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

_Kaiser_

Don't Chute! wrote: »

This coming from YOU? Absolutely laughable. I’d say you’re in some bad mood today. De man on de tellys grip on running your life for you is slipping.....

I think a lot of the resistance generally is borne of the point that relaxed restrictions and the imminent financial issues will mean the ending of PUP and other supports, and those who have been sitting at home comfortably pontificating will now have to go back to the office which won't suit them at all.

Graham

ArthurDayne wrote: »

But we are not talking about "minimising infection" because minimising infection outright is not what the State's strategy ever has been -- because minimising infection outright is effectively a Zero Covid strategy.

Tosh

The strategy for most countries globally has included minimising infection, it's a pretty sensible strategy during a pandemic.

Boggles

_Kaiser_ wrote: »

I think a lot of the resistance generally is borne of the point that relaxed restrictions and the imminent financial issues will mean the ending of PUP and other supports, and those who have been sitting at home comfortably pontificating will now have to go back to the office which won't suit them at all.

I literally don't know anyone that would not jump at the chance of going back to the office tomorrow.

The craic fell out of that one around May last year.

FintanMcluskey

Boggles wrote: »

I literally don't know anyone that would not jump at the chance of going back to the office tomorrow.

The craic fell out of that one around May last year.

I literally don’t know anyone who wouldn’t want to go back

Stuck working and living at home is a borderline hermit lifestyle

Some people enjoy the social aspect of work

Jinglejangle69

Boggles wrote: »

Or we have actually secured vaccines and a vaccination plan.

Much like we were told what would happen.

Q2.

The whole rhetoric changed drastically within a few days.

MM only saying a few days ago it's an outdoor summer.

Anyway thank god they changed their minds, whether vaccine or finances.

I thought NPHET's and the governments dastardly plan was to keep us in lockdown forever?

_Kaiser_

Boggles wrote: »

I literally don't know anyone that would not jump at the chance of going back to the office tomorrow.

The craic fell out of that one around May last year.

FintanMcluskey wrote: »

I literally don’t know anyone who wouldn’t want to go back

Stuck working and living at home is a borderline hermit lifestyle

Some people enjoy the social aspect of work

I think that's true if you're single and young - for me it definitely was. Good craic in work, sessions every few days etc

When you get older and settled though work becomes more about a means to an end for most people and the social aspect falls away as people have their own families and interests/responsibilities after work.

It's this latter group who have saved a fortune on commuting and time lost in traffic, not spending money on takeaway coffees and overpriced sandwiches for lunch, no childcare costs, and who work in roles that they can do from anywhere if they have a phone and a laptop who'll be reluctant to return to the office I think.

_Kaiser_

Deleted User wrote: »

I thought NPHET's and the governments dastardly plan was to keep us in lockdown forever?

As I and many others predicted, they've been forced into it by worsening finances and a significant falloff in public support generally, as well as imminent reopening in NI and the EU vaccine passport

Simple as that.

facehugger99

_Kaiser_ wrote: »

I think a lot of the resistance generally is borne of the point that relaxed restrictions and the imminent financial issues will mean the ending of PUP and other supports, and those who have been sitting at home comfortably pontificating will now have to go back to the office which won't suit them at all.

There's no doubt lockdown has suited a lot of people both financially and lifestyle-wise.

Being able to virtue-signal on social media about saving grannies probably adds to the appeal.

The fact that this seemingly comfortable lifestyle is being underpinned by tens of billions of euros of borrowings, doesn't seem to have entered their little heads.

ArthurDayne

Graham wrote: »

Tosh

The strategy for most countries globally has included minimising infection, it's a pretty sensible strategy during a pandemic.

OK, so why then -- if our strategy was about minimising infections --- did we not pursue a strategy closer to Zero Covid?

You, and I suspect Charlie as well, are failng to acknowledge that there is a difference between "minimising infection" and "minimising infection to a level which can be handled". The severity of the lockdown in Ireland was justified on the latter, not the former.

If the Irish strategy was ever about merely minimising infection, there would have been even stricter measures in place and absolutely no reopenings of even timid form. We would have remained more or less at Level 5 for a year -- because unless we had completely eliminated Covid then any reopening would have been a total contradiction of a policy of just "minimising infection" as cases inevitably would have risen. But no, the strategy was aimed at minimising infection to the extent that the healthcare system could cope, not minimising it outright.

Boggles

_Kaiser_ wrote: »

I think that's true if you're single and young - for me it definitely was. Good craic in work, sessions every few days etc

When you get older and settled though work becomes more about a means to an end for most people and the social aspect falls away as people have their own families and interests/responsibilities after work.

It's this latter group who have saved a fortune on commuting and time lost in traffic, not spending money on takeaway coffees and overpriced sandwiches for lunch, no childcare costs, and who work in roles that they can do from anywhere if they have a phone and a laptop who'll be reluctant to return to the office I think.

Can't say that rings true with my personal experience.

People just want their lives and especially their homes back.

As for child care costs, as soon as child care reopened the children were returned at the speed of sound.

This was actually one of the most challenging aspects of trying to work and take of children.

It was unfair and unhealthy for both.

The narrative that it was one big money saving jolly is usually peddled by people who didn't have to do it.

pjohnson

Boggles wrote: »

Or we have actually secured vaccines and a vaccination plan.

Much like we were told what would happen.

Q2.

I was wondering how long it would take this thread to find a negative way to spin everything.

Yesterday was upsetting for this place. Tony was guaranteed to keep everything shut until 2022 remember.

paddyisreal

[Deleted User] wrote: »

I thought NPHET's and the governments dastardly plan was to keep us in lockdown forever?

Nphet and the governments conservative reopening plan went out the window when the north opened up. It's not rocket science

_Kaiser_

_Kaiser_ wrote: »

As I and many others predicted, they've been forced into it by worsening finances and a significant falloff in public support generally, as well as imminent reopening in NI and the EU vaccine passport

Simple as that.

As I and many others predicted, they have done it as they observed the improving epidemiological situation and the rapidly increasing vaccine rollout.

They have in fact moved faster that I thought they would, even if I think they could still go a little faster

https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=116369264&postcount=843

Graham

_Kaiser_ wrote: »

As I and many others predicted, they've been forced into it by worsening finances and a significant falloff in public support generally, as well as imminent reopening in NI and the EU vaccine passport

Simple as that.

Case numbers are manageable and we've vaccinating people.

Simple as that

Graham

ArthurDayne wrote: »

OK, so why then -- if our strategy was about minimising infections --- did we not pursue a strategy closer to Zero Covid?

No

Next

Beanybabog

Is the any mention in the leaks of the levels? The passport office won’t process new applications until we’re out of level 5. All they’ve done so far is amend level 5 not move down the levels

Leftwaffe

Theboinkmaster wrote: »

Yes

Well, in that case I think you’re being ridiculous too.

Boggles

Jinglejangle69 wrote: »

The whole rhetoric changed drastically within a few days.

MM only saying a few days ago it's an outdoor summer.

Anyway thank god they changed their minds, whether vaccine or finances.

MM has been consistent on Q2. His last address was actually very positive and laid out a lot that would happen over May, June and July. But he has been banging on about Q2 since the start of the year.

We are also ahead of best case scenario in terms of key indicators, vaccine supply and a plan has been achieved.

When he talks about "outdoor activities" or an "outdoor summer" that was advice for the populous, something which we will hear a lot over the next few months.

Basically ye know how to protect yourselves at this stages, outdoor activities much riskier than indoor.

Sharpyshoot

facehugger99 wrote: »

There's no doubt lockdown has suited a lot of people both financially and lifestyle-wise.

Being able to virtue-signal on social media about saving grannies probably adds to the appeal.

The fact that this seemingly comfortable lifestyle is being underpinned by tens of billions of euros of borrowings, doesn't seem to have entered their little heads.

The lads on the pup are in for a very swift change and very soon.

_Kaiser_

Ah come on lads... the desperation here to save face this morning with the "this was the plan all along" stuff just isn't reality.

Only a few days ago the message coming from official sources was a much slower relaxation over June/July and even at that still talk about outdoor only.

This is a signficant policy shift - likely driven by economic factors IMO. It's long overdue and certainly welcome, but let's leave the spin to the likes of Leo shall we?

bear1

https://m.independent.ie/irish-news/yes-were-frustratedby-the-inter-county-travel-ban-but-we-must-hold-firm-a-while-longer-40368664.html

My God

OwenM

copeyhagen wrote: »

id say a few posters here were up all night losing sleep at the mere prospect of leaving lockdown.....

Yeah, I'd say the stress of resuming all those things that are more dangerous than catching covid will be enormous, things like crossing the road, cycling a bike.

ArthurDayne

Graham wrote: »

Case numbers are manageable and we've vaccinating people.

Simple as that

Mother of God.

Honestly, in a strange self-flagellating kind of way I admire how some people on here can just freely wander from one rationale to another without any apparent appreciation of the irony or contradiction. My friend, a matter of minutes ago, you called my post "tosh" for saying that lockdown was not based on just minimising infection but on minimising it to the extent hospitals could cope. Now, here you are, talking about cases being "manageable" rather than simply just being minimised.

If the strategy was about minimising Covid and saving as many lives as possible then we would not be reopening anything at all right now. Do you really not see the utter contradiction here between what you are saying now and what you were saying ..well...less than an hour ago?!

It's no wonder you called my post "tosh" if your opinions seem to change every ten minutes.

Uncle_moe

Beanybabog wrote: »

Is the any mention in the leaks of the levels? The passport office won’t process new applications until we’re out of level 5. All they’ve done so far is amend level 5 not move down the levels

Coveney said on Newstalk this morning that the passport office would be fully staffed again next week to clear the backlog. Farcical it ever stopped in the first place.

Boggles

_Kaiser_ wrote: »

Ah come on lads... the desperation here to save face this morning

_Kaiser_ wrote: »

Yep, and more worryingly is how some people seem willing to accept whatever Tony comes out with without question or whether it makes sense.

As I said earlier and previously, look forward to a MORE restricted summer than we had last year :rolleyes:

_Kaiser_ wrote: »

When in Tony H due back? You can be sure he will be demanding level 5.x again the instant he's back in charge! :rolleyes:

Hmmmmm.

_Kaiser_

Boggles wrote: »

Hmmmmm.

And until 12 hours ago that was the approach.

Hence why I've said this a significant and indeed unexpected policy shift. No contradiction there.

I'm touched you care enough to go back through my previous posts though xx

Boggles

_Kaiser_ wrote: »

And until 12 hours ago that was the approach.

LOL.

OwenM

Deleted User wrote: »

I thought NPHET's and the governments dastardly plan was to keep us in lockdown forever?

No, only as long as the ECB was going to finance it

Fandymo

Beanybabog wrote: »

Is the any mention in the leaks of the levels? The passport office won’t process new applications until we’re out of level 5. All they’ve done so far is amend level 5 not move down the levels

Passport Office is back processing applications. I got a email off them last Thursday to take a new photo, passport will be with me next week.