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

It is ultimately the government and NPHET's fault that people are so afraid and unable to move forward. At every possible opportunity, both have massively exaggerated how deadly Covid is and both wanted to keep the public afraid. Even now, criticizing the UK approach is giving the impression that normality cannot return even after huge numbers are vaccinated. Leo talking about no nightclubs for "quite some time" and suggesting that we might even need to vaccinate teenagers before we have immunity just adds to the storm they have caused.

People now have ridiculous and unrealistic expectations. It is time that the government start communicating to people that fully vaccinated is as good as you are going to get. That doesn't mean you won't catch Covid. It doesn't mean you won't end up in hospital. It doesn't mean you can't die. We also need to start reminding people that we don't have a magic money tree. We can't lockdown forever.

OwenM

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117631328#Comment_117631328

"It's clear that those running the show know all this. NPHET are not recommending further restrictions. Reid spoke yesterday about a "bumpy ride". They have no intention of locking down again..."

My biggest fear is Micheal Martin, he has fewer vertebrae than a jellyfish and could spook when cases get higher and ISAG are presenting the Scare Byrne show again.

The recent numbers in the UK have in part been attributed to the Euro soccer matches so the absence of that driver might mean 'freedom day' won't have as much impact.

Ficheall

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117631369#Comment_117631369

You mean you explained getting the vaccine significantly reduces the chance of getting seriously ill? As opposed to eliminating it completely.

lee_baby_simms

I was talking with a friend and he told me he met a mutual friend of ours in the park and this guy was masked up and very careful to stay 2 meters away. Outdoors. A fully vaccinated healthy man in his early 40s.

That kind of caution and fear is not justifiable given the low relative risk. It seems to be quite common.

is_that_so

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117631605#Comment_117631605

Had a similar conversation this morning where an 82 year old father was trying to persuade a fully vaccinated 40 something son to relax some of his cautious measures.

Cork2021

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117631560#Comment_117631560

Only good thing is Claire Byrne won’t be on tv during the summer only her daily frightening session in the mornings, surely she’s due a holiday to her garden shed soon??

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117631605#Comment_117631605

I haven't seen a friend of mine in his early 30's since March 2020. I reached out again this weekend to see if he wanted to meet outdoors and he still won't. We both already have one dose of the vaccine.

Difficult to know how some of these people will ever function properly again. Maybe counselling will be needed.

At this point I think I will have to leave that friendship behind for now at least

seamus

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117631560#Comment_117631560

I don't think Michael has listened much to all that rubbish tbh. ISAG recommendations have never been taken up by the government and there doesn't seem to have been a lot of attention paid to the doom-mongerers on RTE. He's very cautious and unwilling to deviate from NPHET advice; but that's both in terms of opening up and in locking down.

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117631367#Comment_117631367

Yeah, I should have phrased that better. There has been this constant undercurrent that lockdowns are the disease and not a symptom. And that it's the lockdowns which are causing people to miss out on appointments. When in reality it's the explosions in case numbers which have required restrictions, and therefore impacted on hospital services.

I think for many people this "what about the cancer patients" cry has been a useful smokescreen when in reality they just want the pubs open. But my point really was that the need to maintain restrictions needs to be balanced against the impact it has on the rest of the healthcare system. We cannot aim to keep covid suppressed to the detriment of the rest of the system. Provided we are managing, then we need to move forward.

TefalBrain

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117631605#Comment_117631605

A lot of people's mental health has been totally destroyed by this and the constant doom mongering. I still see people crossing the road to avoid others on the footpath and treating this like the black death or Ebola. People underestimate how damaging this is for one's own ability to use sense and logic.

OwenM

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117631825#Comment_117631825

"I don't think Michael has listened much to all that rubbish tbh"

I doubt if he does either but he does listen to the electorate that are terrified by it, there are people afraid to leave their houses even now who think going to the supermarket is dangerous but driving at 120km/h on the motorway doesn't bother them.

Drexel_3

Has there been any work done in increasing the number of hospital and ICU beds the last year and a half?

Anything at all?? I feel like until we have increased capacity we will always have the lingerig threat of a lockdown hanging over us.

Sweet.Science

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117631328#Comment_117631328

Yeah that's pretty much it . Just hope they hold their nerve over the next month

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117631825#Comment_117631825

This nonsense about pubs again…

sekiro

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117631725#Comment_117631725

Its sad and probably true that many will need counselling when things really start to open up again.

I get the sense that people feel that opening up is like being told by the government "off you go now, it's up to you to take it from here" and they don't really want this.

Once a person is fully vaccinated they should have a lot more freedom and be able to go back to normal. People who are not vaccinated should be advised on how to take care of themselves and be cautious.

Like, if Temple Bar is fully opened and people are congregating and going in and out and drinking then it's not like people who are not vaccinated are being forced to attend.

The same rules as last year would more or less apply. Avoid crowds. Wash hands regularly. Just it won't be mandatory anymore.

Masks seem to be a really big point of conflict and I wonder if that's because it's such an easy way to judge someone. Look at this guy not wearing his mask! I'm in danger!

Many people will probably need quite a lot of time to get over all this. Which makes sense as the whole scenario is ongoing and can be quite traumatic.

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117630434#Comment_117630434

Ah sorry. For example deciding that regardless of being vaccinated and others in their company the same then they must use social distancing and wear masks. Also deciding not to leave the country and will avoid indoor dining when it resumes.

The motivation for this is pretty much as Seamus said, restricting their lives in order to potentially prevent death.

is_that_so

One of the reasons comparisons to the UK are ill-advised. Surprised it is so many but it does explain their rates of infection.

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-57874402

Don't discount the section of society who like the new social distancing for purely personal reasons, not related to the virus. Some people just don't like to be too close to strangers and the pandemic has thrown up an excellent excuse to justify keeping your distance. It's no longer considered weird to make a wide berth to avoid meeting someone. Even wearing masks, I like putting mine on because it makes it far less likely someone will stop you in the supermarket aisle for a 20 minute chat.

Will be interesting to see how the social dynamic evolve in England the next few weeks. Will mask wearers be stared at instead of the other way around now, and will there be friction because of it.

Gone Drinking

They should be reporting how many of those in hospital and in ICU are vaccinated vs not. If the numbers are what I suspect, it might encourage the skeptics to get vaccinated.

zebastein

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117632183#Comment_117632183

They said recently (last week) that in the last 2 months: 200 people were admitted to the hospital including 1 fully vaccinated, 16 or 18 with 1 dose, and the 180+ remaining were unvaccinated.

What I would also like to know is when did the people in ICU get admitted ? Are there 10/15 people that have been in ICU since January or are they all "new" cases ? If there are long term patients, then these numbers in ICU do not represent correctly the risks of catching covid in summer 2021.

Ficheall

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117632032#Comment_117632032

No harm taking extra precautions, really, provided there's no big inconvenience - a little more peace of mind for a little inconvenience isn't a terrible trade-off. If the foggy glasses didn't render me almost blind when wearing masks, I wouldn't have an issue with wearing them as a matter of course. Won't be dining indoors for the summer either - but it's far more pleasant outside these days, so I don't see that being a huge inconvenience either.

Leaving the country, I'm still not decided on. I'm looking at holidays from September onwards, but unwilling to commit to anything yet.. Will see where things go.

Wearing sunscreen or a lifejacket or a helmet just in case something goes wrong.. You wouldn't call that "sad". Perhaps.

Amadan Dubh

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117631356#Comment_117631356

Maybe they were the unfortunate people who had to go back to the office today and threw all their toys out of the pram?

iamwhoiam

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117632452#Comment_117632452

I wont be dining indoors if I can at all avoid it . I am fully vaccinated but just dont want to risk having to isolate if I have the misfortune to catch Covid

We were locked down for long enough so if I can avoid a 10 day isolation I will by being as careful as I can while getting on with life . I meet my friends outdoors and we are very happy doing that for now

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117632442#Comment_117632442

Stephen Donnolly just tweeted:

https://twitter.com/DonnellyStephen/status/1417115133579571204?s=19

PTH2009

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117632583#Comment_117632583

Great news but we know NPHET will still be overly cautious and its time for the government to let us move on

Surreal to think England which is a maximum 1 hour flight away today has gone back to near normal

yourdeadwright

I really hope a lasting effect of covid is that it changes the drinking culture in Ireland ,

As young man i was very active but i also spent many years of my 20's and early 30's & probably 100's of thousand of Euro's on drinking ,its been great to see the uptake in running ,cycling ,sea swimming & out door activities, I hope it lasts it'll lead to more happy fulfilling lives for the young people of the country ,

Obviously people need a night or day out with a few drinks every now and again but the whole culture of it really go out of hand ,

yourdeadwright

hmmm

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117632913#Comment_117632913

England is an outlier with their full reopening this early, I don't think it's realistic to "blame" NPHET for not following them. We're opening things up (slowly) even while cases are rising, I think that should be acknowledged - it would have been very easy to say "only essential travel".

Bit cynical

agoodpunt

for all our sakes i hope UK suceeds what the deal with only 2 customers allowed in shops especially with 60% vaccinated same as before any vaccinations started how is this right

JRant

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117633303#Comment_117633303

If it wasn't for EU intervention we would most certainly be under "essential travel only" for a while yet.

We're opening up so slowly that cases are beginning to rise again anyway. Such are the cycles of this virus that they go up for a while, come down for a while, rinse and repeat. We had 3 months of low stable cases and very little movement on restrictions, that also needs to be acknowledged. Having such a rigid approach to a dynamic situation has seriously hammered the country.