Covid 19 Part XXXV-956,720 ROI (5,952 deaths) 452,946 NI (3,002 deaths) (08/01) Read OP

freshpopcorn

At work Today people.

Most people wore masks. One or two didn't and some weren't wearing them correctly. However some said it will be great when these are gone also.

Peoples mood was generally very good.

BorneTobyWilde

Even the PM is down the Pub

Widdensushi

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118518632#Comment_118518632

What do you mean by pm, your in the wrong country 😂

Apothic_Red

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118518649#Comment_118518649

Grammar Nazi triggered

BorneTobyWilde

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118518649#Comment_118518649

Ok the Tea Shock,

like when he went to make a cup of tea and he was all out of teabags

freshpopcorn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118518632#Comment_118518632

It's a bit like when you drag one of the teachers to the pub when you finish school!

SleetAndSnow

In a county pub. Great to see everybody at the bar and tables and no distancing! Great atmosphere but definitely takes a bit of getting used to again.

Barman also gave everybody an after eight. brilliant.

hynesie08

Sauntering home at 9 o'clock, but because I want to is a nice feeling.

stephenjmcd

Arrived into the pub just after 7 with the brother, its great to be back to how it was pre covid.

Felt slightly odd not having to give my details or show a cert having gotten so used to it over the last 2 years.

The pints are lovely and the barstool is comfy with the NFL on now.

Now its not just about pints, the parents are out for the first night out in about a year, off to a movie and a restaurant. It's the simple things in life, the spontaneity of it all.

Enjoy it folks it's been a long time coming and well earned.

72sheep

"How to Talk to a Family Member Who Works in the Mainstream Media"

Irish mainstream media churned out articles helping honest working people brand their family as conspiracy theorists. As others have already said on here, the Irish media should d.e.f.i.n.i.t.e.l.y apologise to the country for this type of sick behaviour. Unfortunately we know they never will. So it is up to each of us individually to be patient with these "truth-hesitant" family members and help them see the light :-) Somehow they still think they're public service investigative journalists!!

mcburns07

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118518575#Comment_118518575

Retail is a high risk environment? I agree with your other 3 points but the ongoing requirement of masks will hopefully only be here another 5-6 weeks. Time to move on.

podgeandrodge

In the pub. Confusion everywhere on masks. Customers,. Yes or no. Various newspaper articles saying yes while leaving table. But table rules gone so that seems wrong.

Most putting on masks when going to the bar or the loo.

I think rule gone.

stephenjmcd

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118519221#Comment_118519221

Nobody here with them on except the staff

freshpopcorn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118519221#Comment_118519221

From my understanding in a pub or restaurant now is it's back to January 2020 times.

cuttingtimber22

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118519232#Comment_118519232

Enjoy the night. Positive to hear people are enjoying themselves. The one take out from this whole thing Is not to take the good stuff for granted.

Pussyhands

Twitter is such a cesspit. The amount of whingeing that we're ridding most restrictions is unreal. There really is a cohort of people out there who'd love to keep things as they are.

"I'm immunocompromised, they're removing restrictions too quick! The government don't care about me!"

Like...we did the last 2 years of restrictions for people like you. We can't go on like this forever. At the best of times the immunocompromised have a risk.

I heard Kingston Mills say the digital covid cert shouldn't have been scrapped. Why? Being vaxxed doesn't stop you getting covid or transmitting it and in the last few months it's been the vaccinated that have been getting it and spreading it. The covid pass made no difference.

There's people out there who's lives or incomes have increased because of covid and these people won't want to let go of their status or money they've gained in the last 2 years.

Pussyhands

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118519221#Comment_118519221

Masks only needed in pubs for customer facing staff.

maebee

Went for a meal and drinkies tonight. Watching people going to the bar for their drinks felt so weird. It's amazing how your mind can be f*cked with, in less than 2 years.

mightyreds

Just back from the local, it was a lot different maybe it's the beer talking but you got a butt that won't quit , they got those big chewy pretzels fbdhrurhdhenehehehehe five dollars get outta hereggfry

podgeandrodge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118519440#Comment_118519440

Love a link here. I agree with you, but where is the straightforward statement.

The public statements dint directly address this.

Hic. Great night tonight left at 1am and felt free!

Fiyatoe

Any word of this crap being closed down?

Anything on this site that resembles the topic covid should have an expiry date of end of feb or something.

lets Move on and forget it all. Mask off!

podgeandrodge

MIRROR

https://www.irishmirror.ie/news/irish-news/places-you-still-need-wear-26020822

"All of the places you still need to wear a mask in Ireland after huge changes to Covid restrictions

The mask mandate will remain in place until it is reviewed at the end of February

Pubs and restaurants

Customers should wear a face covering on their way to and from their table and may be refused entry if they refuse to wear one.

Staff in sit-in restaurants or cafes must wear a face covering unless they are separated by a screen."

DUBLIN LIVE

"There will no longer be a requirement for social distancing or a maximum of six people at a table and masks will not have to be worn in bars."

EXAMINER

"What about face masks?

There will be no change to the requirement to wear face coverings in retail or transport spaces. Masks must also be worn in school settings until February 28. While these restrictions remain in place until the end of February, in hospitality settings, only staff will have to wear a mask.

Justice Minister Helen McEntee said this was because people were aware of the risks of places such as bars and restaurants for medically vulnerable people."

You know what, it actually speaks more about the quality of journalism in Ireland (as well as HSE advice) that you can't actually get a simple answer to this after all the announcement. Shocking.

podgeandrodge

Again, and perhaps someone can explain:

If wearing masks was predominately about protecting the other person rather than yourself - and this was the KEY message we've heard over the last 2 years, why are we all able to eliminate masks except the front facing staff?

don't get me wrong, I'm not arguing for masks. But why are the staff MANDATED to wear masks when the people that should theretically be protecting them by wearing masks THEMSELVES not have to. There is something amiss here imo.

They should always have had a website like say COVID.gov.ie with clear and up to date advice. I had to organise small (outdoor) events over the last couple of years, when it was possible to do so and it was always a total nightmare of uncertainty about what was and wasn’t permitted anytime they changed anything.

If you weren’t watching the nuances of government press conferences, you were often going on second hand media information, which wasn’t always accurate.

You also had and still have a lot of out of date information on various public service websites.

That was and still is my main gripe with government comms on this - single source of reference for all current info is always a good idea.

As for the people griping on twitter, yeah that will happen. A lot of people are a bit freaked out after two years of what has been absolutely horrible stuff, and not just in Ireland. We’ve all been though a lot. Be patient and nice to people over the weeks ahead. It’s going to take time and the risks are different for different people.

We are also looking at international coverage all day, and the US in particular is in a very different place from us at the moment, both earlier in the Omicron wave and, in many states, much less vaccinated. So you’ve a lot of doom and gloom coming from their reporting.

I’m finding the concern over dropping vaccine certs is more appropriate to parts of continental Europe. Ireland has huge vaccine uptake and the certs had become quite redundant when you can have as high as 96% or adults vaccinated in many regions and it’s over 93% nationally. That’s about as high as you’ll ever get with any vaccine campaign.

We don’t know where this will go in the weeks and months ahead but I think at this stage, particularly if your vaccinated and boosted and at low risk, enjoy yourself and enjoy being around other humans again.

Take precautions if you feel you need to and don’t criticise people who may need to take more than you do.

SortingYouOut

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118519878#Comment_118519878

Maybe it's the amount of people they interact with compared to customers, they're more exposed. To be honest I don't think there's a point in them anymore with society fully open. It made sense when we were trying to keep incidence low, but it's everywhere now. Maybe they felt removing mask wearing along with everything else would be felt as too much for some. The masks provide a sense of security for those not quite ready.

podgeandrodge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118519893#Comment_118519893

yep agree. But it is difficult to see the actual rules - they say retain masks for customer facing roles in hospitality/retail - but are silent on customers. Therefore, assume no requirement. But the news websites are a bit vague on this. And it's even more vague in the pub!

SortingYouOut

I was out today for food myself and everyone seemed to be wearing one out of their seat like before, I had thought it was all rules gone but masks still needed where they had been before. I wasn't aware of the official line but not surprised that it's a clear as mud.

glitterIsland

Some people expel a lot of fluid/salvia while speaking. It makes sense to retain masks in relation to food and beverage service. To minimise other peoples salvia landing on your foods/drinks.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118519897#Comment_118519897

Irish Aris

https://www.gov.ie/en/press-release/0fc0d-government-announces-that-most-of-the-public-health-measures-currently-in-place-can-be-removed/

Good morning everyone.

I think this is the link that describes it exactly

prunudo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118520094#Comment_118520094

Heard an ad on the radio saying similar yesterday. Had to laugh though, the only people I know who were reducing social contacts were those that were self isolating. Everyone else has been living as normal the last few weeks.