Three customers in a single day acted as if the virus doesn’t exist

I work for a large supermarket and for the last seven months as an organisation they have done everything possible to maintain their service to the public while doing everything possible to protect staff and customers. Huge intake of extra staff to control a new process. Beefing up the delivery service to cater for the huge increase in deliveries to vulnerable customers. Implementing staff and customer segregation with screens, a queuing system to moderate contact, a one-way system to minimise customer contact, sanitising stations and a whole host of other measures.

All of this was at considerable cost.

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To my knowledge the success of this can be confirmed by the fact that none of the staff contracted Covid, nor are any cases directly attributable to the store.

I should add that other retailers have done the same – we’re all trying to protect customers and staff.

Today, I had three growlers. People who should know better.

Father and daughter – a reasonable request made for him to remain at the end of the conveyor belt until the previous customer has cleared. Positioned there, it deters anyone encroaching him and imperilling his safety. Yet he took objection, and in front of his young daughter sought argument as to why I was wrong and he was right. He wasn’t wearing a mask. His daughter was embarrassed and bewildered. For me, just another one.

Later, a lady upset at the rules remonstrates with me. She was a carer, she was shopping for two etc. I believe this angry lady then went to customer service, and when advised what the system’s rules were, lambasted that employee. Shouldn’t a carer understand why the rules are in place and do everything to adhere to them in the public good? Apparently not.

Case three is a vociferous lady whose riposte was, “I don’t have coronavirus.” But isn’t that the point of every step the Scottish Government has taken? We don’t know who has the virus, and all the procedures are in place to ensure that it can’t be transmitted unknowingly?

It’s breathtaking. Seven months in and those who haven’t experienced the trauma of a coronavirus case in their family don’t even believe it exists. But those sucking and blowing into a ventilator experiencing the pain of it certainly know it exists. As do those who have lost a loved one and been denied attendance at the funeral.

The sector is trying its best on behalf of customers, to meet their shopping needs safely.

Coronavirus is still with us. We need to socially distance. We need to take all precautions if we are to be rid of it. Government sets the rules. They’re the only rules in town and enacted with the best intentions; our safety. Let’s adhere to them, we can ask for the inquiry once it’s all over.

Please, let us all do everything we can to stay safe. We frontline workers need all the support we can get.

Jim Taylor
Edinburgh

HEEEEERE’S Henry! Heard on Radio Scotland on Saturday promoting a federal “solution” to the vexed problem of Scotland’s wish to be independent, dear old Henry McLeish is at it again from atop that fence of his. A former First Minister’s view should be heard, of course – even ermine-trimmed Jack McConnell’s as he lines up with his chums Michael Gove, Andrew Neill, Duncan Bannatyne, Neil Oliver and so on (all aching to join him, and the likes of poltroon Digby Jones, in the Lords). Heard and seen through.

The only way to snuff out wheezes like this, and the ploy of allowing Scottish-born residents of England (and Spain, the Bahamas, Singapore and so on) to vote in the forthcoming referendum is to achieve a massive success in the Holyrood election. Westminster, and the wider world, will understand nothing less.

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The First Minister is, rightly, obliged to put independence at the heart of her government’s ambitions, but don’t expect the hyenas of the Unionist trash-press to acknowledge that she perfectly understands that independence can only be achieved by popular demand once the Scots see that improvements in the quality of life in our country require a genuinely Scottish government – not thirled to a head office in Westminster – to be in charge at Holyrood.

That is why SNP activists must, and will, strain every sinew next year to ensure that success. (Happily, we can rely on Bojo and co making a dreadful mess of the Brexit withdrawal – though it will mean much unhappiness for the poor bloody infantry – to make our point for us).

David Roche
Perth

FLAG-WAVING extremists singing Rule Britannia and white nationalists in England block roads at the port of Dover while protesting over migrant crossings. Extinction Rebellion protesters block roads too and 600 are arrested. The usual comments from Johnson and Patel about press freedom abound. So far, no criticism about the Dover blockade has come from No 10. One wonders why?

Tacit support for white nationalists in England and their tactics? Trumpist tactics seem to be starting here.

John Edgar
Kilmaurs

I AM very disappointed to read both the First Minister and Michael Russell MSP stating complacently in the Sunday National that the UK Government can’t refuse a referendum forever and that, on some unspecified day in the future, they’re bound to concede eventually. The example of devolution is a very bad one to use, for the simple reason that no Tory government has ever conceded one millimetre on devolution. If our only plan is to wait for Tories to give in to public pressure from Scotland I’m afraid we’re in for a very long wait.

Neil Caple
Braemar