Will you travel? [Mod Note in Post #1 - Travel Discussion Only! Megathread]

Strazdas wrote: »

I think Dr. Holohan has totally dropped the ball here, glibly announcing that Irish people should not leave the country and should cancel any holidays already booked, without thinking through the massive implications of this for Irish tourism, aviation and assorted sectors of the economy, not to mention the ordinary consumer.

He's speaking about this as if it is a minor sector of the economy such as nail varnishing or landscape gardening. It's no wonder his comments have caused total confusion in the travel and airline industry.

It's not his job to think about the economy. The clue is in his title. He's a doctor. Everything he says is based on medicine.

I can't believe the number of people who can't get it into their thick skulls that a medical professional will give medical advice.

The government, on the other hand, can choose to accept, reject or modify his advice. The previous government conveniently hid behind medical advice when it suited them. They were also forced to act at times when the weight of evidence was presented to them.

In summary, *Doctor* Holohan is doing his job and decisions on travel need to be made by the government.

Plumbthedepths wrote: »

We? Speak for yourself. The same guy that was twice asked to resign over his behaviour during the cervical smear scandal. I can of place where his opinion would best be placed.

People seem to angry they don’t get their week away in costa Del whatever.

I would ask those ppl to sit down tonight and watch the RTÉ documentary on covid 19 in the hospitals.

I promise you, it will give you all some perspective.

killbillvol2 wrote: »

It's not his job to think about the economy. The clue is in his title. He's a doctor. Everything he says is based on medicine.

I can't believe the number of people who can't get it into their thick skulls that a medical professional will give medical advice.

The government, on the other hand, can choose to accept, reject or modify his advice. The previous government conveniently hid behind medical advice when it suited them. They were also forced to act at times when the weight of evidence was presented to them.

In summary, *Doctor* Holohan is doing his job and decisions on travel need to be made by the government.

Department of foreign affairs released a statement this afternoon that it is still looking and working on a road map for the resumption of international travel.
The department declined to comment on Dr Holohans comments on the matter.

Plumbthedepths wrote: »

We? Speak for yourself. The same guy that was twice asked to resign over his behaviour during the cervical smear scandal. I can of place where his opinion would best be placed.

True, I find it amazing how some are willing to acquiesce the feelings and opinions of an unelected senior HSE official, they must have very very short memories of the past 10 years of his reign... Cervical smear test scandal, the results of 2nd smear tests not appearing due to an "I.T Glitch", the hospital trolley scandal and every other HSE mess up which all in all has caused death and misery for many thousands of Irish people and their families..
In any other country with an advanced healthcare system and strong democracy someone like Holohan would have been fired or jailed, but like the bankers who caused the collapse of the Irish economy of which we are all still paying for, and are now walking free.

Only in Ireland!

Plumbthedepths wrote: »

I suspect the Dr is being advised that there is a government in place that is no longer willing or able to hide behind him. Decisions outside of a medical consideration have to be made.

Just unreal, is it lack of leadership, democracy, or just the Irish way of running things?

This pretty much sums up the sort of things the Irish people have had to live with.. and die with over the past 10 years:

Communication failures surrounding CervicalCheck and other scandals illustrate how poorly information flows throughout the health system.

More than a week after Vicky Phelan brought the cervical cancer issue to public attention, a grossly inefficient HSE is still unable to provide definitive numbers, and in some cases, the names of women, caught up in the fiasco.

Much of the loss of public trust which has now come to a head is generated by the repeated failures by Department of Health and the HSE to get the basics of health service provision right. There’s little point in aspirational quality initiatives around “placing the patient at the centre of care” if the reality doesn’t become part of everyday practice.

There is a strong sense that the events of the last week have breached a line in the sand as far as the public is concerned. And so they should.

We are spending €15 billion a year on a health system that is disjointed and unbalanced.

The HSE is a failed entity. And it’s high time that civil servants in the Department of Health fronted up and got their hands dirty in response to our serious national health crisis.

That documentary last night about St. James hospital and the Covid ward was something else.

Now others can choose to dismiss it, but have a heart FGS if you can. Second part tonight.

It is not all about holidays or pubs but I know the rebels will do it anyway. It is worth a watch.

Tenzor07 wrote: »

True, I find it amazing how some are willing to acquiesce the feelings and opinions of an unelected senior HSE official, they must have very very short memories of the past 10 years of his reign... Cervical smear test scandal, the results of 2nd smear tests not appearing due to an "I.T Glitch", the hospital trolley scandal and every other HSE mess up which all in all has caused death and misery for many thousands of Irish people and their families..
In any other country with an advanced healthcare system and strong democracy someone like Holohan would have been fired or jailed, but like the bankers who caused the collapse of the Irish economy of which we are all still paying for, and are now walking free.

Only in Ireland!

Is your alter ego that Ginger and Lemon poster? Sorry now but take a break.

Not traveling abroad. Yes I will drive around Ireland a bit. I wont stay overnight anywhere public as I would be afraid of passing on the virus, I don't care about my own health that much as i am not elderly and am in good shape.

Beechwoodspark wrote: »

So on issues of whether to travel in a pandemic you would trust the chancers in ivy house over ya know, the actual chief medical officer....?

All factors have to be taken into account.
Medical, economic and political.

bladespin wrote: »

This, honestly cannot understand why testing at the airports isn’t a thing! Regardless of how you feel about those travelling it would be a massive help imo.

I've people coming from London end of July. Happy to drive them straight from the Airport for a test to see if they got it on the plane but will that be too fast.

Will it show after just a few hours?

Sheep Shagger wrote: »

For anyone travelling, are you concerned or do you care that you won't have valid travel insurance (serious question)?

Nope. Travel insurance covers very little anyways once excess comes into play. Ehic card will suffice.

I've a long weekend away in the south of France booked since January to a place I've been going to every year for the past decade. It's for the end of August. I expect the situation on travel will be much clearer by then but I do expect to travel unless there is a flare up here or in France., which I think should be the general advice going forward in this new normal. I believe this is the purpose of skybridges.

The main issue I have with Dr. Holohan's opinion and our government's delay in issuing clear guidance is that it is contrary to the overall EU approach of opening internal borders. If the EU still recommended closed borders, I would understand Dr. Holohan's recent comments. But I'm sure the EU hasn't made that decision lightly. I'd also wager that as CMO he has access to the same research and expert advice that the EU used to help make the decision to reopen borders.

Also, he said 2020 is the year for staycation. But there is no guarantee a vaccine will be found in 2021 or 2022. If that is the case, does he expect international travel to/from Ireland to remain at 1% of normal levels for years while our European neighbours continue to fly around the continent.

Travel isn't just so people can lie in the sun for a week. There are so many people with family and friends around Europe, not to mention the millions that depend on tourism for their livelihood.