In what way do you feel the risks have been overplayed for front line rail workers during a pandemic where catching virus may be fatal or passing it to family without even showing any symptoms may prove fatal for them?
*in response to previous post by yorkie*
It is impossible to eliminate all risks; frontline rail staff were not at more risk than most other front line staff. Indeed in many cases, depending on what comparisons are being made, the risks would have been significantly less, due to generally fewer contacts with other people. It is highly dependent on individual circumstances but the suggestion that rail staff were at particular risk is clearly false.
Let's not forget that the risks for this virus were always thought to be disproportionately affecting people by increase in age and people who were in the shielding categories who were not working for the duration that virus levels were relatively high and vaccinations were not yet available. The average age of a Covid death is around 83 and any rail worker anywhere close to that age would have been shielding at the appropriate time.
It's wrong for anyone to suggest there is a group of people trying to belittle the risk to rail staff, but when some individuals try to claim that rail staff were at particular risk, it is only to expected for people to refute such claims.
I agree there is strong evidence that Sars-CoV-2 is transmitted through tiny aerosols which can be as small as around 0.09μm (which can be filtered by well fitted FFP3 masks, but not by loose fitting masks) which can linger in the air for a long time if ventilation is poor.
trains are often poorly ventilated.
Is this the view your employer has? The rail industry takes a different view to you.
Whether you sit in someone’s company for 15 minutes within 2m or not is irrelevant if they sneeze or cough, especially without a mask on.
As you say it is the tiny particles that can linger in poorly ventilated air which cause virus transmission; a standard mask won't cut it and you would need an FFP3 mask (or similar) to avoid being exposed to such particles.
The duration would make a difference though, as exposure to particles for a very short time may not be enough exposure to trigger an infection.
There have been unfortunate examples of young, fit and healthy mortality,
These were incredibly rare cases; generally it was later discovered that there was a comorbidity that was unknown at the initial time of reporting.
but also long covid. The fear of catching covid at work throughout the pandemic was, and still is now even with vaccines, utterly horrendous.
The fear should not be horrendous now with vaccines; the vaccines are highly effective at preventing serious illness. A natural infection in a vaccinated individual nearly always results in a mild or asymptomatic infection. Yes there will be some exceptions but they are very much the exception and not the rule. The vaccines are truly excellent but in many people a natural infection is also needed to obtain the broadest possible immune response going forward, due to the immune system only recognising the spike protein until the live virus is encountered.
It’s even worse thinking that you could unknowingly pass it to your loved ones.
That really ought not to be the case any more; if anyone knows a vulnerable person who is unvaccinated, they would be wise to gently inform them of the benefits of the vaccine and encourage them to make the choice to get it. Exposure to the virus going forward is unavoidable, in the same way that exposure to the pre-existing HCoVs is unavoidable as they are endemic.
I personally don’t think anyone has the right to tell someone they’re overplaying the risks.
Stating the risks are "massive" is overplaying it in my opinion, and I am entitled to that view.
Try telling that to anyone suffering from long covid or who have had loved ones who’ve sadly passed away.
My view is that the risks are not "massive" and I will tell that to anyone.
It shouldn’t be some strange competition about trying to gauge what scale the risk was.
I agree it shouldn't, but once someone comes up with a hyperbolic claim, it's only to be expected if people call that out.
The risk was, and still is, there and that’s it
The virus is endemic; my opinion is that people should seriously consider getting themselves vaccinated (I have to be careful how I word that; I do not want to sound like I am coercing anyone) and, then, quite frankly, live their life as normal.
If anyone is immunocompromised they may wish to make additional precautions, such as wearing an effective FFP3 mask, which would filter the tiny aerosol particles through which the virus is transmitted, but for anyone else, it is time to get on with our lives in my opinion. If others wish to act differently that is their choice but it cannot be forced upon others.