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

I wholeheartedly agree and perhaps what is more frustrating and upsetting than the actual restrictions is the cheering of the few crumbs thrown at the public (and the business sector) .

rather than an acknowledgement that the government is doing this to you. They have set random arbitrary rules on the advise of "experts" .

Experts, you say? Look at NPHET and tell me if any of them are experts on anything bar public health administration and politics (bar de Gascun & Prof Colm Bergin) - bureaucrats in other words. In a world where the real experts can't agree on jack sh1t we have 2 on this politburo. Like FFS.

It's textbook Stockholm Syndrome

I find it hilarious still, that many people here who are annoyed with the restrictions don't comprehend that Covid is an act of nature. All the stats posted about it being 18th months and that is enough or there at 90% people vaccinated don't really matter. WHO are now saying pandemic will drag on until late 2022 minimum. The reality is pandemics/epidemics can go on for years. Decades even. Covid could become like the flu. Causing problems every year. Unfortunately it has some characteristics which differentiate it from the flu and it could be much more difficult to manage.

Lockdowns and shutdowns could be part of our lives for many years to come. I am seriously concerned for the mental health of people who have had enough after 18-24 months. Rude awakening incoming. Covid does not care if you are fed up. There are still many many ways this could play out with some scientists not ruling out that covid-19 could become more deadly. It might also become less deadly. Nobody knows really.

Sweden was defacto locked down last December and January and their chief epidemiologist admitted he got it wrong last year already. Case closed.

The UK declared the pandemic over in July and they won't return restrictions. I predict they won't turn to restrictions until Covid forces them to. Look at how it is already escalating there.

Look at whats currently happening in Russia. They refused to lockdown but their hand has been forced. Over 60s are being asked to stay at home for 4 months and they are shutting down next week.

We've seen the hospitals in Belgium, Italy , Wuhan, Iran last year. 

I trust the WHO more than most because they have people experienced and educated in disease modelling things for them. Whatever Tedros did is barely relevant. It's an ad hominem attack and doesn't invalidate the overall prognosis.

We have high vaccination uptake in western Europe but it seems to not be protecting the hospitals as much as we had hoped. It is not over anywhere until it is over everywhere.

What's actually happening is we're purchasing a little temporary "liberty" for longer term chaos. As we did last year.

That's not liberty at all. It's gross stupidity.

We have had things relatively well. Many people in many different epochs have had their lives paused for epidemics, wars, famines for much much longer than people have had to deal with Covid. And people in 21st century just cannot handle it. This is the crux of the matter I am getting at. There is no normal. Only constant change. I predict covid will be a major headache for many years to come and shutting down and reopening will be necessary. Nature doesn't care about what any of our hopes and dreams or lifestyles. We adapt to it. It just seems people are really struggling.

I am talking about last year because it provides numerous examples of what Coronavirus can do if you let it run its course naturally.You are only focused on Sweden. Many countries took that approach and ended up in lockdown. The UK initially was one of them.

The result was that Sweden had 10 times the death rate of their neighbours and in the December brought in many restrictions to fight it.

At the end of December they then:

  - limited capacity in restaurants, stores, shopping centres and stopped selling alochol after 8pm.   

- cancelled after Christmas sales.

  - optional masks.

  - closed museums saunas gyms and other non essentials.

  - closed schools.

The UK will go back into lockdown as you predict because there will be serious burden on the health system. There is nothing more too it.

Tedros being a terrorist and covering up cholera is irrelevant. I don't see the connection or why he would want to overstate the dangers of covid.

If there is covid in babies in Africa and the virus is spreading there but everyone in Ireland is vaccinated with time the virus from Africa will mutate and probably reenter Ireland. Hence it is not over anywhere until it is over everwhere.

Take Smallpox as an example. It was eradicated 180 years after the first vaccines and there were many extended outbreaks over theyears and there were many major outbreaks lasting 1, 2, 3, 5 and even close to ten years before it disappeared only to flare back up in the next decade. Covid could be similar. We just don't know.

Why is it so hard for people to accept that this is normality. Pandemics come and go. It is not a new concept. There are people who have probably lived their whole lives in the shadow of a pandemic and wouldn't even recognise our society or what we used to call "normal".

Our workplace have acted as if the delay of the full return to work isn't happening due to things like this. Back in the office 100% on 26th. Saying "no full return to offices until February" to the newspapers is as useful as saying it to a tree. The vagueness of this "phased return" thing is absolutely silly.

One they are vaccinated against?