I'm a biologist, Dave. Microbiology and pathology were big bits of my course. It's hard to argue against the precautionary principle and you'll never find me trying that. That's why I respect the mask-wearing sentiment. But it simply isn't for me. This disease kills around one percent or less of its victims. With the vaccines, far less than that. And those stats ignore the fact that millions of people get the virus and don't know they have it (around one in three). And they also ignore the fact that millions of people get it mildly and either don't know it's covid-19 or simply refrain from reporting it. If I suspected that I had it, though mildly, I would not report it. I ditched that bloody stupid app six months ago. I'm simply not having some government agency telling me what I can or can't do. I would stay at home until I was better. My decision, absolutely as it should be. About five winters ago, flu killed 30,000 people in the UK in just a few short months. No-one told anyone to stay home, limit your contact with loved ones or wear a mask. And it passed.

You really do have to see through this. This Tory government has deliberately run down the NHS over ten years. They are terrified that a surge in cases will overrun the health service. That would be politically fatal for them. Be assured that your life and well-being are not their concern. You are made to wear a mask to switch the onus on to the public. If things go pear-shaped this winter they will blame people like me for fighting mask-wearing. I've had both jabs, my booster and my flu jab. But it will still be my fault. You couldn't make it up.