mental health

Stopping Covid-19 Testing in Schools

Fiction: Schools can and should be cooperating in testing asymptomatic children for Covid-19. Law: This should not be happening. It is simply not justified and, without justification, breaches health and safety laws in a similar way to enforcing wearing of masks. Further to our letter help Stop Masks in Schools, we are providing another free […]

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Self-isolation regulations (and ‘close contact’)

Fiction: Groups of students and sections of the population can be detained for 14 days as a group in their halls or residence or apartment blocks under the new self-isolation regulations. Law: The ‘self-isolation’ restrictions came into force from 28 September 2020, although they relate only to tests conducted after that date, for 12 months. 

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Low mood – a reasonable excuse to ignore coronavirus restrictions

Fiction: Feeling sad and low is reasonably to be expected of us all. Piers Morgan is right that we just have to put up with it. Law: “To avoid injury or illness or to escape a risk of harm” is a ‘reasonable excuse’ exemption within most of the coronavirus restrictions. Government suggested lanyards and badges

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International travel ‘quarantine’ restrictions

Fiction: On return to the UK from named countries from time to time, everyone must stay at home and quarantine for 14 days. Law: The restrictions on arriving from abroad in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are constantly changing, most notably in terms of their lists of affected countries from where people are arriving.

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Lockdown ‘law’ in NW England is a fiction

Fiction: New lockdown laws have been put in place in NW England. Law: Leaving aside the issue of face covering, nothing has actually changed since ‘independence day’ on 4th July. At that point the government revoked the lockdown restrictions almost in entirety. They left a reducing list of businesses required to stay closed and, otherwise,

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Face covering for 6 to 12 months from 24th July

Fiction: Everyone must wear masks in shops and restaurants and controllers of premises can insist they are worn. Law: From 24th July 2020, in England the wearing of a face covering in ‘relevant places’ has, subject to a ‘reasonable excuse’ exemption, been made a legal requirement. Children under the age of 11 are excluded. The

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Risk assessments: an important chink in the lockdown armour

Fiction: Health and safety obligations require social distancing measures to be imposed in the workplace and businesses generally. Law: Guidance is generally unenforceable but, as a matter of legal obligation, employers and controllers of premises are required to undertake evidence-based health and safety risk assessments. If there is no evidence of a significant danger, no

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