Covid 19 Part XXXV-956,720 ROI (5,952 deaths) 452,946 NI (3,002 deaths) (08/01) Read OP

Ah yes, Tony H tweets had nothing to do with it. It was all the 'public's' fault - right? The Irish public does not believe divisive propaganda posts anymore. Keeping outdoor dining and drinking closed for that period achieved disorder and attacks on the public - nothing else. Not to mention other sports, activities remained curbed which helps people health overall.

The US politicised Covid - which has resulted in a polarised approach to it - causing untold damage. Let's not let posters try and divide the Irish public with inflammatory posts attacking posters with no consequences.

It was the right strategy for New Zealand and Australia, if it was accompanied by mass vaccination.

It wasn't.

Yes, Tony H had nothing to do with the gardai clearing the city centre. That was all down to the illegal public drinking, anti social behaviour and thuggery that was going on in the city. And still is going on.

I agree though, that limbo period wasn't a good idea but let's not rewrite history. TH didn't bring the guards out that day. It was the disgraceful behaviour of the crowd.

We needed to get on with life last May/June like the rest of Europe did. We've lost another Summer

It sounds like there will be a plan to relax some measures in a month, I struggle to understand the metrics they are using to be honest.

If its safe now, it was safe to do so last June with double digits in hospital

I heard Eamon Ryan (I think) saying yesterday that Confirmations would return first then communions could return later

Follow the science

Democracy is very important

Emergency measures and removal of many freedoms should only continue when absolutely necessary and at all times transparency is critical to justify the removal of those freedoms.

We were, and still are, an outlier in Europe and the world when factoring vaccination level

Adopting the wait and see approach doesn't cut it TBH for something so serious

Those who fail to learn from history are condemned to repeat it

All we have got is further down the line with vaccinations and pushed that can down the road.

In the next few weeks anyone who wants a vaccine will have gotten one and its get back to normal for those then .

Those who have chosen not to get vaccinated will still be vulnerable to infection but as mostly those people don't believe it can affect them not much anybody can do for them anymore .

Except look after them if they do end up in hospital .

Boosters for the vulnerable next , and month on month the outbreaks will gradually get less and less as more become infected and become immune , or realise it's not worth the stress and get a jab .

Missed the last couple of days as away and catching up with the news and comments here today .

I don't blame people for being surprised after all the time we have been held virtually prisoner with this .

It's a bit of a " will it really be finished ?" or " will something else happen to set us back again ?"

But I agree with posters that think it's really the beginning of the end .

We have no place to go after 90% population vaccinated except get back to normal .

Shame it has come too late for Electric Picnic . That would have been an amazing way to draw a line under all of this .

As the old saying in politics goes "never believe anything until it's denied in the media"

I mean, it's still the right strategy for them. Tens of thousands of Australians are alive who wouldn't be if they'd taken a more UK-like approach. They've lived perfectly normally for large parts of the last year. And the position they're in now is no worse than what we've consistently faced across Europe. Vaccine uptake will catch up and they will still end up better off than if they'd let loads of people die.

Never been to EP but for some reason I thought it attracted a higher demographic v other festivals which meant higher proportion of vaccinated - or perhaps it started off that way.