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Relaxation of restrictions

Red Alert

Simon Harris curiously made a comment that there was a limit to how long people could put up with extreme level of restrictions as we currently have. Already we’re seeing in Italy that people are starting to get restless. So two big questions:

1) on Easter Sunday, do you think there will be further restrictions, no change with just an extension or some relaxation?

2) what will be the first thing rolled back?

My own guess would be: extension for at least 1 week. Then to allow some businesses like DIY shops to reopen, perhaps allow gatherings of 2/3 people, maybe a token increase on 2km.

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Huntergonzo

BanditLuke wrote: »

Hard to fathom this type of stupidity

Straight to judgement eh? Suppose it's the timew we live in sadly.

facehugger99

Cupatae wrote: »

Couldnt agree more, for some the lockdown is the ultimate enemy not the pandemic.

For some the ending of the lockdown is the ultimate fear and not the virus.

helimachoptor

Stheno wrote: »

I was due to go to one in May. It's entirely online now

I'm due to speak at one in August, so far still going ahead but expect it'll go virtual or just be cancelled.

Gael23

Thelonious Monk wrote: »

Yeah well everyone's struggling, I have no idea when I'll see my family again, but we'll cope if we have to, this was never going to be easy.

People are resilient I fully agree. But there’s s limit to that ultimately. Life does eventually need to go on

Jenbach110

Nermal wrote: »

More or less the same as it is now, just with an extra 0.25%-0.4% chance of death for the rest of the year.

That % is for the population of course. Less for some, more for others.

People have lost sight of this. Paralysed by fear.

Approximatley 1 in 1000 odds if you are over 65 in Italy.

Nermal

Downlinz wrote: »

But I think some folks are fixating on the lockdown and other safety measures as the "problem" while losing sight on what their life would be like without them.

More or less the same as it is now, just with an extra 0.25%-0.4% chance of death for the rest of the year.

That % is for the population of course. Less for some, more for others.

Huntergonzo

Downlinz wrote: »

I mean, this is a pandemic. It's going to affect people's mental health negatively, it's a certainty and everyone is feeling the psychological effects.

But I think some folks are fixating on the lockdown and other safety measures as the "problem" while losing sight on what their life would be like without them.

The lockdown is certainly not the problem, it's a necessity, we'd be in a terrible state without it and it can't be ended until we turn the corner.

It's the side effect of the lockdown which creates a problem = isolation. This can negatively effect a lot of people, especially when there's no end in sight.

You need to give people hope, something to work towards. It may sound glib but you can even turn it into something positive, something to aim for, eg, hit a certain target and we can loosen restrictions on x.

Thelonious Monk

Gael23 wrote: »

I know some people I work with are struggling without grandparents to help with childcare for instance. Irish culture for generations centers around family and now that’s been broken.

Yeah well everyone's struggling, I have no idea when I'll see my family again, but we'll cope if we have to, this was never going to be easy.

Gael23

Thelonious Monk wrote: »

Is your family not coping or are you talking about other families you know?

I know some people I work with are struggling without grandparents to help with childcare for instance. Irish culture for generations centers around family and now that’s been broken.

Ace2007

Huntergonzo wrote: »

I actually had some family over for dinner yesterday (not a huge gathering, 5 of us in total) and it quite surreal/funny.

My sister is a nurse and didn't want to take any chances so she sat out in the hall shouting in at us. Any time she annoyed us we just closed the door on her, it was great, might be an idea going forward :-)

And you are the type of **** causing so much pain in this country - sure it's only a few people over for dinner - bit of a laugh eh?

Feel sorry for your sister having you as a brother - having no respect for her on the colleagues who put their lives at risk to save people.

I don't care if i get a warning for calling you a **** - i think pretty much every poster would agree.

BanditLuke

Huntergonzo wrote: »

I actually had some family over for dinner yesterday (not a huge gathering, 5 of us in total) and it quite surreal/funny.

My sister is a nurse and didn't want to take any chances so she sat out in the hall shouting in at us. Any time she annoyed us we just closed the door on her, it was great, might be an idea going forward :-)

Hard to fathom this type of stupidity

Stheno

Ace2007 wrote: »

Do we know that it's the lab that messed up?

Could it be possible that some admin person got the lists mixed up as to who was positive and who was negative?

According to the Indo the first result was inconclusive and treated as negative and they retested and found weak positives

Total of 100 tests

Huntergonzo

Gael23 wrote: »

Agreed, it’s putting a wedge between families and that can’t go on any longer than May 5th

I actually had some family over for dinner yesterday (not a huge gathering, 5 of us in total) and it quite surreal/funny.

My sister is a nurse and didn't want to take any chances so she sat out in the hall shouting in at us. Any time she annoyed us we just closed the door on her, it was great, might be an idea going forward :-)

Jenbach110

Elmer Blooker wrote: »

Social distancing was big in 1918? Are you serious? There was a World War on and not only was there no social distancing but the deadly 'Spanish' flu was kept from the public as strict war time censorship was in operation.
Do you think the authorities were going to shut down the munitions factories?

I can see no evidence of any restrictions due to the Spanish flu or TB outbreak.
I can see no evidence of protection of vunerable citizens.
Dance halls and pubs remained opened, All Irelands continued.

Cupatae

Downlinz wrote: »

I mean, this is a pandemic. It's going to affect people's mental health negatively, it's a certainty and everyone is feeling the psychological effects.

But I think some folks are fixating on the lockdown and other safety measures as the "problem" while losing sight on what their life would be like without them.

Couldnt agree more, for some the lockdown is the ultimate enemy not the pandemic.

Thelonious Monk

Gael23 wrote: »

Agreed, it’s putting a wedge between families and that can’t go on any longer than May 5th

Is your family not coping or are you talking about other families you know?

Downlinz

Huntergonzo wrote: »

I think we're heading towards a critical juncture come May 5th.

I think one way or another they're going to have to start easing the restrictions because this lockdown is starting to really negatively effect some people's mental health.

Now naturally we can't just go straight back to normal in 3 weeks time and stopping the virus must take ultimate priority. However the psychological effects of lockdown are going to have to be considered as well.

I mean, this is a pandemic. It's going to affect people's mental health negatively, it's a certainty and everyone is feeling the psychological effects.

But I think some folks are fixating on the lockdown and other safety measures as the "problem" while losing sight on what their life would be like without them.

Cupatae

Ace2007 wrote: »

Do we know that it's the lab that messed up?

Could it be possible that some admin person got the lists mixed up as to who was positive and who was negative?

No but dont let little facts get in the way of a good Aha! moment, we cant miss a chance to bash the labs and people trying to do good when they make a mistake.

Ace2007

bmc58 wrote: »

Cervical Cancer tests revisited.Who are the idiot labs the government are paying to conduct these tests?

Do we know that it's the lab that messed up?

Could it be possible that some admin person got the lists mixed up as to who was positive and who was negative?

Huntergonzo

JL555 wrote: »

You're right, we won't be going back to normal for a long time, personally I fully expect to be working from home for several months more.

Press conference today:

14:39
Simon Harris: "We need to focus on the here and now. Let's not get ahead of ourselves. Rather than say 'what's going to happen in three weeks' time?' I really need the Irish to people to focus on this three weeks."

The thing is, we do need a plan of action, we do need to know the proposed next steps. We know if the numbers do not improve we are in for another month of lockdown after May 5th, however if there is a good improvement, we need to know the next steps. An yes, that also means that I need to know a plan. For example, IMO, the 2km restriction really needs to be revised if things are getting much better in 3 weeks time.

Yes I agree, I think some sort of timeline would give people hope, but make it a provisional timeline, such as if we hit certain virus reduction targets then we can relax restrictions on x, y or z or whatever.

Now to give credit to the government I do think they've handled this pandemic well and listening to medical advise is prudent. Just in 3 weeks time I'd like to hear more about the plan going forward and recognition that some people are starting to crack up in isolation.

Cupatae

bmc58 wrote: »

Cervical Cancer tests revisited.Who are the idiot labs the government are paying to conduct these tests?

Quick! they made a mistake pile on em we have em now! the AHA! moment we ve all been waiting for!

bmc58

citysights wrote: »

Big mess up in testing told people they had tested negative then contacted them today to say it was a mistake and they were actually positive ffs. Story in Irish Times online. What the hell! Also Simon is going to ‘ tweak’ things. In the lockdown after May 5th? Tweak???

Cervical Cancer tests revisited.Who are the idiot labs the government are paying to conduct these tests?

Elmer Blooker

alwald wrote: »

It is very true and it is scary to think that the Spanish flu lasted 3 years and killed millions in a world where social distancing was big coupled with no globalization/fast and frequent movement of people. This pandemic can be multiples of the Spanish flu if the right measures aren't in place.

Social distancing was big in 1918? Are you serious? There was a World War on and not only was there no social distancing but the deadly 'Spanish' flu was kept from the public as strict war time censorship was in operation.
Do you think the authorities were going to shut down the munitions factories?

nj27

What would be the first step in relaxing the lockdown? Maybe extending or eliminating the 2k radius?

citysights

Big mess up in testing told people they had tested negative then contacted them today to say it was a mistake and they were actually positive ffs. Story in Irish Times online. What the hell! Also Simon is going to ‘ tweak’ things. In the lockdown after May 5th? Tweak???

s1ippy

Jenbach110 wrote: »

Its so alarming that people enjoying themselves has completely stopped for a likely substantial period of time, and posters are welcoming that accordingly.

They're absolutely dying to have the lockdown removed. What they seem not to realise is that this will ONLY mean going to work. My friends who are not working from home (pharma, retail, restaurants) tell me work is hard and they are anxious all day long in case a colleague passes on the virus. Then they can't even go for a pint or see a movie or go for a drive after to unwind. Where is the quality of life in that? It's a form of enslavement.

Jenbach110 wrote: »

Yep Spain has lifted restrictions due to a decline in number's. We have a decline in numbers and we are going to just see what happens.

Its the lack of any semblance of a plan that is an alarming issue. Why not say May 5th but it can be reviewed depending on numbers? ie consistent drop of numbers this week and we might let ye by paint

Not exactly a crucial item. There's no semblance of a plan because their mantra is unfortunately "NO jumping the gun". Maybe if they had jumped the gun on shutting sh!t down sooner, kept the nursing homes closed when they restricted visitors themselves etc, we would resemble New Zealand now instead of having a large amount of our population needlessly dead.

average_runner wrote: »

Businesses will open in May. We cant stay in lockdown.

Yes we can, and may have to.

robinph

never_mind wrote: »

God what a ridiculous thing to say. Business, science, and academic conferences are really important not just for networking but for the hearing of knowledge and practice. Silly thing to say.

There are other ways of communicating without needing to do it in person after travelling half way round the world.

It's how things have been done, but business and science and academic research and sharing of knowledge all happened globally before the jet age (at a slower pace). Now we can travel faster than the jet by using the internet there's no reason it can't continue.

There is money to be made from the previous conference organisers who can re-invent their job to make it work just as well over a digital platform. It's not going to be how we currently think of doing things, but that's for someone creative to figure out.

KiKi III

never_mind wrote: »

God what a ridiculous thing to say. Business, science, and academic conferences are really important not just for networking but for the hearing of knowledge and practice. Silly thing to say.

They’re massive moneymakers for the organisers and that’s their main purpose: selling tickets, selling sponsorship, selling places on panels/ keynote addresses. It’s like printing money.

I’ve been involved in organising a number of such business conferences and very little exchange of knowledge actually happens. It’s a self-indulgent panel or two, carrying a tote bag around the main hall to see what freebies are being given away, and then off to the “social” element.

I’d be interested in how much of actual use comes out of most of them that couldn’t be achieved online.

Academic and scientific conferences would fall into a different category from my POV.

Gael23

Stheno wrote: »

Is this related to your work?

No but it’s run like a large business/science conference which is why I used business as an example.

[Deleted User]

Huntergonzo wrote: »

I think we're heading towards a critical juncture come May 5th.

I think one way or another they're going to have to start easing the restrictions because this lockdown is starting to really negatively effect some people's mental health.

Now naturally we can't just go straight back to normal in 3 weeks time and stopping the virus must take ultimate priority. However the psychological effects of lockdown are going to have to be considered as well.

You're right, we won't be going back to normal for a long time, personally I fully expect to be working from home for several months more.

Press conference today:

14:39
Simon Harris: "We need to focus on the here and now. Let's not get ahead of ourselves. Rather than say 'what's going to happen in three weeks' time?' I really need the Irish to people to focus on this three weeks."

The thing is, we do need a plan of action, we do need to know the proposed next steps. We know if the numbers do not improve we are in for another month of lockdown after May 5th, however if there is a good improvement, we need to know the next steps. An yes, that also means that I need to know a plan. For example, IMO, the 2km restriction really needs to be revised if things are getting much better in 3 weeks time.