I never thought that I would end up having a fear about my job! I currently have two part-time jobs. One, there is no problem at all, but the second has become quite a worry. That is because it is working behind the bar in a social club, and I have type1 diabetes, which I have had for 34 years.
I have pretty much had the concern about starting back behind the bar since we went into lockdown. As the months have flown by, and more of the restrictions have been lifted, I have realised that I have a constant niggle in the back of my head!!
With certain things, I am not so perceptive, but with other things, I am extremely observant. None so more than when I have been out shopping, or for prescriptions. This constant niggle, which I have become very aware of, is from my observations of people while I have been out, which is once a week. Are they wearing a mask, have they sanitised their hands when walking through the shop door, how far away from others are they, and so on.
My impression is that a lot of people have pretty much gone back to the way we were before isolation. I thought that might be where I am currently living in England, but after observing what is happening around the rest of the UK and the world, this mentality does not seem to be restricted to just where I live.
Because of messages about training from my employer, it has become apparent that it is probably not too far off me having to go back to work behind the bar. My problem is, that if people are floundering rules, regulations and common sense while out shopping, what are they going to be like when they are in a pub, drinking alcohol and are WITHOUT a face mask!!!
I have recently found out that thousands of other diabetics also share my huge concerns. It is bad enough for anyone who is having to go back to work in the hospitality industry, but when you have had type1 diabetes for as long as I have. You are fully aware of what effects illness and other problems can have on your diabetes; it becomes a huge worry!!
Research which was carried out throughout March, April and May, showed that 26% of people who had died from Covid-19, had diabetes. There might have been other contributing factors there, but that figure is still highlighted in my head. People with diabetes are listed in the high-risk category; we are given a flu jab each year, which goes to show, how vulnerable we are.
Because I do not trust the current Government or believe a word of what they say, along with thousands of other diabetics, I now find myself with two options, my health, or my job!!
* I never had much interest in Politics, until I met Lord Roger Roberts, who completely changed that. I now work as his Parliamentary assistant, and have a huge interest in Politics.
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4 Comments
Why aren’t the LibDems promoting the idea of reducing the state pension retirement age to 60 (with 25 rather than 35 years of NI contribution), so that at risk individuals can take early retirement, perhaps extending it to other covid vulnerable people who could have the state pension as a kind of UBI, allowing them greater flexibility in the jobs they have to take? This would not be a permanent change but on offer for a year or two (people who take it up would carry on with the pension even after the offer is removed), it might well free up lots of low skilled jobs for the growing number of unemployed and probably overall work out cheaper for the govn as they would not have to pay out so much welfare. Why aren’t the LibDem’s coming up with innovative ideas that might actually save money rather than UBI plus welfare equals bankruptcy?
This is from Mark, a fine poignant contributing article, to a needed forum for that.
Now mine for Mark. Find another job if you can, from home. Or seek government support, universal credit not likely, something based on your condition.
This is outrageous. Those who object to lock down, so called, trashing their liberties so called, what about mine or Mark’s, desire to be free……of a virus?!
My son also has T1D (since he was 7) As he is younger the stats say he is less at risk from Covid itself than the author. British people are very fast to say that covid casualties “had preexisting conditions” as if that makes anyone with a preexisting condition any less valuable. Its very tough but if it was me I would look for a different job with a lower infection risk – Britain has badly bungled the covid response and is on course to tolerate quite high levels of infection for the next year at least.
I think I would ask the Lib Dem MPs to take up the case of those with pre existing conditions who are working in the hospitality industry. It should be possible to evict people without a mask and put up notices saying they are protecting vulnerable staff. The same should happen in retail too.
I’m very lucky to be able to stay at home as I’m retired.
Perhaps the Lib Dem’s could start a petition as well as asking the government to enable this to happen?