Are we there yet? Your second Travel Megathread (threadbans in OP}

Tazz T

Donald Trump wrote: »

It has to do with the levels of variants of concern prevalent there.



Despite what some appear to think on here, they are a worry because there is evidence that some of them reduce the efficacy of the existing vaccines.


They can and will tweak the vaccines of course. But what do you do if you have a new and improved vaccine? Do they continue with the original vaccination schedule or do they tell ninebeanrows - "sorry, we need to push your vaccination back 6 months and continue Level 5 because we need to go back and do the nursing homes again with the new vaccine because variant X123 is running rife"


I want things to get back to normal here. Some might be fine with the way things are. If MHQ can help to stop us being set back to zero, then I want it in

It won't. It's pointless. It's stupid. It will make no difference. It's the equivalent of saying people shouldn't use supermarkets anymore cos it spreads the virus. The pandemic is done. Every restriction still in place from May is just further damage to the economy. There will be massive fallout because of the 'close the airporters', sensationalist media and appalling lack of government. And watch how fast people like you disappear from fora such as this as that becomes blatantly apparent.

hmmm

josip wrote: »

Stephen Donnelly, shortly after deporting Simon Coveney back to Cork

Is this the "staring into a freezer" equivalent photo for mandatory quarantine?

Micky 32

josip wrote: »

Stephen Donnelly, shortly after deporting Simon Coveney back to Cork

Looks like he’s on some sort of power trip with that stance in the photo.

Donald Trump

Tazz T wrote: »

It won't. It's pointless. It's stupid. It will make no difference. It's the equivalent of saying people shouldn't use supermarkets anymore cos it spreads the virus. The pandemic is done. Every restriction still in place from May is just further damage to the economy. There will be massive fallout because of the 'close the airporters', sensationalist media and appalling lack of government. And watch how fast people like you disappear from fora such as this as that becomes blatantly apparent.

Tazz, are you aware that life has returned to some semblance of normality for day-to-day life in Israel for example?

I do not want this situation to continue any longer than necessary. We cannot commit economic suicide because a few hysterical people can't do without a jaunt in an airplane for a few months. Let them go if they want, but make them do a mandatory hotel quarantine.

How do you think things would go if you had your way?

ninebeanrows

Was there a decision made in a certain way not to ban the fruit picker groups from eastern Europe from arriving or the general people who do a lot of the hard graft in this country?

Poland and Czechia are in bad ways but aren't on the list but Belgium say is?

Or is it because of the huge Irish/Polish dual citizen contingent in these nations that they would fill up the hotels?

Micky 32

Donald Trump wrote: »

Tazz, are you aware that life has returned to some semblance of normality for day-to-day life in Israel for example?

I do not want this situation to continue any longer than necessary. We cannot commit economic suicide because a few hysterical people can't do without a jaunt in an airplane for a few months. Let them go if they want, but make them do a mandatory hotel quarantine.

How do you think things would go if you had your way?

I think most of the issue on here is the “ for a few months” . Is this going to be for a few months? Personally it wouldn’t bother me because it would be at least the end of the year before i’d plan to travel to see family anyway. The question is what’s the MHQ list going to look like in january 2022.

Donald Trump

ninebeanrows wrote: »

Was there a decision made in a certain way not to ban the fruit picker groups from eastern Europe from arriving or the general people who do a lot of the hard graft in this country?

Poland and Czechia are in bad ways but aren't on the list but Belgium say is?

Or is it because of the huge Irish/Polish dual citizen contingent in these nations that they would fill up the hotels?

You don't tend to get many fruit picking immigrants from the Czech Republic! Nor Poland for that matter. 20 years ago you might have gotten the odd one but not so much now. Latvians and Lithuanians came in in the late 90's to do agricultural work. Poles went more to the building. These days the migratory workers tend to come from further south.

Mr. Karate

Micky 32 wrote: »

Looks like he’s on some sort of power trip with that stance in the photo.

They all are. This has been nothing more than one big power trip for them. The fact that they can't or won't defend what they're doing proves that.

Tazz T

Donald Trump wrote: »

Tazz, are you aware that life has returned to some semblance of normality for day-to-day life in Israel for example?


I do not want this situation to continue any longer than necessary. We cannot commit economic suicide because a few hysterical people can't do without a jaunt in an airplane for a few months. Let them go if they want, but make them do a mandatory hotel quarantine.

Give over with the 'hysterical'. Economic suicide is closing down travel for no reason. 0.3% of cases. I'd call that a 'hysterically' disproportional reaction.

And we are now the only country in Europe doing this despite your protestations to the opposite a few posts back. We are a joke. let's come back in a week and discuss the fallout at a European and a global level.

For instance, do you think this means the US won't still be funnelling troops through Shannon - the only business that airport gets at the moment. Or is that 'different'?

RedPaddyX

I’m absolutely fuming over this madness. And to announce it late on a Friday night of the Easter holidays with no public debate in Dail etc. pathetic, cowardly and without logic. No criteria, no exit strategy, no clarity, no debate.

I’ve just lodged complaint to the EU.

Every single person in here needs to get straight onto the phone to their local TDs and blast them out of it. And get your family and friends to do the same. They are killing this country and taking our freedoms one step at a time.

I have lots of friends in the US and they are getting fully back to normal. Everything open, vaccines at full pelt, people flying around different states. I’m embarrassed to be Irish tonight.

Donald Trump

Micky 32 wrote: »

I think most of the issue on here is the “ for a few months” . Is this going to be for a few months? Personally it wouldn’t bother me because it would be at least the end of the year before i’d plan to travel to see family anyway. The question is what’s the MHQ list going to look like in january 2022.

I don't want to go back to zero here. When other countries also have their own situations under control, then things will improve.


As I mentioned, people on here are aware that Israel are mostly vaccinated and back to some kind of normal. But they ignore that they are not letting anyone else in. You can have PCRs coming out your hole. You can offer to quarantine in a hotel for months. It doesn't matter. They won't let you in.


They do allow their own citizens to come in. They have to quarantine also, although they can avoid that if they are vaccinated. So I think that that is promising.

Gael23

Gael23 wrote: »

Would I need to wait until I get this green pass to go? Was sort of looking at late summer

I personally would wait until most stuff is open again. There's so much to see, be a shame if half of it was closed.

Fingers crossed for the late summer. As much as we are all arguing in this thread, it's just because we all have itchy feet!

saabsaab

Tazz T wrote: »

It won't. It's pointless. It's stupid. It will make no difference. It's the equivalent of saying people shouldn't use supermarkets anymore cos it spreads the virus. The pandemic is done. Every restriction still in place from May is just further damage to the economy. There will be massive fallout because of the 'close the airporters', sensationalist media and appalling lack of government. And watch how fast people like you disappear from fora such as this as that becomes blatantly apparent.

You would have probably have said the same back in Feb 2020. Many posters have been on these fora since then unlike you and will stay.

Micky 32

RedPaddyX wrote: »

I’m absolutely fuming over this madness. And to announce it late on a Friday night of the Easter holidays with no public debate in Dail etc. pathetic, cowardly and without logic. No criteria, no exit strategy, no clarity, no debate.

I’ve just lodged complaint to the EU.

Every single person in here needs to get straight onto the phone to their local TDs and blast them out of it. And get your family and friends to do the same. They are killing this country and taking our freedoms one step at a time.

I have lots of friends in the US and they are getting fully back to normal. Everything open, vaccines at full pelt, people flying around different states. I’m embarrassed to be Irish tonight.

Not to mention they are planning opening their borders to Europe from mid May.

Donald Trump

Tazz T wrote: »

Give over with the 'hysterical'. Economic suicide is closing down travel for no reason. 0.3% of cases. I'd call that a 'hysterically' disproportional reaction.

And we are now the only country in Europe doing this despite your protestations to the opposite a few posts back. We are a joke. let's come back in a week and discuss the fallout at a European and a global level.

For instance, do you think this means the US won't still be funnelling troops through Shannon - the only business that airport gets at the moment. Or is that 'different'?

Economic suicide would be the virus rampaging through the country here. I think that you are losing sight of the fact that it is a deadly virus (for many). Our ICUs were near capacity during a spike in January when we had controls in place. We all saw the images from Lombardy last year. Imagine similar images over a sustained period of time? If Italy had not implemented any restrictions how do you think their economy would be doing? Would you be interested in booking an oul' holiday to visit there anytime soon?


I think that you are too focused on the travel and you forget the actual reasons for restrictions. They are not put in place just to annoy you. They are there for a reason. If they removed the restrictions tomorrow, it would not be the case that the only thing that changes is that you can jet off to wherever.



Don't forget too, in relation to the US being added to the list, people cannot travel there from Ireland at the minute. It is not that you would have to quarantine - you don't even get that option. That is not likely to change anytime soon unless the US is happy that Ireland has its shit together.

RedPaddyX

Micky 32 wrote: »

Not to mention they are planning opening their borders to Europe from mid May.

Exactly this government through this whole crisis have been reactionary, cowardly, fearful and surrendering their authority to an unelected, undemocratic body. Always too slow, too cautious, too fearful of the loud minority. I’ve been patient thus far but this has really maddened me.

Micky 32

Donald Trump wrote: »

That is not likely to change anytime soon unless the US is happy that Ireland has its shit together.

The US is planning on opening their borders to Europe from mid May. Mostly likely to vaccinated people for a start I’d imagine.

Tazz T

saabsaab wrote: »

You would have probably have said the same back in Feb 2020. Many posters have been on these fora since then unlike you and will stay.

No I wouldn't. I've said since last year this was ending in May. I would have been fully satisfied with MHQ in November to Jan, even tho the B117 would still have got in like it has in every single country on Earth. Our quasi-zero-covid policy is uttely pointless (PS watch what happens in NZ this winter).

And you won't be following your current argument in a month's time because you'll be laughed out of it when cases are negligible and half the population is vaccinated.

Donald Trump

Micky 32 wrote: »

The US is planning on opening their borders to Europe from mid May.

Well lets see what happens. We don't have too long to wait

Ladylouth

RedPaddyX wrote: »

I’m absolutely fuming over this madness. And to announce it late on a Friday night of the Easter holidays with no public debate in Dail etc. pathetic, cowardly and without logic. No criteria, no exit strategy, no clarity, no debate.

I’ve just lodged complaint to the EU.

Every single person in here needs to get straight onto the phone to their local TDs and blast them out of it. And get your family and friends to do the same. They are killing this country and taking our freedoms one step at a time.

I have lots of friends in the US and they are getting fully back to normal. Everything open, vaccines at full pelt, people flying around different states. I’m embarrassed to be Irish tonight.

I also lodged a complaint to the EU today, thanks to an earlier poster's suggestion/link. My brother in the USA has been living normally for months, including lots of domestic travel and attending a sports event last week with 20,000 present. He had first shot a few days before that. No vaccine passport or test needed to attend, just temp check on way in. Mask mandate to be lifted shortly as well. Hotels, restaurants, shops all open for months. Kids training. Same virus, different approach. Something smells off for me about all of this now.

Chloe_don_

Has anyone moved to mainland Britain recently without a job offer? Would moving abroad be considered an essential reason for travelling? Have family in London and having trouble finding work here, was hoping to move over there and get a job. Any insight or personal experience would be appreciated, thanks!

saabsaab

Tazz T wrote: »

No I wouldn't. I've said since last year this was ending in May. I would have been fully satisfied with MHQ in November to Jan, even tho the B117 would still have got in like it has in every single country on Earth. Our quasi-zero-covid policy is uttely pointless (PS watch what happens in NZ this winter).

And you won't be following your current argument in a month's time because you'll be laughed out of it when cases are negligible and half the population is vaccinated.

I have already stated that I believe that vaccinations will bring it to an end (barring a new variant) probably in June. Until then restrict travel.

Micky 32

Chloe_don_ wrote: »

Has anyone moved to mainland Britain recently without a job offer? Would moving abroad be considered an essential reason for travelling? Have family in London and having trouble finding work here, was hoping to move over there and get a job. Any insight or personal experience would be appreciated, thanks!

The fines are for holidays. You won’t be fined for emigrating.

RedPaddyX

Ladylouth wrote: »

I also lodged a complaint to the EU today, thanks to an earlier poster's suggestion/link. My brother in the USA has been living normally for months, including lots of domestic travel and attending a sports event last week with 20,000 present. He had first shot a few days before that. No vaccine passport or test needed to attend, just temp check on way in. Mask mandate to be lifted shortly as well. Hotels, restaurants, shops all open for months. Kids training. Same virus, different approach. Something smells off for me about all of this now.

Yes something very strange about how all this rolling out. Just so daft and autocratic. Im simply stunned at how so many are so easily giving up precious freedoms without any logic or criteria or assurance of when they’ll get them back. I’ve been patient till now but this - and the timing of it and way they have done it - has crossed the line.

Chloe_don_

Micky 32 wrote: »

The fines are for holidays. You won’t be fined for emigrating.

Thank you, I’m finding the info online very unclear about this.

Tazz T

Donald Trump wrote: »

Economic suicide would be the virus rampaging through the country here. I think that you are losing sight of the fact that it is a deadly virus (for many). Our ICUs were near capacity during a spike in January when we had controls in place. We all saw the images from Lombardy last year. Imagine similar images over a sustained period of time? If Italy had not implemented any restrictions how do you think their economy would be doing? Would you be interested in booking an oul' holiday to visit there anytime soon?


I think that you are too focused on the travel and you forget the actual reasons for restrictions. They are not put in place just to annoy you. They are there for a reason. If they removed the restrictions tomorrow, it would not be the case that the only thing that changes is that you can jet off to wherever.



Don't forget too, in relation to the US being added to the list, people cannot travel there from Ireland at the minute. It is not that you would have to quarantine - you don't even get that option. That is not likely to change anytime soon unless the US is happy that Ireland has its shit together.

I'm not focussed on the 'travel' as you begrudgingly like to put it. I'm focussed on the disproportional reaction from the government and the damage it's doing. The virus is not going to rampage through the country. You've been reading too much Dublin Live.

As for the US is happy that 'ireland has got its **** together'. The US is open - most of it for months. Completely ridiculous comparison. They will be flying to europe next month while irish Europeans won't.

namloc1980

Donald Trump wrote: »

Del, just because you are not aware of them does not mean they do not exist. The people with responsibility for public health cannot be restricted in their decisions because boards.ie users are ignorant of facts.



https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/cases-updates/variant-surveillance/variant-info.html#Concern


Some of those have been shown to reduce the efficacy of vaccines. What you need to understand is that an efficacy of say 95% does not mean that everyone who gets the vaccine has their symptoms reduced to 5%. Some people who are vaccinated will still contract serious cases of the disease. If the efficacy is reduced, the number of people who still get seriously ill goes up.

In that case we might as well throw the towel in now. Coronavirus is not going away and the possibility of variants is going to be there forever just like endemic influenza. Are we going to be dealing with severe travel restrictions and MHQ for years to come? Essentially trapped on this island for the foreseeable future.

RedPaddyX

saabsaab wrote: »

I have already stated that I believe that vaccinations will bring it to an end (barring a new variant) probably in June. Until then restrict travel.

“I believe”
“Probably”
“Unless”

Your own post is exactly my fear and frustration with this. No guarantee, no timeline, no criteria, no strategy. We could be effectively banned from traveling for years. The variants will exist forever, they are never going away. We need to get on with LIVING.

When will these lists of recently added countries be up for review does anyone know or have any idea? Or is it all just up on the air with nobody knowing anything for sure

saabsaab

RedPaddyX wrote: »

“I believe”
“Probably”
“Unless”

Your own post is exactly my fear and frustration with this. No guarantee, no timeline, no criteria, no strategy. We could be effectively banned from traveling for years. The variants will exist forever, they are never going away. We need to get on with LIVING.

I was clarifying my view for another poster who seemed to think I was saying something else. Sorry I don't have any guarantees but neither does or indeed can anyone as this is all new. For now we wait,