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

JTMan

Pubs and restaurants want to scrap social distancing in return for vaccine passes, as reported here. Seems like a fair proposal to me.

GeorgeBailey

JTMan wrote: »

Pubs and restaurants want to scrap social distancing in return for vaccine passes, as reported here. Seems like a fair proposal to me.

Didn't NPHET already say that venues could be at 100% capacity if everyone in the premises was vaccinated?

_Kaiser_

NT just talking about the expected UK announcement today of full removal of mandatory restrictions on the 19th

Guest from the UK Times summed it up really well.. The message will be that it's time to take control of your lives back and do what's right for you.

Agrees that the public opinion shows a cautious attitude and reckons that some will continue to wear masks and socially distance or whatever, some won't, but society will find a balance.

Absolutely how it should be at this stage, especially as they made the point that the link between rising cases and a surge in hospitalisation and deaths has been broken.

Meanwhile over here.. Hysteria over rising cases increasing despite extremely low hospitalisation, ads on the radio about the "race to beat the variant" and to avoid crowds etc, and no plan at all - just a plan to have a plan :rolleyes:

_Kaiser_

_Kaiser_ wrote: »

NT just talking about the expected UK announcement today of full removal of mandatory restrictions on the 19th

Guest from the UK Times summed it up really well.. The message will be that it's time to take control of your lives back and do what's right for you.

Agrees that the public opinion shows a cautious attitude and reckons that some will continue to wear masks and socially distance or whatever, some won't, but society will find a balance.

Absolutely how it should be at this stage, especially as they made the point that the link between rising cases and a surge in hospitalisation and deaths has been broken.

Meanwhile over here.. Hysteria over rising cases increasing despite extremely low hospitalisation, ads on the radio about the "race to beat the variant" and to avoid crowds etc, and no plan at all - just a plan to have a plan :rolleyes:

Perceived hysteria. Vast majority of the country is living life as normal.

No indoor dining and indoor pints. Apart from that the country is open. Maybe people shouid go out and enjoy life. Everyone I know is getting on with things, rather than whinging.

_Kaiser_

6 wrote: »

Perceived hysteria. Vast majority of the country is living life as normal.

No indoor dining and indoor pints. Apart from that the country is open. Maybe people shouid go out and enjoy life. Everyone I know is getting on with things, rather than whinging.

Sitting outside in the rain, having to wear masks every time you go into a shop, not being able to open your business or go back to work, asked to treat everyone you come into contact with (and yourself) as a potential plague carrier, and other Covid mandates is not living life as normal.

The only ones "whinging" are those who really resent the idea of other people living their own lives again and not feeling as concerned about the virus or variants as they do.

MrMusician18

6 wrote: »

Perceived hysteria. Vast majority of the country is living life as normal.

No indoor dining and indoor pints. Apart from that the country is open. Maybe people shouid go out and enjoy life. Everyone I know is getting on with things, rather than whinging.

Exactly. I know the internet does anger and rage better than anywhere but the past few days has been ridiculous. Its been a completely ott reaction to what - the restriction on indoor hospitality.

Just get on with it.

_Kaiser_

_Kaiser_ wrote: »

Sitting outside in the rain, having to wear masks every time you go into a shop, not being able to open your business or go back to work, asked to treat everyone you come into contact with (and yourself) as a potential plague carrier, and other Covid mandates is not living life as normal.

The only ones "whinging" are those who really resent the idea of other people living their own lives again and not feeling as concerned about the virus or variants as they do.

Wearing a mask in a shop is a minor inconvenience. Trivial at best.

Absolutely feel sorry for people not able to open their business. It's not bring done on a whim.

Treating all contacts as potential plague carriers? Hysterical point. The vast majority will be vaccinated soon anyway. I

Again, I don't know anyone worried about variants. Let the experts worry about that stuff.

Someone told me me last year to only worry about things you can control yourself. Simple, but so true. Don't worry about things you can't personally control, and go live your life.

I honestly think a lot of people get sucked into negative echo chambers, particularly on social media. Can't do them any good.

Leftwaffe

In fairness there is hysteria out there. I can see it with older family members and people in the community. Frightened by RTE, genuinely. RTE is still the main source of information for a large cohort of people in this country and to be honest it’s frustrating. I find myself getting caught up trying to bring balance to it all in conversations but some people won’t listen.

For example, family get together at the weekend. 15 adults all fully vaccinated, Some afraid they’ll still catch the virus, some afraid the guards will raid the place. You’d have to feel sorry for some people, the effects of this will last a lifetime.

bear1

6 wrote: »

Perceived hysteria. Vast majority of the country is living life as normal.

No indoor dining and indoor pints. Apart from that the country is open. Maybe people shouid go out and enjoy life. Everyone I know is getting on with things, rather than whinging.

"The country is open"

Can you easily travel to Ireland without any hindrance?
Do you need to wear masks indoors?
Can you go to a club?
Can you drink inside?
Can I eat inside?
Can I invite as many people as I want to a wedding?
Can I go to a communion?
Do I need to quarantine in Ireland even if I'm fully vaccinated and have a negative PCR?

Open.. you don't seem to have a clue.

The HorsesMouth

MrMusician18 wrote: »

Exactly. I know the internet does anger and rage better than anywhere but the past few days has been ridiculous. Its been a completely ott reaction to what - the restriction on indoor hospitality.

Just get on with it.

Absolutely despise that attitude. Just get on with it. Don't like nuns and Christian brothers beating the ****e out of you? Sure you are poor so just get on with it. Can't buy or rent a house? Oh whinging millennial, just get on with it. Ruined by the celtic tiger? Well you shouldn't have been greedy, just get on with it.

It's not about indoor dining or hospitality. It's about the way the country is. The deference to a "higher" authority, the way we are behind every single other country in terms of restrictions. The way the government constantly want to be the best boys. The cringefest that is these so called pilot events that have been run. It's embarrassing. I never thought Ireland would embarrass me but it does at the minute. And it's not our fault, it's those who were put into power who are not doing their job and doing what they were put there to do.

I've no doubt it will get better but that's where a lot of people sit at the minute.

the kelt

_Kaiser_ wrote: »

Sitting outside in the rain, having to wear masks every time you go into a shop, not being able to open your business or go back to work, asked to treat everyone you come into contact with (and yourself) as a potential plague carrier, and other Covid mandates is not living life as normal.

The only ones "whinging" are those who really resent the idea of other people living their own lives again and not feeling as concerned about the virus or variants as they do.

The fact that this seems normal and perfectly fine for some people is a scary thought to be honest.

You’re friends and neighbours having their livelihoods devastated, sure it’s grand, just get on with it.

Ye want to travel abroad to visit family or heaven forbid take a holiday, €2000 fine, but sure that’s grand, that’s normal, why the whinging? Just get on with it.

The more this goes on the more ye see the pure selfishness of those who it doesn’t really affect and the “I’m alright jack” so screw everyone else attitude.

It’s amazing how many people care about COVID yet have zero empathy apart from that!

the kelt

6 wrote: »

Wearing a mask in a shop is a minor inconvenience. Trivial at best.

Absolutely feel sorry for people not able to open their business. It's not bring done on a whim.

Treating all contacts as potential plague carriers? Hysterical point. The vast majority will be vaccinated soon anyway. I

Again, I don't know anyone worried about variants. Let the experts worry about that stuff.

Someone told me me last year to only worry about things you can control yourself. Simple, but so true. Don't worry about things you can't personally control, and go live your life.

I honestly think a lot of people get sucked into negative echo chambers, particularly on social media. Can't do them any good.

So if you have a friend or family member who’s in a bad way for whatever reason due to COVID restrictions whatever they are, you can’t do anything about those, can’t control those restrictions so don’t worry about them!

They’re lucky people so!

Richard Hillman

6 wrote: »

Wearing a mask in a shop is a minor inconvenience. Trivial at best.

Absolutely feel sorry for people not able to open their business. It's not bring done on a whim.

Treating all contacts as potential plague carriers? Hysterical point. The vast majority will be vaccinated soon anyway. I

Again, I don't know anyone worried about variants. Let the experts worry about that stuff.

Someone told me me last year to only worry about things you can control yourself. Simple, but so true. Don't worry about things you can't personally control, and go live your life.

I honestly think a lot of people get sucked into negative echo chambers, particularly on social media. Can't do them any good.

I agree with your post bar the first part. Wearing a mask is not trivial when you work in the shop. I was working in retail during parts of the pandemic and had to wear it for 8 hours a day plus another 2 hours for commuting. It's not fun.

bucketybuck

the kelt wrote: »

The fact that this seems normal and perfectly fine for some people is a scary thought to be honest.

You’re friends and neighbours having their livelihoods devastated, sure it’s grand, just get on with it.

They aren't affected by it. Sitting at home with family and pension telling everybody else that life is easy, it doesn't really affect them so when they get bored you see the "who actually cares" mentality slipping through.

_Kaiser_

6 wrote: »

Wearing a mask in a shop is a minor inconvenience. Trivial at best.

In your opinion. It's also normalising this nonsense and the idea that there's something to fear (when in truth the vast majority of people are at no real risk) for the long term as in fact you've just done

Absolutely feel sorry for people not able to open their business. It's not bring done on a whim.

Nope. It seems to be primarily because Tony Holohan has an issue with alcohol consumption. Hotels are open to guests, HSE facilities have been open throughout. There's no logic or reason for continuing to restrict only some hospitality businesses.

Treating all contacts as potential plague carriers? Hysterical point. The vast majority will be vaccinated soon anyway.

The vast majority of people who are actually at any real potential risk are indeed as already vaccinated yet we still have ads on the radio telling people to avoid crowds and maintain social distancing, and NPHET previously telling people to treat others (and themselves) as potential carriers.

Again, I don't know anyone worried about variants. Let the experts worry about that stuff.

Someone told me me last year to only worry about things you can control yourself. Simple, but so true. Don't worry about things you can't personally control, and go live your life.

An admirable sentiment, however the ability to "go live your life" is noticeably hampered to various degrees so long as this nonsense continues.

What you're suggesting is accepting and normalising the current situation. No thanks - I want to be able to do the things I did, in the way I did them, before all this started.

That's living life again.

I honestly think a lot of people get sucked into negative echo chambers, particularly on social media. Can't do them any good.

What I find interesting in that regard is people continuing to visit threads that clearly annoy them, and whose only contribution is to to complain that the majority of views expressed don't suit their take on the issue.

This thread is about the relaxation of restrictions. Stands to reason that the majority will want this to happen as quickly as possible and will quite naturally object to arguments (either from posters or NPHET/others) that prevent that - especially where those arguments make no logical sense in many cases.

MrMusician18

the kelt wrote: »

The fact that this seems normal and perfectly fine for some people is a scary thought to be honest.

You’re friends and neighbours having their livelihoods devastated, sure it’s grand, just get on with it.

Ye want to travel abroad to visit family or heaven forbid take a holiday, €2000 fine, but sure that’s grand, that’s normal, why the whinging? Just get on with it.

The more this goes on the more ye see the pure selfishness of those who it doesn’t really affect and the “I’m alright jack” so screw everyone else attitude.

It’s amazing how many people care about COVID yet have zero empathy apart from that!

Normal, no nothing has been normal since last March. But what were being asked to do is tolerable. The current level of restrictions are not a big ask and if they are what is necessary to prevent a step change in mixing and disease spread then so be it.

So yeah, just get on with it.

bucketybuck

Step change.

Sounds like we have a new scare word we'll soon be seeing everywhere.

bear1

bear1 wrote: »

"The country is open"

Can you easily travel to Ireland without any hindrance?
Do you need to wear masks indoors?
Can you go to a club?
Can you drink inside?
Can I eat inside?
Can I invite as many people as I want to a wedding?
Can I go to a communion?
Do I need to quarantine in Ireland even if I'm fully vaccinated and have a negative PCR?

Open.. you don't seem to have a clue.

Drink and dine inside? It'll come, hardly a deal breaker in order to exist.

A communion? Seriously? A lot of parents are delighted, and are instead treating their kids to a day of fun without the religoius nonsense.

A smaller wedding? Again, this is trivial.

None of us the things you mentioned stops the vast majority of people having a perfectly normal life.

the kelt

MrMusician18 wrote: »

Normal, no nothing has been normal since last March. But what were being asked to do is tolerable. The current level of restrictions are not a big ask and if they are what is necessary to prevent a step change in mixing and disease spread then so be it.

So yeah, just get on with it.

It’s tolerable for you obviously. Genuinely it’s also tolerable for me.

But not everyone, that’s my point. Just telling people to get on with it displays a lack of empathy and consideration for other, in other words “I’m alright jack, screw you”

Yes the current restrictions aren’t a big ask when everyone is in this together like last March, when everyone was in the same boat.

When you look and see the rest of Europe getting on with their lives and Ireland despite everything it has going for it a complete outlier in getting in with it, what do you expect?

But sure hey just get on with it and stop asking questions. Sure it’s grand, stop whingeing you there with your life in tatters!

the kelt

corkonion wrote: »

What I find unbelievable is that Nphet don't want to be part of the government talks with the leaders of the hospitality industry later today, they want to wait until talks progress and enter the talks at a later date.
= no indoor anything this year.

Tony and NPHET lowering themselves to speak to those people! Come on, we know that’s not happening.

They are sending a representative though I was reading this morning. One of those revolving road signs you see sometimes at road works with the word “NO” written on both sides.

Archeron

Breakingnews.ie report I seen this morning saying we only have 40 ICU beds available across the entire country. If memory serves this time last year we had over 200 with a promise to significantly increase capacity. I ain't no big city doctor but that sure seems like a whoe load of bollix to me. So what happened in the past year that ICU capacity has gone down so significantly?
Was there an earthquake that I didn't hear about that injured many people?
Are people suffering from other illnesses due to covid only focus that those poor souls are now ending up in ICU?, and which should have been prevented?
Did we perhaps spend so much money on testing that we failed to put the money into actual investment in the health service? Where is that money gone again? Oh we're not allowed are we, sorry.
Are the media talking out of their arses and continuing their attempt to terrify people?

If after a year and a half of this, we find ourselves in position with the hospitalss waaaaay worse than this time last year, then heads should roll. Far too much passing the buck going on, let's blame the children, let's blame the young, let's blame pretty much anybody except those being handsomely paid to get us through this and who made it into a clusterf*ck the likes of which will go down in history
I don't drink much so the indoor pubs doesn't bother me, but I feel for those who work there and who rely on it to socialize. What's making me nauseous are the power hungry arrogant egotistical clowns who think we should just do as we're told without asking any questions.

The arrogance of those who are picking and choosing what they will answer, what meetings they will go to is astounding. In any other industry or role, you do as you're requested to do or else you know where the door is. In any other industry many of these clowns would have been fired a long time ago.

prunudo

6 wrote: »

Perceived hysteria. Vast majority of the country is living life as normal.

No indoor dining and indoor pints. Apart from that the country is open. Maybe people shouid go out and enjoy life. Everyone I know is getting on with things, rather than whinging.

You raise an interesting point, the vast majority are going about their lives as normally as can be expected and many pushing the boundaries of the guidelines, certainly in their personal lives.

This may expalin the contuined relatively high case numbers, which begs the question, would we actually see the tsunami, hurricane or any other hyped up adjectives they want to use.
One thing is for sure though, there is a vocal minority who are hysterical about the virus and the risks of reopening.

FileNotFound

Archeron wrote: »

Breakingnews.ie report I seen this morning saying we only have 40 ICU beds available across the entire country. If memory serves this time last year we had over 200 with a promise to significantly increase capacity. I ain't no big city doctor but that sure seems like a whoe load of bollix to me. So what happened in the past year that ICU capacity has gone down so significantly?
Was there an earthquake that I didn't hear about that injured many people?
Are people suffering from other illnesses due to covid only focus that those poor souls are now ending up in ICU?, and which should have been prevented?
Did we perhaps spend so much money on testing that we failed to put the money into actual investment in the health service? Where is that money gone again? Oh we're not allowed are we, sorry.
Are the media talking out of their arses and continuing their attempt to terrify people?

If after a year and a half of this, we find ourselves in position with the hospitalss waaaaay worse than this time last year, then heads should roll. Far too much passing the buck going on, let's blame the children, let's blame the young, let's blame pretty much anybody except those being handsomely paid to get us through this and who made it into a clusterf*ck the likes of which will go down in history
I don't drink much so the indoor pubs doesn't bother me, but I feel for those who work there and who rely on it to socialize. What's making me nauseous are the power hungry arrogant egotistical clowns who think we should just do as we're told without asking any questions.

The arrogance of those who are picking and choosing what they will answer, what meetings they will go to is astounding. In any other industry or role, you do as you're requested to do or else you know where the door is. In any other industry many of these clowns would have been fired a long time ago.

The rest is in the private sector - I imagine the contract they had in place has run its course, so reality is we can instantly activate lots more ICU beds.

Mind you thats just a guess from what i remember from earlier in pandemic.

the kelt

Archeron wrote: »

Breakingnews.ie report I seen this morning saying we only have 40 ICU beds available across the entire country. If memory serves this time last year we had over 200 with a promise to significantly increase capacity. I ain't no big city doctor but that sure seems like a whoe load of bollix to me. So what happened in the past year that ICU capacity has gone down so significantly?
Was there an earthquake that I didn't hear about that injured many people?
Are people suffering from other illnesses due to covid only focus that those poor souls are now ending up in ICU?, and which should have been prevented?
Did we perhaps spend so much money on testing that we failed to put the money into actual investment in the health service? Where is that money gone again? Oh we're not allowed are we, sorry.
Are the media talking out of their arses and continuing their attempt to terrify people?

If after a year and a half of this, we find ourselves in position with the hospitalss waaaaay worse than this time last year, then heads should roll. Far too much passing the buck going on, let's blame the children, let's blame the young, let's blame pretty much anybody except those being handsomely paid to get us through this and who made it into a clusterf*ck the likes of which will go down in history
I don't drink much so the indoor pubs doesn't bother me, but I feel for those who work there and who rely on it to socialize. What's making me nauseous are the power hungry arrogant egotistical clowns who think we should just do as we're told without asking any questions.

The arrogance of those who are picking and choosing what they will answer, what meetings they will go to is astounding. In any other industry or role, you do as you're requested to do or else you know where the door is. In any other industry many of these clowns would have been fired a long time ago.

So restrictions in place anyway even with close to zero COVID patients potentially?

Nah that’s just an out there conspiracy theory.

But sure it grand, just get on with it.

Its not just down to indoor dining and hospitality that some people think for the country to open up.

Try having a loved one in hospital and getting treatment for cancer with nobody allowed to visit them while they battle this terrible illness alone. I had to do this with my father for 7 months of his treatment. He eventually died in hospital and we could only visit him for the 2 last 2 weeks of his life. My mother got to spend 3 weeks with him, (he got home for a total 3 weeks in those 7 months). This is happening across the country to families every day. No one deserves to spend their last few months in hospital alone. I understand the importance of protecting others in the hospital and staff too but if the country was open as people are suggesting this wouldn't have to happen.

So for those saying just get on with the country is open, its far from it and I wouldn't wish it upon anyone to go through what my family had to because of these restrictions and lockdowns.

Chris_5339762

My dad went in to get his knee done. He got on very well, but none of us were allowed into the hospital at all to help him, despite both being vaccinated. Very hard for him.

My mum has Parkinsons, and her first appointment with the consultant is November. She is point blank refusing to go to it unless she can have one of us in with her. Hopefully things will change by then, but she is already fretting about it.

Multipass

Ad on the radio from our government this morning:
‘Be cautious on your staycation’

Luckily the car stereo isn’t throwable

the kelt

Chris_5339762 wrote: »

My dad went in to get his knee done. He got on very well, but none of us were allowed into the hospital at all to help him, despite both being vaccinated. Very hard for him.

My mum has Parkinsons, and her first appointment with the consultant is November. She is point blank refusing to go to it unless she can have one of us in with her. Hopefully things will change by then, but she is already fretting about it.

Sure according to a few of the boyos on here, just get on with it, quit your whinging, sure apart from not being able to have a pint or meals indoors it’s just normal.

It horrible, I’ve been in your situation, hopefully by November things will have changed by then but looking at our crowd and how they operate I wouldn’t be banking on it.

FlubberJones

Multipass wrote: »

Ad on the radio from our government this morning:
‘Be cautious on your staycation’

Luckily the car stereo isn’t throwable

Staycation... ffs I despise this term.

So many plans for travel from late July, Aug, Sep, Nov and Dec... fcuk the joke that is stay****ingcation

bear1

6 wrote: »

Drink and dine inside? It'll come, hardly a deal breaker in order to exist.

A communion? Seriously? A lot of parents are delighted, and are instead treating their kids to a day of fun without the religoius nonsense.

A smaller wedding? Again, this is trivial.

None of us the things you mentioned stops the vast majority of people having a perfectly normal life.

You didn't answer the rest of my questions.
For you they may be signs of freedom but they are in no way signs of normality.
Are you seriously suggesting that our freedoms now are the same as in 2019?
If yes then why?