Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Pen Rua

I've been failing to see why the overriding desire is for the 2km exercise limit to be extended. As other posters have noted, the beaches/parks etc will more than likely remain restricted. The only group I can see massively pushing for a more generous radius would be serious athletes. The average punter can easily exercise (run, walk, bike) within a 2km radius pretty comfortably as evidenced by .red.

the beer revolu

I'd like to see it as acceptable for over 70s to get out for a walk.

the beer revolu

Pen Rua wrote: »

I've been failing to see why the overriding desire is for the 2km exercise limit to be extended. As other posters have noted, the beaches/parks etc will more than likely remain restricted. The only group I can see massively pushing for a more generous radius would be serious athletes. The average punter can easily exercise (run, walk, bike) within a 2km radius pretty comfortably as evidenced by .red.

I walked over 8k one day and barely strayed 500 meters from my house. Didn't go over any ground twice, either. I saw it as a challenge and kinda fun.

It's one advantage of living in the city in these times - endless walking and running options.

Pen Rua

the beer revolu wrote: »

I'd like to see it as acceptable for over 70s to get out for a walk.

The Irish Times' article indicates that is due to be included in the initial phase.

the beer revolu wrote: »

I walked over 8k one day and barely strayed 500 meters from my house. Didn't go over any ground twice, either. I saw it as a challenge and kinda fun.

It's one advantage of living in the city in these times - endless walking and running options.

Indeed it is. I've stuck to the route along the river opposite Mercy (since I know I can cover it during my normal lunch time). Have been lax about getting out of the house, but have made a conscious effort to get a "daily mile" in the last few days.

the beer revolu

Pen Rua wrote: »

The Irish Times' article indicates that is due to be included in the initial phase.


Indeed it is. I've stuck to the route along the river opposite Mercy (since I know I can cover it during my normal lunch time). Have been lax about getting out of the house, but have made a conscious effort to get a "daily mile" in the last few days.

I've been working about 2 days a week and the walks are keeping me sane when I'm not working. I'm seasoning streets and areas that are local but new to me. Really enjoying the walks and the music to go with them.
The Glen River Park was a relevation. It's been close to me for most of my adult life and I never knew it was there!

TheChizler

Pen Rua wrote: »

I've been failing to see why the overriding desire is for the 2km exercise limit to be extended. As other posters have noted, the beaches/parks etc will more than likely remain restricted. The only group I can see massively pushing for a more generous radius would be serious athletes. The average punter can easily exercise (run, walk, bike) within a 2km radius pretty comfortably as evidenced by .red.

From (regrettably) reading some Journal and Facebook comments, there's a certain number of people who've convinced themselves you can go visit relatives and friends as long as it's within 2km, and many others who think shops and things are limited to that as well, so the push comes from a misunderstanding IMO.

Pen Rua

the beer revolu wrote: »

I've been working about 2 days a week and the walks are keeping me sane when I'm not working. I'm seasoning streets and areas that are local but new to me. Really enjoying the walks and the music to go with them.
The Glen River Park was a relevation. It's been close to me for most of my adult life and I never knew it was there!

Yes, it's nice to get out of the house and have time on my own with the podcasts I like!

Had never heard of Glen River Park - but 2kmfromhome puts it right on the edge of my 2km radius... now, about that extension...

TheChizler wrote: »

From (regrettably) reading some Journal and Facebook comments, there's a certain number of people who've convinced themselves you can go visit relatives and friends as long as it's within 2km, and many others who think shops and things are limited to that as well, so the push comes from a misunderstanding IMO.

Good point. The understanding of what the 2km relates to have been heavily confused.

Thephantomsmask

TheGoatOne wrote: »

Does anyone have any experience with moving house with the current restrictions? Due to move in the next few days and a bit worried that it wouldn't be deemed 'essential travel' with all the extra checkpoints that will be around. Thanks lads

Somebody mentioned over on the accommodation forum after the stricter measures came in that they needed to go and view a room to rent. Their local garda station told them that sourcing accommodation was considered essential. Maybe check with the local station just to be sure it is OK?

Level 42

TheChizler wrote: »

From (regrettably) reading some Journal and Facebook comments, there's a certain number of people who've convinced themselves you can go visit relatives and friends as long as it's within 2km, and many others who think shops and things are limited to that as well, so the push comes from a misunderstanding IMO.

Really are they slow or what first Ive heard of this :rolleyes:

LessOutragePlz

blindsider wrote: »

I'm getting the impression from various media posts/articles etc that any relaxation from next Tue will be very small.

I'm not holding my breath for any meaningful let-up. Frustrating, but if it needs to be done...it needs to be done.

I also notice a more general tendency to moan about the restrictions which is disappointing.

I'd rather be bored than on a ventilator.

These words are not mine (all credit goes to Padraig Mor) but it sums up the situation a lot better than I could:

There is no scientific basis whatsoever for the restrictions in their current form to be maintained beyond May 5th. The vast majority of the community have adhered to the restrictions and done what they were asked - we've done amazingly well as a people. We've already been told - what, two weeks ago now? - that community transmission is "virtually zero". The R0 is ~0.5, one of the lowest in Europe if I'm correct. Currently, the virus is not a serious threat to the average person or the community at large. The lockdown as an appropriate response to the threat at the time and did its job. It is now time to begin the process of reducing restrictions. Despite what the lockdown bedwetters here try to claim, this does not mean that those in favour of liberalisation want an immediate end to all restrictions - nothing could be further from the truth. It'll still be quite a while before we're sitting in pubs again, or the elderly are pootling around town. First thing that needs to go is the 2km limit - and not replaced with a 5/10km limit either - and for parks etc to open again. There is no valid reason for me or anyone else not to bring my kids to a forest 10/20/30km away and go for a walk. I know the Nervous Nellies here think that people will catch the virus en masse in parks - well, they're simply wrong - for the most part this is not a disease of the outdoors and you'd want to pretty damn unlucky to pick this up in your average national park anyway, not to mind if social distancing is employed as far as practicable (which of course it should be).

Will the infection rate climb with reducing restrictions? More than likely, but the degree of that and its extent are far from clear. Just in case, we need additional overhead in our health service - which we have in spades! We have ~100 patients in ICU with Covid-19 currently. IIRC total surge ICU capacity (according to the HSE consultant on here) in the country is in the order of 1000 beds. Even allowing for non-Covid ICU patients, that's a lot of extra capacity. How many reports have we heard that many hospitals are in large part near empty or very quiet? We have private hospitals being paid €115 million a month to look after public patients - and they're empty or near empty! We have loads of spare capacity in the system to deal with a surge if it comes. Now, I'm sure that'll be misinterpreted by the lockdown fetishists as me justifying going to the pub saying "to hell if others get sick, plenty of hospital space for them". Again, completely wrong - as we reduce restrictions we need to keep our eye on the ball in case things go awry.

This is now primarily a disease of nursing homes, long term residential facilities and healthcare facilities and this is where we need to focus our attention. There have been considerable failings by the HSE in dealing with these and I honestly believe that any continuation of the lockdown is an attempt to distract attention from this. To be honest, I'm not quite ready to raise the pitchforks for Holohan yet - I'm sure he and his colleagues did what they thought was best and it's not as if other countries don't have similar problems. The average person did not cause the nursing home outbreaks. We've done what we were asked to do and we've done it well, bringing the virus pretty much to its knees in the community at large. Yet if I want to pop my kids in the car and bring them to the woods for a ramble while maintaining social distancing I'll be turned around by the Gardai if stopped (and there has been a continual checkpoint on the only access to/from my area since Easter) - yet Travellers are allowed break the rules with impunity and with the connivance of Official Ireland?

It's time to start relaxing the restrictions.

FWIW I'm a microbiologist and have significant responsibility for infection control (incl Covid-19) in a large organisation which includes healthcare settings.

captainshamroc

LessOutragePlz wrote: »

These words are not mine (all credit goes to Padraig Mor) but it sums up the situation a lot better than I could:

There is no scientific basis whatsoever for the restrictions in their current form to be maintained beyond May 5th. The vast majority of the community have adhered to the restrictions and done what they were asked - we've done amazingly well as a people. We've already been told - what, two weeks ago now? - that community transmission is "virtually zero". The R0 is ~0.5, one of the lowest in Europe if I'm correct. Currently, the virus is not a serious threat to the average person or the community at large. The lockdown as an appropriate response to the threat at the time and did its job. It is now time to begin the process of reducing restrictions. Despite what the lockdown bedwetters here try to claim, this does not mean that those in favour of liberalisation want an immediate end to all restrictions - nothing could be further from the truth. It'll still be quite a while before we're sitting in pubs again, or the elderly are pootling around town. First thing that needs to go is the 2km limit - and not replaced with a 5/10km limit either - and for parks etc to open again. There is no valid reason for me or anyone else not to bring my kids to a forest 10/20/30km away and go for a walk. I know the Nervous Nellies here think that people will catch the virus en masse in parks - well, they're simply wrong - for the most part this is not a disease of the outdoors and you'd want to pretty damn unlucky to pick this up in your average national park anyway, not to mind if social distancing is employed as far as practicable (which of course it should be).

Will the infection rate climb with reducing restrictions? More than likely, but the degree of that and its extent are far from clear. Just in case, we need additional overhead in our health service - which we have in spades! We have ~100 patients in ICU with Covid-19 currently. IIRC total surge ICU capacity (according to the HSE consultant on here) in the country is in the order of 1000 beds. Even allowing for non-Covid ICU patients, that's a lot of extra capacity. How many reports have we heard that many hospitals are in large part near empty or very quiet? We have private hospitals being paid €115 million a month to look after public patients - and they're empty or near empty! We have loads of spare capacity in the system to deal with a surge if it comes. Now, I'm sure that'll be misinterpreted by the lockdown fetishists as me justifying going to the pub saying "to hell if others get sick, plenty of hospital space for them". Again, completely wrong - as we reduce restrictions we need to keep our eye on the ball in case things go awry.

This is now primarily a disease of nursing homes, long term residential facilities and healthcare facilities and this is where we need to focus our attention. There have been considerable failings by the HSE in dealing with these and I honestly believe that any continuation of the lockdown is an attempt to distract attention from this. To be honest, I'm not quite ready to raise the pitchforks for Holohan yet - I'm sure he and his colleagues did what they thought was best and it's not as if other countries don't have similar problems. The average person did not cause the nursing home outbreaks. We've done what we were asked to do and we've done it well, bringing the virus pretty much to its knees in the community at large. Yet if I want to pop my kids in the car and bring them to the woods for a ramble while maintaining social distancing I'll be turned around by the Gardai if stopped (and there has been a continual checkpoint on the only access to/from my area since Easter) - yet Travellers are allowed break the rules with impunity and with the connivance of Official Ireland?

It's time to start relaxing the restrictions.

FWIW I'm a microbiologist and have significant responsibility for infection control (incl Covid-19) in a large organisation which includes healthcare settings.

Got a few lines in but stopped taking seriously when they referred to people who disagreed with them as bedwetters. Usually a good indication of the type of person you are dealing with.
Name calling. Govt distraction. What about the travellers? I only want to go 30k to the local forest for a walk with the little ones. Sure its only old people its killing Joe.
Its like the Irish version of Fox news. Thankfully the majority listen to medical experts, including the govt. who would open the country in the morning if they thought they could.

robinbird

captainshamroc wrote: »

Got a few lines in but stopped taking seriously when they referred to people who disagreed with them as bedwetters. Usually a good indication of the type of person you are dealing with.
Name calling. Govt distraction. What about the travellers? I only want to go 30k to the local forest for a walk with the little ones. Sure its only old people its killing Joe.
Its like the Irish version of Fox news. Thankfully the majority listen to medical experts, including the govt. who would open the country in the morning if they thought they could.

Read to the end. The poster is a microbiologist and has significant responsibility for infection control (incl Covid-19) i

the beer revolu

captainshamroc wrote: »

Got a few lines in but stopped taking seriously when they referred to people who disagreed with them as bedwetters. Usually a good indication of the type of person you are dealing with.
Name calling. Govt distraction. What about the travellers? I only want to go 30k to the local forest for a walk with the little ones. Sure its only old people its killing Joe.
Its like the Irish version of Fox news. Thankfully the majority listen to medical experts, including the govt. who would open the country in the morning if they thought they could.

I stopped taking it seriously with the "what about the travellers?" bit, too.

opus

the beer revolu wrote: »

I've been working about 2 days a week and the walks are keeping me sane when I'm not working. I'm seasoning streets and areas that are local but new to me. Really enjoying the walks and the music to go with them.
The Glen River Park was a relevation. It's been close to me for most of my adult life and I never knew it was there!

I'm involved with the parkrun that was (& hopefully will be again) held there every Sat morning, you're not the only person who's never heard of it

Been getting out for a jog around the same time every afternoon at 5ish after my work from home day ends & have noticed an uptick in traffic over the last week. Mind you it was fairly quite on Patrick St this morning.

Worztron

I wonder if masks will eventually become compulsory in certain social situations.

Tom44

Worztron wrote: »

I wonder if masks will eventually become compulsory in certain social situations.

Yes,
And about time, don't knock it, every bit helps.
And it can't be the same or worse, than not wearing one.

Pen Rua

FWIW, this Galway sock company are producing reusable fabric masks: https://irishsocksciety.com/collections/face-masks

Of course, these are not medical grade and won't be totally protective.

ofcork

the beer revolu wrote: »

I've been working about 2 days a week and the walks are keeping me sane when I'm not working. I'm seasoning streets and areas that are local but new to me. Really enjoying the walks and the music to go with them.
The Glen River Park was a relevation. It's been close to me for most of my adult life and I never knew it was there!

I live near the glen park haven't been down there in years a lot of anti social stuff there previously.

Tom44

ofcork wrote: »

I live near the glen park haven't been down there in years a lot of anti social stuff there previously.

I live near the Glen Park, what an unknown treasure till now. (20 years+) No social distanceing on paths now.
OK, some are tight, but not impossible to be accommodation.
Breaks my heart to avoided the place now.

And that due to joggers and mocho idiots.

The scumbag are more accommodationing, which is nice and appricated, so I'm wrong in stereo typing.
T.

Pen Rua

Tesco Paul St was jammers this morning. We usually do our weekly shop on the Sunday morning as it tends to be quite quiet. But this morning there was a queue to go in (unusual for Sunday am) and the staff told me that there was a queue forming from 9.30am this morning.

rob316

People have had enough and are out in numbers again. The most restrictive measures in europe for another 3 months just will not fly as numbers continue to fall.

the beer revolu

Queues certainly seem to be getting longer for shops. Experienced my longest wait to get into Lidl, Cornmarket Street on Saturday.

Up side is very little queuing for checkouts, once inside.

ofcork

Amazing that burger king have stayed open even if its takeaway all through this.

rob316

ofcork wrote: »

Amazing that burger king have stayed open even if its takeaway all through this.

Why is it amazing? They are doing delivery and take away and have social distancing measures in place. I'm more surprised McDonald's closed when they didnt have to.

whisky_galore

the beer revolu wrote: »

I stopped taking it seriously with the "what about the travellers?" bit, too.

Try camping on military land and see how long they'll let you stay there.

JP Liz V1

1,197

ofcork

What's that

ofcork

I see now number of cases in cork 3rd highest county.

JP Liz V1

ofcork wrote: »

What's that

Cork with 1,197 cases (5%)

the beer revolu

ofcork wrote: »

I see now number of cases in cork 3rd highest county.

2nd most populous County.