Anyone Else Miss the Pandemic?

I did like the quiet roads and half empty buses when going to work. I also enjoyed going for long walks along the coast line on my days off. Apart from that it was a pain in the hole. Long queues for supermarkets, no pubs or coffee shops open, and worst of all was not being able to travel back home to see my parents and family, and the constant worry for my parents, especially my mother who doesn't have a great immune system.

I miss the amount of money I saved every month and not having to go to stuff I couldn't be arsed with, from it being cancelled or me just playing the covid card "cases are through the roof!"....other than that, it was crap.

I'm not the most sociable guy but the period from Jan - June 2021 was **** grim, that was rough for me so I cant imagine how most "normal" people found it.

I actually have covid right now believe it or not and I'm still 100% against anymore lockdowns, I might wear my mask again on occasion and I'll def bring my wee hand sanitiser back out with me but no more lockdowns, no way.

do i miss a pandemic - hell no...

elements of the restrictions - yes.. ie: slower pace of life..

just a pity it took a pandemic to bring that about

trying to retain some of the quietness but its tough

Never say never again as you have no idea when the next pandemic will hit. As bad and all as COVID was it could've been a hell of a lot worse.

During the first few weeks it was an exceptionally worrying time, thinking and wondering what would become of us, our country and indeed our way of life. Aside from those major worries, the inanity of many aspects of modern life in suspension was nice, particularly the relegation of sport and entertainment to their level of actual importance was welcome.

The second year was the hardest to keep the line though. The vaccine was available and effective and most of us were just waiting to get it. It was disappointing to see how far crank theory has infiltrated Irish society though.

Lastly, the pandemic showed that a substantial minority have very little resilience - that is probably the big take away and that may be our undoing in future.

If it weren't for the elderly inlaws I reckon we wouldn't have been as stressed. I hated all the things you cited and after the first lockdown we started looking at options for moving out of Dublin, partner got a transfer that allowed us escape to a much quieter easier pace of life. It was very much inspired by the thought of comfort during future pandemics. I chuckle when I hear the traffic reports about the M50 on the morning radio now.

Nope. Let me explain:

It is single-handedly responsible for the permanent closure of hundreds of thousands of businesses the world over. Essentially, the owners of these businesses were forced into debt and bankruptcy against their will under the banner of health and safety. The employees of the effected organisations will have had all meaning and purpose stripped from their sense of self and value due to being laid off.

The atomising and mentally numbing effects of lockdowns will likely have long-lasting effects on the collective psyche of society.

Many college students will have been deprived of important milestones in their social lives where positive meaningful memories would otherwise have been made. For those in their formative years, the development of important social cues could be permanently stunted due to mask mandates. The constant barrage of messages about social distancing and sanitising could very well have instilled a high degree of hypochondria into their minds thereby crippling their willingness to socialise and possibly, very long after the pandemic subsides.

While the idea of support bubbles was somewhat comforting for the first couple of months, it got old very fast. For as long as I live, I will never forget how claustrophobic it was to not be allowed more than 2 kilometres from my residence. This was hundreds of times worse in places like Spain and Italy where people were more or less subjected to de-facto house arrest. The trauma of this will be felt for years to come.

From a social media perspective, it opened up a can of worms by providing the Karen's of society with a new excuse to name and shame those who momentarily slipped up when it came to compliance with mandates to score brownie points from their disciples. Basically, getting a dopamine hit for showing how virtuous they were.

I realise that at the start it was a serious disease which claimed the lives of numerous people and we would likely still be under lockdown without the vaccines. However, I do not agree with the "one size fits all" approach to lockdowns which was adopted to varying degrees the world over due to the mental, financial and social damage it inflicted on everyone.

Finally, on a personal level, as someone on the Autism Spectrum, I had made huge strides in tackling my symptoms until the pandemic occurred. Over the course of the pandemic, I feel I have regressed due to the lack of practice in keeping my symptoms at bay.

Now, some good came of it as it provided many people an opportunity to re-evaluate their lives, it resulted in a better work-life balance for businesses which could support it (e.g. flexible work space i.e. working from home etc.).

With all of the above in mind, I find it infuriating how anyone could claim they miss the pandemic.

Another thing that drove me mad was the constant repetitive Covid safety radio ads that played on every single radio ad break. I haven't turned on my radio in over 2 years as a result.

solution ,stop blinking, tis working for me anyway!

Youre right, you're not

I wasnt trying to be, you were, bye now

In and out of A&E for a few stiches and tetanus shot within an hour !

Propaganda: information, especially of a biased or misleading nature, used to promote a political cause or point of view.

I don't think its for anyone else to correct you, I think it's more for you to offer proof that media reportage of a serious public health message coming from the WHO, national governments and State health services, was biased, misleading, or promoting a political angle.

Can you?

gee im the total opposite.. pre pandemic - I hated getting an invite to a wedding if I felt I didn't know the couple well etc.. (ok if close friend or family)... but now I'd love a wedding invite.. would be lovely to go to such an event - enjoy the company of loved ones/mayb meet new people.. glam up, go to a nice venue.. etc..

i now love to see people enjoying themselves when out and about together - whether its a group of mates or families.. lord know we wer miserable enough for a long time..

I rem going to the paddy's day parade this year... I really enjoyed seeing the kids having fun as they watched the parade etc..

horses for courses and all that

I never go to weddings anyway. I always hated them. all the same boring days. I reject all but close family weddings. Even good friends weddings. Some people take it as a big insult but I don't care, that is their problem. I send a good gift but I wont be going.