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

They can be brought back with a stroke of the pen too, better start a political party to fight against it...

Well that nonsensical and ridiculous comment sure tops all!

There is no "seatbelt argument" other than the one in your head.

The issue raised was things which were legally required.

And sunshine, if you've been buying your facemasks out of a pounshop, not washing them, whilst constantly fingering them in out of your pockets and handbag - you're doing it wrong. And a 3 year old could have pointed that out to you 🤣😅😂

Plenty of decent facemasks available. Just don't put them your pocket or handbag and for chris sake stop fingering them!

I've said it before and I'll say it again, Boris Johnson had fúck all to do with it.

Not everyone was predicting a lockdown. It was only the doom mongers.

You do seem obsessed with how other people use masks, can't say I've noticed the same (a few noses on show is about the height of it).

But are you saying better masks for all or no masks because a few idiots can't use them right? The latter is a bit of a stupid position (considering theyll likely be unneeded by end of Feb on current case and hospitalisation trajectory).

😂😅🤣 Thats hillarious. Asking for an adult discussion whilst liberally throwing childish insults.

Anyway you do know that public health advice on mask wearing has always been as much about others as your own rather bizarre ideas about cults, buying into "narratives" or others maybe thinking you're some type of "introvert"?

You ask how can you not 'finger a mask'? Really? We're only in the third year of the pandemic and you've still no idea how to use a mask?

I'd suggest you look up how to put a mask on if you're "fingering" them all the time.

Heres a simple one which might help .

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/coronavirus/proper-mask-wearing-coronavirus-prevention-infographic

This.

I'm very very far from the Tories politically. They're a bunch of self-entitled tofts out for their privilege and they dont give a sh** about the ordinary Joe or anything really. But I kinda like Boris.

Maybe he has me conned, I dont know. He probably has. They're all masters at playing to their audience, its in their job description.

But regardless, I dont think we would have done what we did, at least not nearly as quickly, without seeing the developments across the water. And what happened across the water was clearly his doing. Credit where credit is due.

While we didn't go as far as "shopping escorts", don't forget there were complaints about the likes of Dunnes allowing people to buy "non-essential" items during the more severe restrictions too until they bended to the pressure - buy groceries... grand. Buy a jacket in the next aisle.. nope!

We weren't that much better, but I don't get why Canada are still persisting with the theatrics alright!

So you think one of most Conservative countries in the world in regards Covid would have led the way in dropping restrictions without seeing the results elsewhere?

What actions from the past two years makes you believe we would have done this?

Please be specific on the actions from our government that makes you believe we would have removed restrictions without seeing results elsewhere.

Boris took the risk and led the way.

We followed after looking at the results.

You could argue the English prime minister done more for ending restrictions than anyone in the Irish government sadly enough.

I think Jackets, as well as trousers, socks, underwear, jumpers, T-Shirts and baby clothes were deemed essential, but in any case Dunnes would sell you anything if you told them it was essential to you

I think that may depend on your location, no shops near me sold any of that stuff during the lockdowns bar baby clothes.

A friend of mine had her baby prematurely last February and wasn’t prepared, her husband had to all but get on his hands and knees to beg to be allowed buy a few nightdresses in Tesco for her as they weren’t considered essential.

I also recall a mother ringing in the local radio station, she needed a coat for her son and had to order one online as none were for sale in the shops. She had to guess the size as she obviously couldn’t try it on him, and it didn’t fit.

She was on the PUP and then had to wait a few weeks to do an online return for the coat and for her refund to be processed before she could afford to buy another one.

Meanwhile coats and jackets were cordoned off like a crime scene in the local Dunnes and Tesco, while homeware was was available to buy as needed.

It was totally nonsensical.

Oh I've learned several things from the last 2 years...

• Despite our liking to think "how far we've come", under it all is the same servile, parochial and selfish mindset that has existed for generations. "We" still need approval, to be seen to be doing the "right thing", and we certainly don't like anyone/anything different to this
• Our political system is fundamentally broken. Although there wasn't much difference between them, FF and FGs newfound ability to agree Confidence and Supply or outright Coalition deals has even further removed any notion of accountability or consequence at the ballot box, or of answering to the electorate. Our "alternatives" are the even more populist SF or a variety of lefty one-issue/idealist groups. Yay!
• We are completely risk-averse as a nation, but especially at political level because of the progressively worsening piss-poor weak "leadership" in Government in the last decade or two. In the "old days" it was the Church who effectively ran things. In the last 2 years it's been NPHET and the same useless management of the HSE (who can't provide a sufficient health service despite getting 20 billion a year) who have been dictating policy to Government to protect their own areas and deflect from their incompetence. It's long since been recognised that our response has been more about protecting the HSE than the people from the "deadly" Covid virus
• Even as we finally come out of it (but not before letting others in the UK make the decision first), we still have a cohort complaining that we're moving too fast, still berating anyone who doubts the value of masks, and attacking anyone who isn't as "concerned" as they are

And the main thing to take from the last 2 years? Just as we learned nothing from the Tiger years and the Recession, so too will we learn nothing from this!

A big problem with people in Dunnes buying clothes was in the earliest weeks of restrictions when the numbers of customers allowed in stores was strictly limited. You can't really have a huge queue of people waiting to buy groceries until people inside browsing clothes are finished. People would have come to blows. Especially right at the very start when those who hadn't seen what was coming went into sudden panic.

Yeah, we waited to see the results worldwide...not specifically England.

Some restaurants and pubs still enforcing the masks rule in Galway ……..

Most spots the majority are still wearing them anyways

We are such a docile population…..

Which is fine as it’s his choice

Being told you have to wear one or won’t be served is another story

In fairness, pubs are entitled to run their business as they see fit and at least if you don't like the rules of a particular establishment you can go to another one, until proper closing hours 😁😁😁

With the way the numbers are dropping then there won't be much of a justification at the end of Feb. Too early to say though as of now.

In the context of COVID, short-term is very understandable and even desirable with potential changes every 2-3 weeks. The housing problem is very complex, despite claims by the Opposition that even more money will do the trick and in a lot of ways goes back to way before any of the current Dail even thought about politics. Slaintecare is long-term, despite currently being stalled, and Reid seemed to have started on a HSE plan before all of this hit.

Details are important though. The Guardian reports (my emphasis)