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

Its those damn unvaccinated not getting their boosters, thats what it is.

if the goal is to reduce hospitalisations, why not apply restrictions to those who are disproportionately affecting the hospital system?

Yes, where ventilation alone may not be suitable, but if ventilation is suitable, they are not needed, which was exactly my point that ventilation is the more important issue.

Some of the commentary around HEPA filters has been hysterical to say the least. Heard RBB on the radio yesterday wanting schools to have the same filtering as operating theatres. Ridiculous stuff.

Economies always bounce back. Its small business owners having to close. Poor credit rating meaning they can never be self employed again. Thousands of people having to go on the dole before xmas etc. I couldn't car less about the economy as a whole growing by 5% or 50%.

Michael Martin keeps going on about people not turning up for their booster. Last week I heard Ciaran Cuddihy explain to him the number of their listeners who contacted the program to explain how they had already got their booster or were on the list for it but couldn't get through to cancel.

I was on the list for the booster when I got the text from the HSE. The only reply option was to text "new" which just got a new appointment or ring their helpdesk which was impossible to get through to. I texted new and got a second appointment. Texted new again and got another appointment. Finally got through after a 30 minute phone wait and explained I would be getting a hospital booster in 2 days. She noted this but said I would just get another text and have to ring again as the system generates new appointments automatically. Couldn't be bothered ringing again so no doubt I'll be counted as a no show along with many of my colleagues who had a similar experience.

Yup, the system is stupid. For anyone getting a booster too, they're already protected so it's not like back earlier this year where you felt like you needed one and were going to drop stuff for it. Most people will fit the booster around their own lives, so they need to roll out a booking system for it really.

They are on most commercial planes, is that ridiculous too? Should they only be in operating theaters?

There's no silver bullet in all this; Covid has infected the imagination and it is running wild. Until we regain control of the collective imagination we will live this half-existence. People don't seem to care though, maybe the collective has triumphed over the individual but I don't think the reason for people's compliance is the collective good. People are just placated passive consumers who are happy to scroll social media getting their daily dose of covid case numbers living in an calm panic skirting the recommendations and nphet guidelines when it suits them. Once they get their freedom fix, they return to being NPHET disciples.

Because the countries with a lower vax % have a proportionately higher amount of unvaccinated hospitalizations than we do, as said, the maths is simple here.

And still trying to argue about who is or isn't being hospitalised as if it's some kind of secret to keep the unvaccinated restricted more than others. Those putting the restrictions in place have access to all the data, so either it's nefarious by them, or the reasoning is correct, you need to be able to argue one or the other and stop spinning out on percentages, if you are right about it, what does that really mean and why are they doing it.

(Or you believe that only you can understand the numbers, but that would be a silly stance to take)

The whole idea of people not turning up for appointments just doesnt seem right. Supposedly over 50% of people didn't show up for their booster appointments - all these people have already had two vaccines so it's not like they are completely against the vaccines.

At the same time as people are supposedly not showing up we hear of 3 hour waiting times in City West and also HSE coming out telling people not to just turn up without an appointment (both these things underpin the demand for boosters)

The issue is being blamed on individuals when there is clearly a logistics/planning issue

Do you think they should have HEPA filters in all offices?

In supermarkets? Bars? etc

The reality is, children are very low risk for all those infections that do the rounds in schools - installing HEPA filters is overkill. Infact it might even be harmful in the long run - children should be exposed to infections at a young age, it leaves them with a robust immune system and protects them into adulthood.