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

It's global, there is no escaping this sh1t, look at Spain, bringing back the mandatory outdoor mask law, pathetic...

*physically survive those years.

This ain't living and I think that was the point Paw Patrol was trying to convey.

In fairness I've been very negative this morning and have admittedly increased the hyperbole in order to blow off steam.

Still and all, it's very concerning to see the steam-rolling of our normal lives continue apace - especially because nobody (in the media or Dáil) seem to be asking "when will it all end" and are instead twisting themselves in knots asking "how can we make every day like even more restrictive and technocratic in order to deliver an economic boost while still making it look like we care about public safety since we've backed ourselves into a corner now with all of the OTT fear-mongering of the last 18 months"... or something like that.

Very trusting of you - so why is the date of Birth/Vaccine type on the certificate.

Name and Vaccination date only required to gain admission.

If you want to be picky, check ID.

End of story

Visual check only required of document (hard or soft copy) by staff member.

No hidden QR stuff to be picked up by readers / scanners.

No records retained.

It is all getting a bit woolly round the edges now isn't it. Clarity has been very slowly eroded away since we abandoned the Level system and started vaccinating.

But I have to remain hopeful that we're no longer in the middle of a pandemic, and are instead somewhere in the last quarter (maybe last third on pessimistic days)

I really don't like the idea of this vaccine discrimination to access indoor refreshments. And I use that word refreshments because I wouldn't be a big diner/drinker as such - but I do love a good coffee shop or café. I wont' be fully vaxxed until the end of August and I also won't be able to access a DCC or QR code because I was vaccinated outside the HSE/GP system by my employer. I've still got a vax card and my job have said they will give me a letter but to be honest I'm worried that my "papers" won't be good enough for some places. All this talk of scanners and what-not is giving me visions of several COMPUTER SAYS NO moments in my future. Let's hope I'm worrying about nothing. I might just stick to outdoors and hope this division is abandoned before the weather turns too cold.

And kids too - are they allowed to go to restaurants on their own ? Do they have to be accompanied by adults when they want to hang out in Eddie Rockets or McDonalds with their friends and enjoy a burger ? Seems a bit silly.

Please let next year be better. The promise that 2021 held at the beginning of the year died a slow and lingering death. Yes we opened up a good bit but all the spontaneous joy has been sucked out of everything.

I live in hope...

I live in England, as most know all restrictions were due to drop on June 21st and they were then delayed by an additional 4 weeks. The people in favour of that decision, were of the opinion that, "sure, everythings opened now anyway, you can go to a bar, you can go to a restaurant, what can you not really do right now? etc".

So the 4 weeks passed and all restrictions dropped 2 days ago. Somehow the logic has jumped from "sure everythings opened anyway" to how reckless of a decision it is to open, how we're throwing the vulnerable to the wolves, how young people can get long covid (did people know that having your dick decrease in size is 1 apparent symptom of the 200 long covid symptoms?) and how we're creating a variant factory, etc etc. Bearing in mind, the latest ONS data suggests nearly 90% of adults have antibodies.

Nothing is ever enough for these people. It's a perpetual cycle.

On Reddit and the journal, comments were being made by those in favour of the legislation comparing it to how you cannot drive without a licence.

I think that is a good comparison. We now have, in essence, a licence to participate in basic societal activities. Licences expire however. Will the same licence be accepted if you do not want to take the first booster, or the second. Will you be back outside with the lunatics if your licence expires due to not taking another "jab"?

People who say "it's only a pint ffs" are exactly right. It is just a pint, a very basic activity to partake in. What else can it be applied to down the line that is more important than "just a pint". France has already shown how far they are willing to go, will we follow.

And what happens to those who refuse the shot. Even at 90% uptake, that still leaves a couple of hundred thousand who might resist. They do not go off to the wilderness to disappear. Any political party (and I mean any) who claims to support their right to re-engage with society will have an instant, and quite large, voter base - a viter base who will vote, and have a strong motivation to vote, to get back into society and who will not have any care for any other crazy ideas such a party might have.

The covid experience has ben awash with mission creep and shifting goal posts. I see no reason why vaccine papers will be any different.

I was talking to a publican friend of mine over the weekend who told me he isn't even going to bother check for certs bar for exceptional circumstances.

He knows his regulars (his pub would be of the old man/horse racing variety), has been closed long enough that he is itching to get back and any younger people have since migrated to other pubs that have outdoor facilities.

It doesn't bother me too much as I am fully covered within the first two weeks of August and will continue with the outdoor pinting if needs be, but liked his honesty anyway.

She may have been referring to the public sector "ban". All public sector workers, whether they are working from home or not, have to take an additional 14 days paid or unpaid leave if they return from abroad.

However, when you read the circular again, it notes that this requirement applies when restriction of movement guidelines are in place. No restrictions are in place when returning from the EU, so they don't have to take the leave now

Wait a second thee Journal make a good point. You sure or has the heat made you a bit delirious

With indoor hospitality now officially reopening although be it for Fully vaccinated and people who recovered from the virus. Things are looking promising and we're slowly getting free from this but expect the media to be instilling fear at every opportunity. NPHET/Dr Tony and the likes will still be here and of course will be in the news and reminding us its not over yet and new variants will be emerging

From a personal point of view this won't be over for me til I walk in the doors of the 3Arena/concert venue.

I'm still flabbergast why this summer was more restrictive than last even though we had the game changing vaccine

If you are not physically alive then you are not going to get any joy out of the years you may have left. From the vast majority of the elderly who complied with the restrictions and the massive percentage who availed of vaccines, it looks to me anyway that was something they were very aware off when making their choices.

I know people can become frustrated and negative, but the rest of your post reads as if we were imposing further restrictions rather than easing those we had which is clearly not what is happening.

Did you have to prove that you've taken a vaccine to enter a restaurant/pub/hotel last summer? Or did you just have to sign a contact tracing form?

Did you have to prove that you've taken a vaccine to travel abroad last summer? Or did you have to just voluntarily self-isolate on re-entry?

How many people could attend a wedding or funeral last summer even though we had no vaccines? 100? 50? What is it currently?

Did you have to wear a face covering indoors (apart from your own gaff) at all times or risk being fined or imprisoned last summer? Or was it advisory?

Considering we had no vaccines last year, this summer is relatively FAR more restricted than last in almost every measurable way.