Now that Covid is over why doesn't someone officially call it ?

Apothic_Red

ICU down to 29

https://twitter.com/COVID19DataIE/status/1523245583011844096

7 Day rolling death average of 6

So we're down to one death a day attributed directly to Covid in a country that experiences 80-90 deaths per day.

My wife, who is still swabbing tested 13 people yesterday, they were doing 450 a day back in Jan 2022.

Should Tony not make an official statement, who gains from the continuation of this charade, it's genuinely over

kippy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058244953/now-that-covid-is-over-why-doesnt-someone-officially-call-it

What does 'over' mean?

is_that_so

It's still being tracked by the HPSC, like other diseases it tracks and that side of it has nothing to do with the CMO any more. Declaring the COVID pandemic over is a WHO remit anyway.

El_Duderino 09

We'll need to wait and see what happens this winter. If we get through without the new variants being a big problem, then it's probably pretty much over. Its summer, last summer was mpre or less grand too.

No point declaring it over untill we can get through a winter without any restrictions.

Sleeper12

Restrictions are lifted & life has returned to normal. I'm enjoying the freedom again. Covid hasn't gone away though. "Calling it" would be a bad idea because people still need to take personal responsibility and be on their guard.

fun loving criminal

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119032604#Comment_119032604

I'm dreading winter. It will go up again with people and their self diagnosed colds and chest infections and going into work.

Try leaving Venice Airport on an airplane wearing a mask that doesn’t comply with FFP2 standards and you find out about rules & regulations as I did on Friday trying to board Aer Lingus with “just” a “medical mask”.

Sleeper12

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119032626#Comment_119032626

I was in London a couple of weeks ago. I was gobsmacked that masks weren't a requirement for the flight.

Ceramic

Ultimately it’s up to the WHO to call it and it still seems to be a very live issue in some countries, notably with poor / patchy vaccine uptake.

I think the airlines probably were accurate enough in calling 2023 as the likely end of the pandemic era. A lot of others were being a bit unrealistic. It’s probably been 2022 for Ireland and much of Europe though.

I don’t see us swinging back to those kinds of restrictions ever again.

I do think we need a major debriefing in Ireland, in the EU and elsewhere on what happened, what worked, what didn’t work and how we could prevent or minimise a situation like this ever happening again.

The way this was handled almost everywhere was generally not wonderful and was learn as we went.

El_Duderino 09

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119032615#Comment_119032615

Ah, I don't pretend to know what will happen. It might be grand, there might be a variant of concern. We'll just have to wait and see what happens.

It's not about the number of infections. It's about the hospitals and ICU numbers. People going to work with a cold won't cause covid infections in ICU.

Gusser09

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119032604#Comment_119032604

Ah yeh nice one. Drag it on for another year. It'd be extremely extremely unlikely that any new variant would be a concern or stronger than omicron.

El_Duderino 09

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119032812#Comment_119032812

Doesn't need to be stronger than Omicron. Just strong enough to warrant restrictions. If we need restrictions then it's not over, wouldn't you agree?

But so what if it hadn't been declared over? Declaring it over doesn't make any difference in practice. We're living without much restriction at the moment. And if we get through the coming winter without need for restrictions, then it'll most likely be over.

What's the advantage to declaring it over now before we know if it's over or not?

Richard Hillman

It's over here but other countries still have vaccine passes, mask mandates etc. And not to forget the craziness going on in China.

A lot of powerful people, organisations, companies have a lot of skin in the game too. They don't want it to be "over".

Amadan Dubh

There's a conspiracy theory thread that all COVID measures are permanent. Some of you claiming restrictions could return in the winter are best advised to visit that thread I think. COVID is dead in the water and poses no more than negligible strain on our health service. It took two years to get to this point and lots of vaccines, but quite clearly COVID is well and truly over as any sort of crisis.

El_Duderino 09

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119032947#Comment_119032947

What's the conspiracy angle? Who are you referring to and what 'skin'?

El_Duderino 09

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119033069#Comment_119033069

I don't know how likely restrictions are to return next winter. But that's the test. Summer isn't a test of anything. The threats last October were full of posters claiming restrictions over Christmas were impossible and millions would refuse another vaccine. That's easy to say in October and the relevant numbers are low. But circumstances changed and people reacted appropriately.

We'll just have to see how this winter goes. If it goes smoothly then great. No point telling people there can't be need for restrictions next winter when we don't know. We haven't had a winter without restrictions since it started so the only sensible things to do is wait and see.

What's the advantage to 'declaring' it over anyway? I don't see any advantage

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119032626#Comment_119032626

Jesus wept

ceadaoin.

So just wait until winter is over is the new just wait 2 weeks now? Bearing in mind its not even summer yet, it's a pretty long wait lol. I'm sure then it will be, 'best to wait until spring to be sure' etc etc

El_Duderino 09

Why? What would spring tell us?

Winter is the test. We can declare anything we want, doesn't make it so. The irony would be totally lost on the posters who demand covid be declared over, and then act shocked of there us any need for restrictions this winter.

Has anyone come up with any advantage of declaring it over?

Crocodile Booze

Bizarre. Why do we need to "call it". Regular people just move on with life without needing official signals.

The only oddballs still talking about Covid are the usual disappointed Covid-conspiracy freaks who now have nothing to complain about since all their 'research' was wrong.

Akrasia

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119034828#Comment_119034828

Yep. As usual all the 'boiled frog' types have been shown up.

We can easily get through winter without restrictions if we just don't put any in place.

We have proof now that restrictions don't work anyways as cases will drop off without them. The government more or less admitted this by saying that only a full on nuclear lockdown might help with the likes of Omicron. And thats hardly worth it given the tiny death rate.

Besides, we have bigger fish to fry now with the huge levels of inflation caused by how irresponsible we've all acted over the last 2 years.

El_Duderino 09

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119034828#Comment_119034828

Yeah absolutely. Most people are getting on with their lives. The ones going on and on and on about it are the conspiracy theorists.

But if we're declaring things for the sake of it, can someone declare me the winner of tomorrow's Euromillions, please? That would be great.

Xander10

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119033700#Comment_119033700

But isn't it the case, that a virus like C19 is not spread based on season. Therefore, why would winter tell us anymore than summer?

waterwelly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119034828#Comment_119034828

Oddball on the Internet still talking about covid, claiming only the other oddballs are talking about it.

Pot, kettle, black there Mr. Crocodile Oddball.

waterwelly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119032609#Comment_119032609

So if we all need to be on our guard over covid how has life returned to normal?

El_Duderino 09

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119034959#Comment_119034959

Is that the case? I think it spiked in winter the last 2 years. And that's all the data we have to go on.

Has anyone come up with the advantages to 'declaring' it over now as opposed to waiting to see if its actually over?

El_Duderino 09

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119034980#Comment_119034980

I'm not doing a lot differently than before covid right now because covid isn't a problem right now. Covid has been. Problem the last couple of winters so thsts the test of whether it's over or not.

Pretry simple stuff.

Sleeper12

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119034980#Comment_119034980

I'm on my guard crossing the road or driving on a motorway. Being on your guard should have been part of your life since you were a small child. Being on your guard is a very normal part of everyday life for an adult

El_Duderino 09

Can anyone think of any advantages to declaring it over? I've asked a few times but nobody has even attempted to address the question.

waterwelly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119035033#Comment_119035033

So in what ways are you being on your guard against covid at the moment?

Mission Accomplished.

waterwelly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119035109#Comment_119035109

It's still a drain on public funds, money that could be spent better would be one.

Do we still have people isolating and losing days at work? If so that would be another.

JimmyVik

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119035109#Comment_119035109

So that you dontend up going for your folight and having a cold and being told you cant go on your holidays.

One of the kids the communion class near us had to stay at home because of a cold couple of weeks ago. Couldnt make their communion.

Stuff like that wouldnt happen if it was declared over.

I would actually like to see everyone get tested to see if they had covid already.

Crocodile Booze

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119034972#Comment_119034972

As I said, bizarre.

El_Duderino 09

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119035174#Comment_119035174

Wouldn't those people just do a lateral flow test to check if it's s likely covid or not? That's what I do anyway. Happened at the weekend. Mrs. was feeling unwell so we did lateral flows and its just a cold or whatever. Job's a good'ne. That's about the only precaution I'm taking at the moment. Not a big inconvenience.

Those issues could be addressed by removing any restrictions for now while there aren't any real problems from covid. Ad long as people see realistic about the fact that next winter is the actual test, not now in the better weather.

The main reasons I'm opposed to declaring it over is because we don't know if it's over or not. So it would be arbitrary. That's the main one.

The second one is that it would make it harder to react if we need to react next winter.

waterwelly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119035250#Comment_119035250

It is bizarre alright that you are still stuck in covid forums unable to move on, while acussing others of being the oddball.

Crocodile Booze

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119035386#Comment_119035386

I don't acuss anybody, I'm a good Christian boy.

Ceepo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119035109#Comment_119035109

I think for the vast majority of people in Ireland it wouldn't make a difference in a daily basis outside of having to isolate, as the restrictions are pretty much lifted here.

I'm sure if the WHO came out tomorrow call 'officially declared it over' it would end the recovery certs and vaccination certs for travelling. There are also a lot of countries that still require vaccination certs for entry into indoor events. Even in some colleges in the US require you to be fully vaccinated. It would probably put an end to the mask mandates worldwide too.

El_Duderino 09

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119035429#Comment_119035429

Sure. Are those countries doing as well as Ireland though? Ireland could lift all restrictions in and I wouldn't object. As long as they make people aware that winter is the test. Then it's fine.

Micky 32

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119035109#Comment_119035109

Personally i couldn’t care less whether the pandemic is declared over or not. I can do the things i did back in 2019. So how do you define over? Is it over because life is normal or because the virus is still around? Of course i do all the simple basic precautions.

i think it will be unlikely that restrictions will return especially when they were all lifted when cases were rampant and hospitals were at nearly 1700.

The threshold for restrictions is now quite high.

JimmyVik

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119035380#Comment_119035380

Not nice sitting in a packed space with lots of other people though when you are snotting your face out and sneezing all over the place. Not nice for you and not nice for them. If covid was declared a non issue then people wouldnt feel so bad.

Micky 32

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119032634#Comment_119032634

I was on a flight to NY with Aerlingus last Saturday. Masks had to be worn on flight unless you were eating or drinking.

El_Duderino 09

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119035515#Comment_119035515

Yeah exactly. I'm pretty much the same. Living pretty much as normal, restrictions are unlikely. There's no good argument for arbitrarily declaring it over. Well see how the winter goes. It it goes well then we're petty much in the clear.

El_Duderino 09

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119035646#Comment_119035646

Ah, yeah. If you're "snotting your face out and sneezing all over the place", then you're better off not going into a packed place. But that's common courtesy rather than a law. So what's the problem? Randomly making 'declarations' of covid being over isn't a solution to anything you've said there.

Wouldn't you just wait and see if it's actually over before making any declarations?

TheRiverman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058244953/now-that-covid-is-over-why-doesnt-someone-officially-call-it

I think you need to research Corona Viruses and inform yourself about them.

Multipass

I wish it would be declared over because it’s making life hell for a relative of mine in a nursing home in the uk. They are still being locked down, mostly due to staff testing positive. When they lock down the 2 floors are not allowed to mix, and he’s upstairs, so he loses access to the dining room and common areas. So basically locked in his bedroom for yet another week, with no visitors allowed. He’s so depressed at this stage, it needs to be stopped.

Goldengirl

I'll call it ...Over !

Ok now ?

El_Duderino 09

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119039268#Comment_119039268

Oh sh1t you're right. Now I feel like I should go to a public gathering when I'm "snotting your face out and sneezing all over the place", as another poster put it.

Thanks Goldengirl. I guess next winter is going to be fine now what someone declared it over. Why didn't we think of declaring it over in March 2020?

Would you consider declaring the war in Ukraine over too? It would be a big help to the poor divils over there.

Xander10

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119039407#Comment_119039407

You seem to be fixated with in all. Maybe stop posting and thinking about it so much.

You are sitting waiting for winter. again, this virus was never seasonal. The scenes in Italy in Feb/March at the start of it all and NY that summer were the worst. We have vaccines now.

Hospital in Ireland will probably have it's normal annual winter bed supply issues due to inefficiencies.

El_Duderino 09

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119039448#Comment_119039448

I'm not fixated on it. I'm living life pretty much as normal bar doing a lateral flow if I'm sick (or my mrs is sick).

If winter stays like this then it's great. No point telling everyone it's over whenever don't know if it's over. Only time will tell. In the meantime, I'll continue living life as normal.