As Greater Manchester prepares to enter its second winter in the Covid pandemic, residents have mixed feelings over how to prepare for it.
In his press conference yesterday, Health Secretary Sajid Javid suggested people should wear face coverings in crowded places and take a lateral flow test before attending parties.
However, despite calls for help from NHS leaders, he stopped short of introducing the Government's 'plan B' for now - which would see rules return on mandatory face coverings and working from home.
With warnings ringing around about the winter ahead, several shoppers in Ashton-under-Lyne were wearing face masks this morning (October 21), some even outdoors.
But more than three months on from so-called 'freedom day', many still prefer to keep face coverings off, and opinion is divided over whether more measures are needed to clamp down on Covid case numbers.
Ricky Lee, 44, told the Manchester Evening News : "I'm quite relaxed about it myself. I'm looking after myself, I've had my two jabs.
"I've been to a few concerts using the Covid pass to get in. I did a test before going back into work to make sure I didn't have it.
"When I had to wear masks I wore them, but I'm more relaxed about it now. If I need to wear a mask I will - my bosses wear mask at work and I wear them when close to them.
"But I just look after myself, and hopefully other people do too."
The idea that people should take personal responsibility on Covid was quite a common one in Ashton - and chimes with the approach the Government has taken so far this autumn.
One woman, who gave her name as Christine, said: "I think people should start taking a bit more responsibility for themselves.
"They know what the score is, they can see whether it's going up or down, they shouldn't need to be instructed.
"They should have enough common sense to know whether to wear a mask and when to stand back from people. I see my friends, I still don't throw my arms around them.
"I don't want somebody telling me what to do."
Mark Hall, 41, was wearing a face covering outside Ashton Market - but when asked about it, he told the M.E.N. it was because the weather was cold.
He added: "I'm fine, I've had all my jabs. I keep myself to myself, I don't really go near anyone.
"I've heard on the telly that people have to start wearing them more now, but I don't know. I keep myself to myself and I don't really bother about it."
In Tameside, which includes Ashton, the Covid rate has fallen by 11% in the past week according to the latest figures - and now stands at 452.2 cases per 100,000 people.
Trafford has Greater Manchester's highest Covid rate, while Stockport and Rochdale are both above the national average figure, while all other boroughs are below that rate.
The region has been hit by some of the highest Covid rates in the country for much of the past 19 months - and while its current figures are more in-line with the rest of the country, case numbers remain steeper than at other points during the pandemic.
Friends John Dawber, 67, and Stuart Robinson, 84, were catching up for one of the last times before John emigrates to Australia next month.
He has had both Covid jabs, which means that he won't need to quarantine when entering New South Wales as an Australian citizen, under new rules which are set to come into effect in the state.
"I'm doing a runner," he joked.
Asked about the current situation in England which he'll soon be leaving behind, John said: "The number of cases does seem to be rising.
"Some decisions will have to be made, but I'm confident the Government will do the right thing. I think they have done reasonably well.
"An awful lot of deaths in every age group are people that have not been vaccinated at all.
"I've not been using a mask most times since we were 'freed' - not really."
"I on the other hand always wear it when I go shopping," Stuart responds.
Asked whether he thinks people should now start wearing them more often, he adds: "Yes, certainly in enclosed spaces.
"There are a lot of cases, but what we don't know is the breakdown in how many are people who refused the vaccine."
The Government is currently focusing on encouraging people to take up their first two jabs and, if eligible, their 'booster' third jab.
William Dransfield has been offered his booster jab - but says he won't be able to have it until December.
The 81-year-old is living with lung cancer, and says he would like to see more people wearing masks than he currently does.
He added: "I do wear a mask, I have had the jabs and all.
"With the cancer I have been feeling rough. I take eight tablets a day."
For most residents who spoke to the M.E.N ., the Covid vaccine had given them a sense of confidence.
One young man, who gave his name as Nabil, said: "I'm feeling alright about it. My family have all been jabbed up, it does make you feel safer."
Asked on masks, he replied: "I'm in the middle. I don't really [wear them]."
But not all residents the M.E.N. spoke to had taken up the offer of a Covid vaccine.
One woman, egged on by a friend as they stood at the Ladysmith Shopping Centre, insisted it was 'a load of b*******' and repeated conspiracies which she believed about the jab.
While the pair were a distinct minority, they highlighted that there is still a sizeable chunk of the population which is yet to have even one dose for whatever reason.
Across the country, 86.1% of people aged 12 or above have had at least one jab, although that falls to 76.8% in the north west.
In Tameside, 77.8% of people aged 12 or above have had their first jab, while 70.7% have had both doses.
Shelley Ramsden, 43, is a care home worker who says the pandemic has been a 'nightmare' for her.
She hadn't had a vaccine until fairly recently, after being threatened with the potential loss of her job under the Government's policy for care home staff.
Shelley said: "I was totally against 'no jab no job' because I wanted to do it in my own time. I did not want to have to do it to keep my job.
"I'm going for my second jab tomorrow. I was literally the last one to get it. It was out of my control - they were taking my choice away from me and I didn't really appreciate that."
Asked about whether face masks should be made mandatory indoors again, she added: "I don't think the masks help at all.
"Yes Covid is here, but to me it's the same as flu. We didn't do this with flu and that kills a lot of people.
"I don't like wearing the masks but I will if I have to, and obviously I'm doing it at work."
