Relaxation of Restrictions, Part VIII *Read OP For Mod Warnings*

Necro

So restrictions are at Level 5 presently. Will they be relaxed (ever!!)?

Part I
Part II
Part III
Part IV
Part V
Part VI
Part VII

All warnings and threadbans carry over. Please PM the mod issuing a threadban if you wish to discuss options for being allowed to post again

Mod warnings

Beasty wrote: »

It looks like tensions in this thread have been rising

Some general warnings to all:

Remain civil. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. Just because it's the polar opposite of your own does not invalidate it. Anyone who is uncivil towards other users can expect a minimum of a threadban.

Keep to the topic

Do not present "opinion" as "fact"

Do not believe all stats that are spouted. Usually figures presented in any official way are not only checked for inaccuracies, but will also have caveats and/or explanations of what was done to derive any conclusions reached. Stats though are not "facts" beyond the sample they represent. They can be used to draw conclusions over wider populations, but those conclusions are always subject to a margin of error

If you throw up an example please explain what point you are making. For example "Look at Sweden" means nothing unless you say what you are looking at in connection with Sweden. Is it restrictions, is it deaths, is it infections?

Hinting or implying that other users are re-regs is against the charter. It is strongly advised that you report posts and let the mods deal with it.

Threadbans will follow if people cannot follow this simple instruction.

Beasty wrote: »

Another reminder - this thread is about restrictions and their relaxation

General Covid discussion belongs in the current Covid thread (#XVII)

Political discussion belongs in Current Affairs or Politics

Necro wrote: »

Mod:

Mod actions can be discussed via PM if you like.

On thread is not permitted.


I will note what I said in the other thread this evening though:

Calling people names such as Dr. Death or Saint Tony etc. only weaken your argument, it's the lowest form of wit.

Keep it civil and on topic and you can discuss the restrictions or your opposition to them as much as you like

Stop bringing the cervical cancer discussion into this thread, if you want to discuss it, start a thread on it elsewhere on the site.

Necro wrote: »

Mod:


I'm not going to post another warning on this - stop bringing up the cervical cancer issues in this thread.

It's in the OP not to discuss the issue, if you want to discuss it, go to another forum and start a thread on it, it is not Covid related.

Threadbans will follow if people cannot follow this instruction

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FintanMcluskey

Will I ever get a pint

FintanMcluskey

FintanMcluskey wrote: »

Will I ever get a pint

Well the virus loves alcohol...

Cerveza

The new restrictions should be kicking in shortly.

Dr. Bre

Open the pubs

ShyMets

FintanMcluskey wrote: »

Will I ever get a pint

Yes you will. Speculation that Pubs will reopen on 30th February

JMNolan

Deleted User wrote: »

Well the virus loves alcohol...

Where does the virus go for a pint?

Dr. Bre

ShyMets wrote: »

Yes you will. Speculation that Pubs will reopen on 30th February

30 Feb 2030

Cerveza

If people quarantined there would be no issue with air travel.

Gael23

I think we will be out of Level 5 by the end of Feb. That’s judging by the pace of decline. The government must also consider other factors that won’t be considered in NPHET “Advice”

aziz

ShyMets wrote: »

Yes you will. Speculation that Pubs will reopen on 30th February

You had my hopes up there for a minute 😷

ShyMets

ShyMets wrote: »

Yes you will. Speculation that Pubs will reopen on 30th February

We are imprisoned until the beginning of April is my prediction. They will need to keep us that way because of Patrick's Day and the huge caution they will act with due to the decisions made in December.

Quantum Erasure

Deleted User wrote: »

Well the virus loves alcohol...

Doesnt like the 9 euro meal though...

Quantum Erasure

Quantum Erasure wrote: »

Doesnt like the 9 euro meal though...

I kind of miss caesar salads.

Tenzor07

Deleted User wrote: »

We are imprisoned until the beginning of April is my prediction. They will need to keep us that way because of Patrick's Day and the huge caution they will act with due to the decisions made in December.

St. Patrick's day plus any one of the bank holidays all through the Spring/Summer...

Frank Bullitt

ShyMets wrote: »

Yes you will. Speculation that Pubs will reopen on 30th February

[Deleted User]

[Deleted User] wrote: »

We are imprisoned until the beginning of April is my prediction. They will need to keep us that way because of Patrick's Day and the huge caution they will act with due to the decisions made in December.

"So Tony, what do you reckon should we throw the plebs a bone by March 1st and dial back the restrictions?"

"What are you talking about? You know what happens on March 17th, the horror."

"C'mon Tony, it's only one day in the month and the public have been fairly subservient so far..."

"Silence when you are speaking! No concessions, they'll all be drinking cans in public parks and eating the faces off each other. Civilisation would collapse and the zombies take its place."

"Ah now Tony I think you're being unreasonable..."

"Get off my pulpit! And before you leave, tighten Michéal Martin's chain as he's making too much noise again. Send in Zara King and George Lee for their daily briefing. There will be unanimous agreement about April or alcohol will be banished from the shelves. Now clear out of my sight."

Was the Danish study on lockdowns from medrxiv already posted?

medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.12.28.20248936v1

I can't post the full link myself because I've not enough posts on the forum yet, but it concludes that lockdowns are ineffective at preventing spread. Not that they're worse on balance given all their negative impact, but that they don't do what they're said to in any case.

If the conclusion is born out by other studies then continuing lockdowns would be unforgivably unethical.

Kunta Kinte

Gael23 wrote: »

I think we will be out of Level 5 by the end of Feb. That’s judging by the pace of decline. The government must also consider other factors that won’t be considered in NPHET “Advice”

Not going to happen that soon . Dream on.

At this point in time, is it now fair to say that hospitals getting overwhelmed is a load of tosh?
We were constantly hearing before how the hospitals would fill up and doctors would be playing God...

Even with thousands of cases a day, an outbreak that nobody modelled and over 2000 in hospital, we still haven’t reached that point.

And apparently that is the whole point of lockdown. Right?

It begs the question, should we not be attempting to live with Covid and keep hospitals close to capacity?

What were we thinking not easing restrictions last year with less than 20 in hospital?

Harpon

Based on today’s figures we are at a monthly run rate of about 60,000 cases per month. Absolutely minuscule figures for a country of 5 million people. In the worst month seasonally for coronavirus’s we have an infection level of roughly 1% of the population. And 99% of that 1% will make a full recovery. We need to end this madness now, we’ve been locked up for too long, we have to move to level 2 at the end of January!

Parabellum9

Harpon wrote: »

Based on today’s figures we are at a monthly run rate of about 60,000 cases per month. Absolutely minuscule figures for a country of 5 million people. In the worst month seasonally for coronavirus’s we have an infection level of roughly 1% of the population. And 99% of that 1% will make a full recovery. We need to end this madness now, we’ve been locked up for too long, we have to move to level 2 at the end of January!

Once group 3 has been vaccinated by end of March there is no further excuse for anything above level 2. No level of “concern” (greatly gravely seriously etc) from Tony matters at that point.

Psychedelic Hedgehog

Deleted User wrote: »

At this point in time, is it now fair to say that hospitals getting overwhelmed is a load of tosh?
We were constantly hearing before how the hospitals would fill up and doctors would be playing God...

Even with thousands of cases a day, an outbreak that nobody modelled and over 2000 in hospital, we still haven’t reached that point.

And apparently that is the whole point of lockdown. Right?

It begs the question, should we not be attempting to live with Covid and keep hospitals close to capacity?

What were we thinking not easing restrictions last year with less than 20 in hospital?

You probably thought Y2K was a joke too, right?

arctictree

Harpon wrote: »

Based on today’s figures we are at a monthly run rate of about 60,000 cases per month. Absolutely minuscule figures for a country of 5 million people. In the worst month seasonally for coronavirus’s we have an infection level of roughly 1% of the population. And 99% of that 1% will make a full recovery. We need to end this madness now, we’ve been locked up for too long, we have to move to level 2 at the end of January!

Remember that many sites (e.g. Nursing homes) are being tested weekly or even more often. So the same cases are being counted over and over.

Penfailed

FintanMcluskey wrote: »

Will I ever get a pint

Not in this police state.

FintanMcluskey

Penfailed wrote: »

Not in this police state.

Alleluia.

It’s taken me about 10 months to convince you!

Mr. Karate

Parabellum9 wrote: »

Once group 3 has been vaccinated by end of March there is no further excuse for anything above level 2. No level of “concern” (greatly gravely seriously etc) from Tony matters at that point.

He'll find a reason to keep Level 5 going. He's not going to ride off into the sunset quietly.

PTH2009

Fitting that 'the restrictions' would end on Paddys Day 2021 given when it all started but NPHET (Dr Tony more likely) knows what that day could bring and we all know we will still be in Level 5/4 by then or some other level mix bag with all hospitality closed

Parabellum9

Mr. Karate wrote: »

He'll find a reason to keep Level 5 going. He's not going to ride off into the sunset quietly.

I don’t think he will, we will have been in some sort of restricted living for a year at that stage. I’d like to think most people would say **** off at that point but this situation has shown we have quite a few spineless simps in this country who will happily bend over for the government and cheerlead their lives and freedoms passing them by :rolleyes:

Coillte_Bhoy

Penfailed wrote: »

Not in this police state.

I really wish some of you lot actually had to live in a police state for a while

Coillte_Bhoy

Coillte_Bhoy wrote: »

I really wish some of you lot actually had to live in a police state for a while

North Korea are auditioning clap happy seals, go forth now and snap up that one-way ticket.

Silentcorner

Parabellum9 wrote: »

I don’t think he will, we will have been in some sort of restricted living for a year at that stage. I’d like to think most people would say **** off at that point but this situation has shown we have quite a few spineless simps in this country who will happily bend over for the government and cheerlead their lives and freedoms passing them by :rolleyes:

That is what worries me.

WE know that using fear has been a tool the government has used to keep us all on our toes.

Now, how do you manage all that fear...they've created a monster they can't control...you can see which posters spend most time gorging on covid porn every day.

Kunta Kinte

Coillte_Bhoy wrote: »

I really wish some of you lot actually had to live in a police state for a while

I don`t think that was a serious post. Mind you there are some here who truly delude themselves into believeing it to be true in this country..

arctictree

arctictree wrote: »

Remember that many sites (e.g. Nursing homes) are being tested weekly or even more often. So the same cases are being counted over and over.

You are not being serious I hope?

Don't Chute!

Kunta Kinte wrote: »

I don`t think that was a serious post. Mind you there are some here who truly delude themselves into believeing it to be true in this country..

There are also people on here who called for the army to be deployed in the streets and for the use of water cannons but they weren’t the people you’re talking about.

GazzaL

Parabellum9 wrote: »

I don’t think he will, we will have been in some sort of restricted living for a year at that stage. I’d like to think most people would say **** off at that point but this situation has shown we have quite a few spineless simps in this country who will happily bend over for the government and cheerlead their lives and freedoms passing them by :rolleyes:

It'll be businesses, tradesmen and the self-employed that lead the way forward. Every day I see more and more economic activity behind closed doors. Lots of hairdressers, barbers, and beauticians are working from home. Many are willing to do business on the quiet. Basically, there's a lot of people doing a bit to keep going without wanting to attract the attention of the wailing curtain twitchers.

Qwertyminger

https://mobile.twitter.com/NextIrishGE/status/1351126794993336320?s=20

Democracy in action watching the shower of useless pieces of manure socially distance from everyone and not listen to what NPHET, people or business wants and indeed NEEDS

normanoffside

Redouble your efforts lads, you are not trying hard enough!

https://twitter.com/newschambers/status/1351229511896096771

GazzaL

normanoffside wrote: »

Redouble your efforts lads, you are not trying hard enough!

https://twitter.com/newschambers/status/1351229511896096771

It's not happening. The only people still properly listening to him are the converted.

Penfailed

Coillte_Bhoy wrote: »

I really wish some of you lot actually had to live in a police state for a while

I was joking/being sarcastic. You obviously aren't up to speed on me trying to correct Fintan every time he says it...

Dickie10

i find it extreamly disturbing that in the week we had the whole mother and baby home pallaver, that if you stop and look around and actually listen to people the way we dont question anything the government or Tony says . Its not very hard to see very little has changed since the 1950s, very few people/journalists that should ask the hard questions are doing anything of the sort and we wonder how ordinary people and media didnt have the balls to do anything or question church and state in 50s/60s/70s/80s? i find it very easy to believe we would all do the exact same as people did back then judging by current events.

Neddyusa

Dickie10 wrote: »

i find it extreamly disturbing that in the week we had the whole mother and baby home pallaver, that if you stop and look around and actually listen to people the way we dont question anything the government or Tony says . Its not very hard to see very little has changed since the 1950s, very few people/journalists that should ask the hard questions are doing anything of the sort and we wonder how ordinary people and media didnt have the balls to do anything or question church and state in 50s/60s/70s/80s? i find it very easy to believe we would all do the exact same as people did back then judging by current events.

Absolutely, thought exactly the same this week.
One thing pretty constant about history is that we never seem to learn from it.

And in Ireland we seem to be particularly slow learners.
No doubt a bunch of lawyers will make millions out of the Covid tribunal in 15 years time though.

Irish Steve

Brutal honesty, and it is applicable to a great number of the posters in this thread, the Catholic ethos has a lot to answer for.

What do I mean?

Simple, for years, it's been the mantra that you go to confession, and after a few Hail Marys, and maybe a few decades of the Rosary, you're good to go with no ongoing consequences. See it in so many aspects of life here.

Only one major fundamental problem with that. For a great number of actions, there ARE consequences that remain long after confession, and those consequences can and do affect a great number of people, sometimes for a very long time.

Maybe what's needed is for a large number of people to actually cop on to the concept of personal responsibility, and realise that there is no magic sponge to wipe away the hurt.

Irish Steve

Irish Steve wrote: »

Brutal honesty, and it is applicable to a great number of the posters in this thread, the Catholic ethos has a lot to answer for.

What do I mean?

Simple, for years, it's been the mantra that you go to confession, and after a few Hail Marys, and maybe a few decades of the Rosary, you're good to go with no ongoing consequences. See it in so many aspects of life here.

Only one major fundamental problem with that. For a great number of actions, there ARE consequences that remain long after confession, and those consequences can and do affect a great number of people, sometimes for a very long time.

Maybe what's needed is for a large number of people to actually cop on to the concept of personal responsibility, and realise that there is no magic sponge to wipe away the hurt.

How are you managing in the current Lockdown Steve? What's been your experience?

Kermit.de.frog

normanoffside wrote: »

Redouble your efforts lads, you are not trying hard enough!

https://twitter.com/newschambers/status/1351229511896096771

He's right.

And just to say nowhere did he say people were not trying hard enough.

What's the issue?

Irish Steve

Deleted User wrote: »

How are you managing in the current Lockdown Steve? What's been your experience?

Until this last couple of weeks, we've been OK, by being very careful about our contacts, and who we meet, and where we go, so it's been a very different and restricted 12 months.

Right now it's VERY hard, because we really want to go and see a close family member (Nearly 91) in the UK who's just been diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer, but Covid is making that almost impossible, between visiting restrictions over there, and things like PCR tests coming home, and 2 weeks self isolation, with the risk that depending on how advanced the cancer is, we might have to go back again very soon to provide additional support to my 96 year old mother.

Many of the things I've been expecting to do this year are not happening, which is not nice, there are special days that don't repeat, like special birthdays and anniversaries, and there's not a hope of being able to do some of the things that I had been sort of planning for several years, and I am less than happy to be seeing some of the crass moves that are being made by people in power who really should not be there, but that's a story for another day and place.

Irish Steve

Irish Steve wrote: »

Until this last couple of weeks, we've been OK, by being very careful about our contacts, and who we meet, and where we go, so it's been a very different and restricted 12 months.

Right now it's VERY hard, because we really want to go and see a close family member (Nearly 91) in the UK who's just been diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer, but Covid is making that almost impossible, between visiting restrictions over there, and things like PCR tests coming home, and 2 weeks self isolation, with the risk that depending on how advanced the cancer is, we might have to go back again very soon to provide additional support to my 96 year old mother.

Many of the things I've been expecting to do this year are not happening, which is not nice, there are special days that don't repeat, like special birthdays and anniversaries, and there's not a hope of being able to do some of the things that I had been sort of planning for several years, and I am less than happy to be seeing some of the crass moves that are being made by people in power who really should not be there, but that's a story for another day and place.

That is very hard. There's no easy way through this. It isn't just our freedoms that are curtailed but our ability to be with those we love when they need us. I'm sorry.

I realised something recently. Every day I spend wishing for all of this to end, for it to be summer or Autumn or 2022, means I'm wishing my life away. In 2022 I'll be a year older and who knows what will go before it and after it.

Deleted User

Deleted User wrote: »

That is very hard. There's no easy way through this. It isn't just our freedoms that are curtailed but our ability to be with those we love when they need us. I'm sorry.

I realised something recently. Every day I spend wishing for all of this to end, for it to be summer or Autumn or 2022, means I'm wishing my life away. In 2022 I'll be a year older and who knows what will go before it and after it.

The relentless passage of time, more grey hairs now than I could care for. This existence isn't sustainable beyond spring for most of us, a year chucked away is cost enough. We cannot turn back the clock and I have compromised plenty. Life must go on, it certainly isn't a rehearsal and the price is too high to drag this misery out further. If the government cannot marshal high-risk arrivals into Ireland adequately then I don't give a damn come April. I've done my bit like many others, they must perform their duties to the fullest extent because they're getting paid amply to do so. Efficient delivery of the vaccine, let's get the nation on its feet and never look back.

Hospital numbers drop by 112 and RTÉ call it a “slight” drop!!!

Pity it’s not the same when the numbers increase by the same amount.

showpony1

I don't see the daily cases plastered on RTE anymore, so i assume that means they are dropping?