I will never comply, they dont own me, they can all f”””k off

sskinner
3 months ago

Stephen Petty spoke at a US Senate hearing about the effectiveness of face masks and he explained how they will not protect, or words to that effect. Did his presentation make any difference?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3Cw42wcuwY&t=386s
Stephen Petty on Masks

—————————————————————————————————————–
Here is the US Army Band playing The Mandalorian Theme with face masks and with holes and splits to allow the wind players to play their instruments.
This must be the most stupidest demonstration of face masks. And yet people still think masks are great?!!!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoQtcgNSfNw&list=RDqoQtcgNSfNw&start_radio=1

JXB
JXB
3 months ago

It worked last time, but won’t this time. Fool us once, shame on you, fool us twice, shame on us.

CircusSpot
CircusSpot
3 months ago
Reply to  JXB

It won’t work on us because we saw through the lies the first time around. However, the people I meet, most of whom, believe the BBC propaganda, will believe everything they are told and comply with the masks and jabs.

CazT
CazT
3 months ago
Reply to  CircusSpot

Too true. They think they are good citizens.

Myra
3 months ago

Unfortunately the Hallett inquiry concludes mask wearing is great….
Ignoring scientific evidence once again:
https://www.cochrane.org/evidence/CD006207_do-physical-measures-such-hand-washing-or-wearing-masks-stop-or-slow-down-spread-respiratory-viruses?utm_source=chatgpt.com

I dread a return of this nonsense and having to justify not wearing one.…

Marcus Aurelius knew
3 months ago
Reply to  Myra

I think a lot of people have “switched off” and hence are no longer all receiving the same brainwashing at the same time. Part of the “success” of the previous brainwashing was that it was new and people all received the same orders at the same time, with all opposition effectively surprised and blindsided by the attack, which will not be possible if they bring it around for a second time. There would be a lot fewer people obeying the orders, of this I am fairly sure. There would still be plenty following orders, however. So stand strong. Be brave. This time we will at least know that we are not alone; another large component of their “success” the first time was that anyone objecting felt like he was the only one doing so.

Myra
3 months ago

I hope you are right!

Peter W
Peter W
3 months ago

I accompanied my partner to hospital on Tuesday. They were asking us to wear masks and I politely (for me) declined, after all I was wearing my baseball cap so i was “safe”!

marebobowl
marebobowl
3 months ago

The Uk health secretary is the last oerson on this earth I would take advice from. Anyone remember mr Hancock and all those between him and now. Buyer beware. Voter beware.

LilyB
LilyB
3 months ago

“happily comply”

NO!