Relaxation of Restrictions, Part V - **Read OP for Mod Warnings**

FintanMcluskey wrote: »

I also hate the flu comparisons.


The flu is dangerous to all ages

Assetbacked wrote: »

It's the flu without a vaccine for the vulnerable

Thierry12 wrote: »

A flu without a vaccine would kill alot of older people

Flu is no joke

john4321 wrote: »

How do you come to that conclusion?




Do you think the virus went on a summer holiday in June and July?

I am not for a second asking\wanting another lockdown it's a very blunt instrument but to say it didn't work in my opinion is incorrect.

average_runner wrote: »

Not in favour of lockdown but want to ask.a question.

You said
"somewhat pointless outside of allowing hospitals to cope if they're under strain, which they are not currently."

If hospitals come under strain wont a lockdown be too late then as hospitals will be in trouble?

average_runner wrote: »

Not in favour of lockdown but want to ask.a question.

You said
"somewhat pointless outside of allowing hospitals to cope if they're under strain, which they are not currently."

If hospitals come under strain wont a lockdown be too late then as hospitals will be in trouble?

Strict rules on gatherings in family homes will remain in place for the next seven months regardless of how low the rate Covid-19 infection is reduced.
The Government is set to announce its five-level plan for living with the virus next week. It is expected to remain in place until the end of April when it will be reviewed.

The Irish Independent can reveal that even in the best-case scenario, no more than 10 people from three households will be allowed to visit a family home.

The restrictions will have a significant impact on family gatherings in the coming months, including birthdays, christenings, communions and at Christmas.

The Government is eager to push people towards controlled settings rather than gatherings in family homes. All pubs will be open at the lowest level of restrictions.

A senior government source said: "The problem we are having is people are having house parties and garden parties and they are spreading the virus to each other unbeknownst to themselves. It would be safer for them to meet friends in a restaurant where it is controlled

Nationally, the country is currently at level two of the new plan, which means the current restrictions on family homes, which allow six people from three households, will remain in place.

The rules become more strict when moving into level three, where just six from one household are allowed to visit another home. Controlled indoor events will be banned.

CruelSummer wrote: »

With the upcoming medium term plan on living with Covid in Ireland being mooted, and even possibly released on Tuesday. Thought I would put out some suggestions re what restrictions should remain, lift, etc. Suggestions or alterations are welcome from any side!

- Allow spectators at matches and sports. Keep within the 2 metre distancing rule and have controls on how people enter and exit grounds and stadiums. This could be easily achieved, people want to attend these events. It makes no sense at all and is draconian and unnecessary after all the sacrifices people have made. They're outdoor and people feel safe. Perhaps at the outset, have different controls for larger stadiums than smaller local, club fixtures as NPHET made the point about large numbers wanting access to public transport, etc to attend larger events. Personally I think this is a lazy excuse, there are ways and means to get people to these events - as there will be reduced capacity.

- Keep our Education system open. The sheer joy at hearing children play, interact and begin to catch up on lost time. Certain class levels are very far behind and children will need this year to try and steady the ship on lost time. It will also help quell hysteria and fear mongering if school continues. Public health officials need to come up with a traffic light system for GP's, and if possible the Government need to purchase rapid tests for children. Most children at this time of year, get a headcold. This does not mean they've Covid but could collapse the testing system with referrals if this continues.

- Encourage most offices to reopen on a rotational basis. This allows distancing, etc. Gets people back into the City Centres, and not in large numbers. And gives offices considering pulling out of these locations pause for thought that the Government may actually be returning from cloud cuckoo land down to reality shortly with a realistic pathway to reopening. Most workers who can, should be offered the option to work form home 2/3 days per week from here on out. It reduces traffic volumes, stress levels with commutes, less pollution, etc. However it is not realistic to continue it fully as teams need face-to-face interactions to speed up productivity too.

- HSE should be given extra funding to allow for Covid wards and treatment areas. They should also begin a recruitment drive for extra doctors, nurses, contract tracers, testers for the upcoming Winter. A comprehensive plan should also be published from the HSE in relation to the thousands of extra people on their waiting lists for other procedures and how they might tackle it.

- Reopen the pubs with the same controls as restaurants. It should have been done already over the summer but better late than never. It will help take people away from home parties, which I'm sure are a source of noise pollution frequently for neighbours.

- Allow gigs to go ahead, with some indoor seating as per regulations, and online streaming / tickets to be available for purchase also. I think demand for this will be higher than many people realise, especially if you can garner a good streaming connection & camera work. The same should apply for theatres and other indoor arts events for the time being. Outdoor events should go ahead with designated areas, similar to we've seen in Europe, and even with Pope Francis came to the Phoenix Park, it can be done if people put their minds to it.

- Offer retraining in certain Tourism sectors this Winter as I think their industry will be decimated. Encourage other big holiday firms similar to Centre Parcs to open here also, they offer a viable holiday option in Ireland for families.

- Give the airlines something to work towards. We've a great airline industry in this country that supports hundreds and thousands of jobs. We will need this connectivity in the future, EU and U.K. travel should be the main aim of the Government once current outbreaks die down in Greece, Croatia and Spain for instance.

All of the above measures, should be trialled over the Winter period, and reduced, scrapped appropriately in line with hospital admissions and ICU capacity, with the aim of a more 'normal' summer of 2021.

Finally, this idea that we can live in paralysis until there's a vaccine is terrible. I just don't think it's possible for a vaccine to be fully safe if it comes out quickly, rather than in a year or two. However if appropriate time and safety checks are followed I do support a vaccine ultimately being launched.
I do not think we should put all our eggs into a vaccine basket as NPHET appear to be doing, the death rate from this virus is far lower than originally thought. It will cost billions to purchase while at the same time our economy is costing billions to stay afloat - this is unsustainable for our country and should be the focus of Government going forward. Another drug or treatment may become available in the interim also. Covid may just die out and become a regular Coronavirus, we do not know and should not act as if we're living in the apocalypse..

Dempo1 wrote: »

https://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/number-waiting-on-outpatient-appointment-highest-since-records-began-1016681.html

Just as it happens, this morning, the figures for people on waiting lists, it's just appalling, hope the Department of Health's new external PR team can shed some light on this mess., what percentage of Irelands population is 611,000, wait, don't tell me, I'm depressed enough as it is.

MadYaker wrote: »

It was an inevitable effect of the measures they took but in March and April when they had good reason to believe the hospitals might not be able to cope with the number of Covid patients. It’s not something we can do again imo.