Relaxation of restrictions

BoatMad

I personally think there will be a gradual lifting of restrictions from May , no mass gatherings , pubs closed , etc. There will be a long tail to this virus and we will not see the back of it until if and when a vaccine is widely administered

KiKi III

Pitch n Putt wrote: »

We can’t exist like this living in fear for the foreseeable future.

A lot of people on this thread might benefit from the 12 Step philosophy of taking a day at a time.

What will the situation be in six months or a year? None of us know.

Playing out worst-case scenarios or even overly optimistic best-case scenarios can play havoc with people's mental health.

Try focusing mainly on today: What can you do to get through today and make it more bearable - organise a phone call with someone who always cheers you up, cook yourself something nice, get out in this beautiful weather for a walk if you can etc.

lainey_d_123

Deleted User wrote: »

A rather blunt analysis, short of sentiment. My parents are both over 65 and have much to live for. Would you willingly sacrifice yourself if the situation demanded it? You're capable of better than this.

You've missed the point.

We're ALL sacrificing ourselves right now. This just isn't sustainable in the long run. Some posters think it's unfair for elderly people to cocoon themselves while the rest of us get on with things. Well, how is it fair for them to expect everyone to suffer? I'm sure your parents have much to live for, but so does everyone else.

SusanC10

Apologies as I have only been dipping in and out of anything to do with this Virus as I find that a lot of the time I am struggling but realistically how long are we looking at for a Vaccine to be widely available so that I can see my elderly Mum again ?

Professor Moriarty

KiKi III wrote: »

A lot of people on this thread might benefit from the 12 Step philosophy of taking a day at a time.

What will the situation be in six months or a year? None of us know.

Playing out worst-case scenarios or even overly optimistic best-case scenarios can play havoc with people's mental health.

Try focusing mainly on today: What can you do to get through today and make it more bearable - organise a phone call with someone who always cheers you up, cook yourself something nice, get out in this beautiful weather for a walk if you can etc.

Or go on Boards to have a nice friendly chat with well-informed experts.

Jim Gazebo

Cork Boy 53 wrote: »

Very few would deny this is the case. Unfortunately the virus doesn`t give a **** about any of that.

The virus doesn't give a **** about anything because it can't think, it's a virus!! Christ the amount of times this is rolled out.

pgj2015

SusanC10 wrote: »

Apologies as I have only been dipping in and out of anything to do with this Virus as I find that a lot of the time I am struggling but realistically how long are we looking at for a Vaccine to be widely available so that I can see my elderly Mum again ?

could you not just go see her and wear a mask?

easypazz

KiKi III wrote: »

80% of the workforce is still gainfully employed thankfully through all this, either because they are considered essential or because they can work from home.

Of the 20% who have unfortunately lost jobs, many will indeed thankfully be back in their jobs, maybe not by middle of May, but perhaps by middle of June.

That's not to say there won't be more job losses, or permanent job losses. There will. That would be the case either way because we have an export driven economy and the whole world is about to go into recession.

I'm grateful for the indications that our government and governments around us don't plan to return to austerity and will instead spend their way out of this one. There will be a massive stimulus (half a trillion deal agreed by the EU last week).

Absolute rubbish.

An awful lot of people such as bus drivers, librarians, council staff, revenue staff, teachers, zoo staff, staff at national parks etc. etc. are being paid by the state for doing little or nothing.

There are also a lot of people employed but "hanging on by a thread" as they try to stay going in various areas such as airline staff etc.

This is simply unsustainable.

If this went on another while a lot of focus will be turned on the civil service and all their pay would need to be slashed.

And that means more people struggling and less money for things and another downward spiral begins.

Cork Boy 53

SusanC10 wrote: »

Apologies as I have only been dipping in and out of anything to do with this Virus as I find that a lot of the time I am struggling but realistically how long are we looking at for a Vaccine to be widely available so that I can see my elderly Mum again ?

Realistic best case is 12 to 15 months but there is no guarantee that an effective vaccine will be developed at all.

SusanC10

SusanC10 wrote: »

Apologies as I have only been dipping in and out of anything to do with this Virus as I find that a lot of the time I am struggling but realistically how long are we looking at for a Vaccine to be widely available so that I can see my elderly Mum again ?

Nobody knows. It is pure conjecture. Most likely some time in 2021

I am sure that there will be guidance given about how to resume contact with vulnerable people outside your household, keeping your distance and wearing a mask

CtevenSrowder

GT89 wrote: »

Having to stay in your home or stay within 2km of your house is not living it's surviving. Things like going to work, school, football matches, concerts, pubs, restaurants and on holidays are all an important part of life is a Western developed nation. Who wants to live under quarantine it's not being greedy.

The "you're greedy" argument is the only one he's got.

Thelonious Monk

lainey_d_123 wrote: »

100% this.

There are some people on this thread who seem to think we should all collectively suffer for months on end so that those who need to isolate don't feel 'left out' or something. Completely disregarding not only what that would do to the economy but also everyone else's lives.

If I were 85 and in ill health, I certainly wouldn't want or expect to be anyone's priority. That's not meant in a callous way, but some people need to understand there are no winners here. The way it's going, the young are going to be sacrificed for the old. People who are elderly have lived their lives already. They've had their weddings and their careers and raised their kids, and now all that is being taken away from young people. There's a generation of teenagers having their education ruined, enormous stress put on families which will lead to family breakdown and even violence, weddings being cancelled, long distance relationships breaking up, surgery cancelled, people with poor mental health suffering enormously.

And we're facing another recession, barely a decade after the last one started. At 34, I'm only just about getting on my feet now, after years of under employment and poverty which hit at the same time as a chronic illness. Still not well off by any stretch, but making an OK salary with prospects and had started slowly saving for a flat deposit and other normal 'adult' stuff I just couldn't do before. It might have just about been possible to buy a modest flat in my late thirties and maybe even consider a family. Now where are we going to be? And there are many people even worse off, who are going to be truly destitute.

And people still insist on saying this is all about pubs and beaches.

All your posts just smack of ME ME ME ME ME ME ME.
You're being asked to stay inside for a little while longer, we will all lose out a bit here, but the lockdown is saving lives. Things will go back to normal. A 67 year old man that lives on my street died from covid the other day, this isn't just a problem for 85 year olds.

easypazz

KiKi III wrote: »

A lot of people on this thread might benefit from the 12 Step philosophy of taking a day at a time.

What will the situation be in six months or a year? None of us know.

Playing out worst-case scenarios or even overly optimistic best-case scenarios can play havoc with people's mental health.

Try focusing mainly on today: What can you do to get through today and make it more bearable - organise a phone call with someone who always cheers you up, cook yourself something nice, get out in this beautiful weather for a walk if you can etc.

What about people who can't afford phone credit, or can't afford to buy nice things to cook, or can't afford gas for the cooker because they have no money due to being forced out of work.


You seem to think its all a bed of roses out there for people.

CtevenSrowder

SusanC10 wrote: »

Apologies as I have only been dipping in and out of anything to do with this Virus as I find that a lot of the time I am struggling but realistically how long are we looking at for a Vaccine to be widely available so that I can see my elderly Mum again ?

Can you not see her when the 2Km restrictions are lifted? You just have to maintain your social distance so no hugging for example as awful as it is.

Thelonious Monk

easypazz wrote: »

What about people who can't afford phone credit, or can't afford to buy nice things to cook, or can't afford gas for the cooker because they have no money due to being forced out of work.


You seem to think its all a bed of roses out there for people.

Who are these people that aren't getting any help from the government and can't afford gas? Do you know any yourself?

o1s1n

GT89 wrote: »

Having to stay in your home or stay within 2km of your house is not living it's surviving. Things like going to work, school, football matches, concerts, pubs, restaurants and on holidays are all an important part of life is a Western developed nation. Who wants to live under quarantine it's not being greedy.

You'd swear we were all on the brink of running out of food the way you're going on.

Pubic services are still running. Food is in plentiful supply. Bins are being collected. The internet is still working.

Stick on some Netflix, order a pizza and chill the **** out.

easypazz

Thelonious Monk wrote: »

All your posts just smack of ME ME ME ME ME ME ME.
You're being asked to stay inside for a little while longer, we will all lose out a bit here, but the lockdown is saving lives. Things will go back to normal. A 67 year old man that lives on my street died from covid the other day, this isn't just a problem for 85 year olds.

It also costs lives.

Some people keep ignoring this bit.

Thelonious Monk

easypazz wrote: »

It also costs lives.

Some people keep ignoring this bit.

Oh shock horror, some people may struggle a bit with the lockdown. Life isn't supposed to be easy.

Cyrus

BanditLuke wrote: »

It is more important to the obvious Gordon Gekko's in training here.

Thankfully we have people in charge who think differently.

at the lefties, who dont worry about where the money for everything will come from because there's money for everything on the magic money tree.

If we dont get the economy moving again where will the money come from to keep the health service going for example?

KiKi III

easypazz wrote: »

What about people who can't afford phone credit, or can't afford to buy nice things to cook, or can't afford gas for the cooker because they have no money due to being forced out of work.


You seem to think its all a bed of roses out there for people.

I've talked at length about my own mental health issues and the fact that as a self-employed person I've lost a good portion of my business to Covid 19.

So no, I don't think it's a bed of roses for anyone.

What I have said repeatedly is that for most people it's doable. And I stand by that.

easypazz

o1s1n wrote: »

You'd swear we were all on the brink of running out of food the way you're going on.

Pubic services are still running. Food is in plentiful supply. Bins are being collected. The internet is still working.

Stick on some Netflix and order a pizza, and chill the **** out.

What if you can't afford Netflix, or to pay for the bin, or are struggling to pay for food because you have been forced out of work?

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

KiKi III wrote: »

A lot of people on this thread might benefit from the 12 Step philosophy of taking a day at a time.

What will the situation be in six months or a year? None of us know.

Playing out worst-case scenarios or even overly optimistic best-case scenarios can play havoc with people's mental health.

Try focusing mainly on today: What can you do to get through today and make it more bearable - organise a phone call with someone who always cheers you up, cook yourself something nice, get out in this beautiful weather for a walk if you can etc.

That only works short term. At some point people need more human contact.

How long are you proposing the lockdown lasts - or what do you think needs to happen - before ANY restrictions are eased? Because there seems to be a bit of confusion on that point.

Minime2.5

easypazz wrote: »

What about people who can't afford phone credit, or can't afford to buy nice things to cook, or can't afford gas for the cooker because they have no money due to being forced out of work.


You seem to think its all a bed of roses out there for people.

Toast and Tea isn't bad

KiKi III

easypazz wrote: »

What if you can't afford Netflix, or to pay for the bin, or are struggling to pay for food because you have been forced out of work?

People who have been forced out of work are on €350/week. That includes me. And I haven't heard of anyone driven to starvation on that amount yet. You're being dramatic.

People who can't afford Netflix can find a world of entertainment in YouTube absolutely free.

KrustyUCC

Thelonious Monk wrote: »

You're being asked to stay inside for a little while longer, we will all lose out a bit here, but the lockdown is saving lives. Things will go back to normal

That's fine in theory when it's just a little while and which is why the majority are complying with the lockdown

We are doing well but not well enough

The government have got a 24 day extension to the 5th of May

They can't keep extending the lockdown after that

We can't run from the virus long term either as a vaccine might never work unfortunately

KiKi III

Princess Consuela Bananahammock wrote: »

That only works short term. At some point people need more human contact.

How long are you proposing the lockdown lasts - or what do you think needs to happen - before ANY restrictions are eased? Because there seems to be a bit of confusion on that point.

I'm proposing, as I have all along, that we follow the guidance of the public health experts.

I'm very hopeful that some of the restrictions will be lifted on May 5.

easypazz

KiKi III wrote: »

I've talked at length about my own mental health issues and the fact that as a self-employed person I've lost a good portion of my business to Covid 19.

So no, I don't think it's a bed of roses for anyone.

What I have said repeatedly is that for most people it's doable. And I stand by that.

And for a lot of people they won't be able for it, and so they are being let die because another section of society can be saved.

We need to live with this, accept that it will kill people, the same as cancer and heart attacks kill people.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

KiKi III wrote: »

I'm proposing, as I have all along, that we follow the guidance of the public health experts.

I'm very hopeful that some of the restrictions will be lifted on May 5.

So is everyone - that's kind of dodging the question, to be honest.

KiKi III

Princess Consuela Bananahammock wrote: »

So is everyone - that's kind of dodging the question, to be honest.

It's not at all. It's the truthful answer, and I've been consistent on it through the thread.

El_Duderino 09

easypazz wrote: »

And for a lot of people they won't be able for it, and so they are being let die because another section of society can be saved.

We need to live with this, accept that it will kill people, the same as cancer and heart attacks kill people.

Yeah I think that's what we're doing right now. If we thought we could kill the disease we would have a complete month long stay at home order for everyone except medical staff. but that's very impractical as there might not be a month's supply of food for everyone.

Instead, we're building up hospital capacity and trying to keep the rate of infection at or below hospital capacity. The only way through this is through a managed herd immunity over the course of the next year or two.

As the rate of infection slows, they will reduce restrictions to speed up infections, then tighten restrictions to keep them manageable, then rinse and repeat until we have herd immunity