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

First, let's have some clarity from you. "A relatively restriction free summer", "zero restrictions the last few months". Do you stand by these statements? That will determine my future responses to you.

Thats only indoor events.

But we have to because the government and NPHET have decided to effectively close or seriously cripple businesses for no reason other than a seriously not fit for purpose health system and Tony’s own ego

To be fair to Raind, he has been critical of NPHET for a few decisions they've made lately.

Outdoor sports 100% attendance

I've been pretty critical of NPHET all the way through and their kite flying and delaying the country reopening till almost Winter which has meant, inevitably, that restrictions happen.

You can see what they're at, they want the numbers to drop about 25% before Omicron takes hold (if it does) as that could push R up enough that case numbers explode (and hospitalisations will follow).

Whilst ruined might be a strong word, I do think it's apt.

There are people who've gone to college and not been able to have a normal experience. There are people who've had to hold off on weddings and progressing with their live due to this. There are people who have likely not had cancer screenings done due to this. Housing has become an even bigger issue on this country due to closing of the construction industry for so long and the knock on effects that has had. There are people, like myself for this one, who suffer with mental health issues and social anxiety and have gone backwards in progress they were making due to the months of being isolated. There are likely people who've taken their own lives due to the social isolation and the lack of outlets they've had due to lockdowns (there's one somewhat famous person who this was a likely contributer to). There are people who've not been able to say goodbye to family members die to travel rules as they've lived in different countries. There are people who have suffered financially a lot through these lockdowns. There are probably countless more examples I can give.

What we're doing in these lockdowns or restrictions is not without a cost. Everyone's acceptance of what that cost should be is probably different but to me, we've gone too far to the wrong side of it.

In your head maybe

Humans just aren’t wired like that. Government can have all the restrictions they want but there comes a time where people will revert back to their normal behaviour. This Christmas there will be more families then last year having a normal Christmas with lots of visitors etc with zero masks and no social distancing. You really think people will give up a decade of their lives or their children’s lives and obediently follow restrictions every year?

We are ultimately chasing worldwide zero Covid. It's not going to happen. It's going to be floating around in variant form for the next decade. There is some pipe dream that people thought we would have that we would have a day where we would have zero Covid cases, even for a day or two. It is not going to happen.

The only way out of this is by us all getting the virus. Unfortunately there will be a lot of people dead. But if the virus has your name on it, its game over anyway. Restrictions or no restrictions.

We are just going to faff around for years doing these semi lockdowns, just to prolonge people's lives in misery and fear for a few years. When people who can be saved from regular ailments are going to die.

Detected cancer was down 13% last year in Ireland. Really? It just dropped magically? Younger people under 50 are developing untreated cancer and other diseases, but they don't matter. Covid stats are what matters.

So we prolonge the virus and the untreated cancer patients will be in a worse state and who had no threat of the virus now, will suddenly be vulnerable with this prolonged virus.

It makes no effing sense in what we are doing. Fighting it month by month with no plan for the future. No acknowledgement of the damage it is doing.

We've had 5000 deaths in Ireland from Covid (and we all know that figure is bullshit). Realistically how many more Covid deaths are we going to have over the next 5 years? Maybe 3-4000.

As I said, detected cancer is doing 13% last year. 45000 get cancer in Ireland every year. 13% is around 5000. Now have 2-3-4 years of 13 percents. That is just cancer alone.

The trade off is simple. The numbers are easy to read. The option to take is simple. Lifting all restrictions will save more lives in the long run.

Just as I suspected. You can't be taken seriously. "Zero restrictions the last few months"... aye.

Or just get on with it and let old people die. Because thats the reality, 85 year olds die from covid. I dont care about a single death of covid thats been announced apart from the 1 that was my own grandmother. I dont care about a single other person that has died of/from/with covid. Actually i dont care about the death of any stranger. If i took my life tonight and left 4 children without a mother because this has affected me so badly, you wouldnt care. You may think youd care, but you wouldnt. And thats OK. Its normal not to care about strangers deaths.

There are vaccinated people in hospital and even some in ICU, so, no, it's not a joke that people are lining up to be tested.

My first thought too, would be handy